How do you find out permitted routes?

[Adrian1980uk]

Does that phrase on tickets really annoy anyone else. What is any permitted route, how do you find out what routes you can take?

I find it a nebulous phrase to cover anything and everything.

 

[JonathanH]

Does that phrase on tickets really annoy anyone else. What is any permitted route, how do you find out what routes you can take?

I find it a nebulous phrase to cover anything and everything.

There is a guide to permitted routes available on the ATOC website.
https://data.atoc.org/routeing-guide

Routeing Guide Data
This guide shows the full range of permitted routes available for use with tickets on
the National Rail network. The content has been approved by the Department for
Transport. If you are planning a journey we would strongly advise you to make use of
the Journey Planner at www.nationalrail.co.uk. Any ticket indicated for use in
conjunction with a particular journey when using the Journey Planner will
automatically be valid for the route and service indicated.

PLEASE NOTE this guide is of necessity a complex document and the Journey
Planner should be used to validate any intended route (including relevant ‘via’ points)
to ensure that it can be used with your ticket. This is especially necessary if using
this guide to identify whether an indirect or unusual route is valid for use.

TO USE THIS GUIDE: Follow the steps below to identify the permitted routes for the
journey that you wish to make. Please ensure that you read the instructions on how
to use the National Routeing Guide before you begin the search.

It would be much more annoying if the routes were defined individually, rather than allowing multiple permitted routes on one ticket.

 

[Watershed]

Does that phrase on tickets really annoy anyone else. What is any permitted route, how do you find out what routes you can take?

I find it a nebulous phrase to cover anything and everything.

It's a rather confusing way of saying that you can use any train from any operator along the routes defined as permitted - as opposed to being limited in terms of which operator or route you may use.

Permitted routes are defined in the National Rail Conditions of Travel:

• The shortest route
• A direct train
• Any other route permitted under the Routeing Guide

The Routeing Guide sets out that, broadly speaking, for shorter journeys, you may also take a route within 3 miles of the shortest route, as well as direct trains to and from a common junction station (e.g. Enfield Chase to Potters Bar is permitted via Stevenage as well as via Alexandra Palace).

And for longer journeys, it sets out how you can get to and from the nearest junction stations to the origin/destination (Routeing Point) and then between the two, via a set of maps, and combination of maps.

It also sets out easements that extend or narrow the routes permitted under the Routeing Guide, so as to allow sensible routes that wouldn't otherwise be permitted, whilst disallowing routes that would cause anomalies.

It's very complicated to fully understand, but you don't particularly need to concern yourself with it; you can simply search for the route you're thinking of taking - and if the journey planner offers it to you, with the ticket you hold, you know that it's a valid route.

 

[Ediswan]

The Routeing Guide sets out that, broadly speaking, for shorter journeys, you may also take a route within 3 miles of the shortest route, as well as direct trains to and from a common junction station (e.g. Enfield Chase to Potters Bar is permitted via Stevenage as well as via Alexandra Palace).

Are you sure about that example ? The anytime fares are very different, £23.00 and £7.20 respectively. Enfield Chase to Stevenage is £13.00.

 

[yorkie]

Does that phrase on tickets really annoy anyone else. What is any permitted route, how do you find out what routes you can take?

Are you asking because you have a journey in mind and you want to know if it is permitted to travel a particular way or by a particular itinerary? Or are you wanting to know what you can do for the purposes of 'because you can'?

If the former, the answer is: the same as pretty much any other transport mode; simply search for the journey you want to make and the system will give you a fare if it is a permitted route.

(It is worth bearing in mind at this point that train company websites will generally only provide itineraries if it's a permitted route for the through journey from origin to destination; in contrast split ticket websites will offer the best itinerary and then calculate the likely best tickets to suit that itinerary, which follow permitted routes)

If the latter, then on National Rail it is probably easier to figure this out than other systems in other countries, or on many airlines; it's been answered already above. Admittedly it is not super easy to do this, but it's also a fairly niche requirement that the average person doesn't need to look up. And is there a perfect alternative system in this area used by any other provider?

I find it a nebulous phrase to cover anything and everything.

If anyone has any suggestions for an alternative phrase, feel free to post any such proposal (in the appropriate forum section)!

 

[Watershed]

Are you sure about that example ? The anytime fares are very different, £23.00 and £7.20 respectively. Enfield Chase to Stevenage is £13.00.

Ah, my apologies - the available fares are routed via Finsbury Park or Alexandra Palace, so that flexibility doesn't exist. However, the principle stands - e.g. Wooton Wawen to Dorridge, which is routed Any Permitted, is permitted via Tyseley as well as via Wilmcote.