How far have you travelled without being asked to show a ticket?

[yorkie]

No check on my last LNER journeys (York to London / Peterborough to York), which is not uncommon.

Avanti/WMT checks are rare, especially the latter and in particular on their "LNR" branded services; I've done journeys such as Stafford to Euston without any checks.

I once did Stafford to a suburban Glasgow station taking three Avanti trains (back when you had to change at Crewe and Preston) in 1st class with no check on any of them, however the Scotrail on board ticket inspector did a check before my final train had even pulled out of Glasgow Central!

Selby to Kings X probably longest...

I suspect not on Hull Trains, as they do actually check!

 

[Merthyr Imp]

Paddington to Merthyr Tydfil via Cardiff on a few Saturday evenings over the last couple of years. No barriers at Merthyr.

 

[peteb]

It's interesting to see that the UK is as random in terms of ticket checks as mainland Europe. My recent trip from Cologne to Bremen in 1st class was completely unchecked, yet train staff kindly fetched food and drink from the buffet for us (paid for, no free food on DB!!). Mind you I have no doubt they'd throw the book at anyone without a ticket.

 

[Taunton]

DLR is open entry and exit stations. Think it was about 2 years regular use through Covid without any ticket check at any point.

 

[Lukeo2311]

I recently did Bungendore to Canberra without a check of my ticket! as I was meeting my mum and dad on the same service as a surprise after a cruise they did. My most surprising ticket inspection was a check of my Opal card on a bus from the domestic terminal to a nearby station to avoid the expensive fee if you use the 2 airport stations in Sydney!

 

[DaventryRabbit]

In 2022 I covered Kent pretty extensively on a 3 Day Kent Rover. Alighting at many stations. The only check was at the Barrier at Canterbury East.
Immediately following in from this I did a 7 Day Thames Rover and again, apart from Gatelines at Guildford and Reading there was not one single on board check.

 

[dodecahedron67]

I suspect not on Hull Trains, as they do actually check!

It was actually! Happened a few times, but only in the Southbound direction. Always checked straight away out of Kings X

 

[mikeb42]

Various minor stations around Bristol to Paddington and back with no ticket checks or barriers at all (in/out of platforms 1/8/9 at Paddington) many times.

Recently got from Bedwyn to Brighton with no checks and no ticket. Ticket machine not working at Bedwyn, no guard or inspection from Bedwyn to Reading, Reading to Redhill or Redhill to Brighton and no time to rectify at change points as everything was late. Eventually got to the gateline at Brighton where fortunately I was believed as presumably fare dodgers don't claim to have come from 100+ miles away when challenged...

 

[Halish Railway]

In the UK it’d be London Euston to Preston, with no ticket check at Euston.

However, broadening the scope to other countries I did do Copenhagen to Umeå on one ticket and had no check on Øresundtåg and the two SJ Snabtåg trains I used, although on the later two the ‘check’ is performed by the conductor checking if people are in their allocated seats.

 

[Snow1964]

Bradford on Avon (Wiltshire) to Sheffield, and on return journey was checked after Cheltenham

So 300+ miles (and about 6 hours) before first (and only) check

 

[WizCastro197]

Exeter to Redhill via Clapham Junction.

 

[Peter0124]

I've travelled northbound between Preston/Carlisle and Glasgow a lot and rarely have I had my ticket checked.

Whereas travelling southbound, ticket checks seem to be more consistent and frequent, usually done after each major stop.

 

[geoffk]

It's interesting to see that the UK is as random in terms of ticket checks as mainland Europe. My recent trip from Cologne to Bremen in 1st class was completely unchecked, yet train staff kindly fetched food and drink from the buffet for us (paid for, no free food on DB!!). Mind you I have no doubt they'd throw the book at anyone without a ticket.

Bern to Koblenz (a five hour journey) last month. I was with a party and we had Interrail passes. No ticket gates on Swiss stations and I've not seen any in Germany, but I was told being caught without a ticket in those countries earns you a badge of shame from family and friends! Also, from what I saw on one occasion, the penalty for transgression is quite severe.

 

[peteb]

Incidentally, the opposite of what I'm asking in my OP is quite interesting.

For example the Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town branch line is just under 3/4 mile in length, but I've never travelled on it without a ticket check (and that's the entire railcar being checked!!).

I guess we'll need a new thread for shortest journey on which tickets have been checked!

 

[davews]

I guess we'll need a new thread for shortest journey on which tickets have been checked!

Seem to remember Martins Heron to Ascot with a check... Martins Heron to Bracknell will always be checked at the Bracknell barriers. Certainly had an on train check Martins Heron to Wokingham.

As for no checks:

I have certainly done Melton Mowbray to Kings Cross via Peterborough, open barriers KX. Martins Heron to Plymouth with only check at the Plymouth barriers.

 

[zero]

Euston to Glasgow. More than once on that route too

IME very rare to not have the "manual barriers" at Euston, except for the first departure in the early morning.

However Glasgow to Euston it's more likely that my ticket is not checked than checked, though this is because I just walk past the "manual barrier" at Glasgow and don't respond when the TM comes around, they very frequently seem to ignore me even when they are supposedly checking all passengers. Of course I only dare to do this because I do have a ticket.


Recently I did an 8 day Britrail pass, including a Glasgow to Euston where it wasn't checked. I think it was only checked on board about 15 times in total (the vast majority of checks being on Northern), but many times at barriers, where it always worked except at Newcastle.


My longest journeys unchecked were some random bus stop in Zürich canton > Zürich > Düsseldorf airport terminal, and Amsterdam > Berlin > Frankfurt (Oder) > some random bus stop in Warsaw. These journeys included an overnight ICE which may explain some of it


Shortest journey checked was Croydon George St to Croydon Church St

 

[156421]

I have regularly travelled Barrow to Derby with no revenue protection at all. Usually Northern on the BIF-LAN/PRE/MCO/MAN (all are possible connection options) are pretty good but if it's a 6 coach unit (two 195s) and you're in the opposite unit to the guard then it's a matter of whether EMR/XC/Avanti are going to bother... and usually they don't.

 

[pepperpot80]

I once did Bangor (Gwynedd) to London Euston in 1st, including breakfast, with no actual ticket check. I was in possession of one, I just think it slipped off the list of things to be done. This was around 2008, mind, so a while back.
Also did an ICE from Salzburg to Vienna the slow way (via Schladming & Leoben); had several lengthy conversations with the conductor over the course of several hours and it was only as we were coming down from Semmering he clocked that he'd not actually checked my ticket yet.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Warrington Bank Quay to Glasgow and Runcorn to Euston.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Whitehaven to Northampton including a free ride in Standard Premium.