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Is this cheating the system?

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F Great Eastern

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So as you know there are 2 for 1 offers for places outside London that can be used with any type of train tickets as part of the National Rail ATOC promotion.

Now maybe I'm stupid, but say I fly in from a different country to manchester, and then buy a open return ticket from Manchester Airport to Manchester Piccadilly then I could take advantage of all these offers for one month?

For example, all the attractions in Manchester say that you must have a ticket to Manchester Piccadilly or any in the central stations zone and one from the airport to Piccadilly is exactly that.

The FAQ does not seem to preclude you from doing this:
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faq

In essence does this mean it can be done to obtain discounted tickets versus this "Buy in" workaround even though the cost of the tickets will be very low and the attraction people would have to take them?

It seems somewhat to be gaming/cheating the system to get a discount, but there seems to be nothing in the terms that says this is not possible?
 
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Mutant Lemming

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I know people who have gone to Chessington by car bought a ticket from Chessington North to Chessington South without travelling by train at all to take advantage of a 2 for 1 deal. It just says you need to show a valid rail ticket to take advantage of the offer doesn't mention that you actually have to travel by train.
 

IanD

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It's one of the tips on the MoneySavingExpert site so probably a widely used ploy.

Although Chessington, Thorpe Park and most of the Merlin groups always seem to have a 50% off voucher available somewhere so anyone who rocks up and pays the full price needs to have their head examined - they seem to be way over priced in the first place probably because they know most people will get 50% off.
 

Cherry_Picker

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I bought a priv single from Birmingham Moor Street to Birmingham Snow Hill so I could get a discount on tickets to Cadbury World. :D
 

F Great Eastern

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So in short then yes - This is a trick I will have to use a lot in the future then if ever I am going anywhere, I thought it was possible, since the conditions only mention that each offer has to have a certain TO station but does not state restrictions on where it is FROM.

Has anyone had any attraction actually refuse them entry on 2 for 1 or discounts because of getting such discount by purchasing a very cheap rail ticket?
 

barrykas

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I bought a priv single from Birmingham Moor Street to Birmingham Snow Hill so I could get a discount on tickets to Cadbury World. :D

I always thought staff only had to present their PRIV Card for 2 for 1s, or is that just for London?
 

Cherry_Picker

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It might be now you mention it. Could have been for the sea life centre or the science museum then. I've been to them all over the years and definitely bought the priv ticket for one of them.
 

Crossover

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SS4:1455263 said:
I bought a priv single from Birmingham Moor Street to Birmingham Snow Hill so I could get a discount on tickets to Cadbury World. :D

I thought you needed a Bournville ticket for cadbury world :s

I believe that is the case. I recall going with some uni friends and saying that you could get a short journey ticket to Bourneville and save more than the cost of it on the entry ticket
 

pjnathanail

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I thought you needed a Bournville ticket for cadbury world :s

Nope, used the offer last week and the voucher stated Birmingham New Street, Birmingham Moor Street or Bournville. They perhaps want to cater for people who use the bus from Birmingham.

Great service though, uncrowned XC Voyager/HST (amazing I know!) and 30% of entry, better than fighting our way along the M42

These vouchers are good, so perhaps instead of buying cheaper train tickets people could actually use the train! Who foots the bill at the end of the day?
 

W230

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Tbh, I though you had to get a ticket even for them, not that I have checked it out anytime in the last decade or so.
I thought this too and was going to get a Bethnal Green - Liverpool Street with a PRIV (or similar cheap ticket) but I then found out that you only need to show a staff ID and you get 2 for 1 entrance.

Found it great for sightseeing in London so far! :lol:
 

barrykas

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I thought this too and was going to get a Bethnal Green - Liverpool Street with a PRIV (or similar cheap ticket) but I then found out that you only need to show a staff ID and you get 2 for 1 entrance.

Vauxhall - Waterloo or Waterloo East - Charing Cross are cheaper ;)
 
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