Luton to Worcester via Paddington

[MrCub]

Hi there

I've made this journey before and BR Fares shows a valid ticket, but this ticket does not show on National Rail.

I plan to get a super off peak return Luton to Worcester, with Gold Card discount. I've checked the times are valid (I'll leave Paddington on the 19.22 and on a weekday, and return on a Saturday).

BR Fares gives a ticket for £40.60 - http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?...n&flow=0&multi=0&fare=4&rte=201&ldn=1&tkt=SSR

How come it doesn't show up on planners? I'm assuming I can still get this ticket as normal. I'll take the print out with me, but I am confused.

Any offers?

 

[dzug2]

Well the FGW planner does show the fare, but the itinerary you want is greyed out as invalid

I'm wondering if some restriction is being applied - rightly or wrongly - to the Luton - London sector?

 

[PermitToTravel]

The ticket office at Luton might not be happy to sell this as it's a super off peak return, and they might believe that super off peak tickets aren't valid on weekdays (this is true for tickets on their route, but certainly not true for tickets nationally). I don't know how well trained they are

I would expect the ticket machines at Luton to be happy to sell this ticket

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The ticket has a restriction code of 5R, which has a note to look at CI/CJ for journeys via St Pancras. CJ has a note to check half a dozen other restriction codes (for travel via Paddington). But so far I haven't noticed anything that would prohibit use of the ticket (I might have missed something, the company have restricted so much on IE that most sites don't function properly!).

I *think* FCC use FasTis these days which means the built in journey planner could say it's not valid (before we start blaming the staff!). The journey planner I have at work also has issues with validity here, and I'm not entirely sure what a ticket machine would make of it.

 

[34D]

I think the fact it has a maltese cross on it will be enough to assure staff of FCC, LU and FGW that it is valid that way.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I think the fact it has a maltese cross on it will be enough to assure staff of FCC, LU and FGW that it is valid that way.

I'm not convinced the routeing is the problem, I can get my journey planner to bring up other times, like the 1822 from Luton, going via London, but not the 1922 for example.

 

[MrCub]

Remember it is the 19.22 ex Paddington; the time from Luton doesn't matter to me. I know that the restrictions mean that I can't get anything out of Paddington during 'peak' hours.

I'm sure it was on the ticket machines last time I checked. I hope I'm not in for a drama when I get to the station. A couple of the ticket office staff are hopeless but many of them are really helpful so I shall remain confident.

 

[PermitToTravel]

It might be worth buying it in advance - remember that you can use this ticket on any train regardless of what they type into the computer, pursuant to the restriction code

 

[Hadders]

East Coast's site will sell tickets for the route if you specify via Oxford but it won't allow departures on the 1749, 1822 or 1922 departures off Paddington.

Virgin's site won't sell a ticket for this route.

Northern's site does sell the ticket and will allow travel on the 1922 from Paddington.

Northern's site doesn't seem to use Webtis/TTL and I've often found it better when it comes to tickets with 'obscure' routeing (not that this routeing is particularly obscure).

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Remember it is the 19.22 ex Paddington; the time from Luton doesn't matter to me. I know that the restrictions mean that I can't get anything out of Paddington during 'peak' hours....

The SSR (Super Off-Peak Return) also has restrictions into St Pancras, though they might not be much for you to worry about (morning restriction). On the journey planners I need to put in a time from Luton or arrival into Worcester, hence my choice of naming times from there, I realise you said from Paddington.

 

[MrCub]

Concerned about the potential for a scene later on today, I popped into the station. I found the ticket immediately on the ticket machine; however I had a vouchers to use and wanted the gold card first upgrade. I went to the window and was very lucky to get one of the really helpful sales staff.

She spent quite some time looking for the ticket - I took a print out from BR Fares and she simply couldn't find it on the system. She asked a colleague and they found it together, so along with the other tickets I wanted, it was successfully issued.

I was fortunate that she was so resilient and many would have given up. It does, of course, raise all sorts of questions about people buying the correct tickets.

However I'm happy and will enjoy my jaunt later on today; thanks for all your help on here

Mr Cub