Off peak return not off peak DAY return?

[PP100]

Hi

Getting confised with conflicting info.

Last week , I specifically asked at the Tottenham Hale ticket office for a "off peak return" to Stansted Mountfichet - not a "off peak day return"

Looking at the ticket much later it says "Off peak Day return" - I paid £10 (the min fare ) using my Network Railcard for the first time.

Now if I use TrainLine or Nat Rail site for any proposed journey from Tottenham Hale to SST OUT in one day and RETURN a few days later it tells me the cheapest ticket is TWO singles at over £20 -

yet National Rail site actually states:

Off-Peak: These fares do not restrict you to travelling on a specific train, but they do have restrictions on the time you can travel. Check at the station before you travel, but you may find you don't need to pay an additional fare as long as you complete your journey within a calendar month for 'Off-Peak' tickets and on the date shown on the ticket for 'Off-Peak Day' tickets.

Why can't the sites choose a return ticket only for my Out and Return journeys (made within a month) and why couldn't the ticket office sell me the correct ticket - at the time ?
Do I have to alway tell them specifically when purchasing that I'm not returning same day to get sold an "Off peak return" as "Off peak day" tickets appear to be only valid on the day they were bought?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

There are two ticket types under the 'Off-Peak' banner, Off-Peak (SVR - formerly a ticket like a Saver, valid to return within one month) and Off-Peak day (CDR - Formerly a ticket like Cheap Day Return, valiid to return the same day). Shorter distance journies tend not to have the former (SVR), your journey is one such example, there is no Off-Peak fare, but there is an Off-Peak Day fare.

You actually should have asked for two singles, one to go and one to come back, or made mention of coming back a different day. The Clerk probably assumed that because you asked for a return for a shorter distance journey and didn't mention you were coming back a different day, you were coming back the same day (staff are not psychic). If I'm honest, I would have done the same thing, unless there is actually a choice of SVR or CDR tickets on the particular route.

The same theory applies to Anytime (SOR) and Anytime Day (SDR).

 

[glynn80]

Hi

Getting confised with conflicting info.

Last week , I specifically asked at the Tottenham Hale ticket office for a "off peak return" to Stansted Mountfichet - not a "off peak day return"

Looking at the ticket much later it says "Off peak Day return" - I paid £10 (the min fare ) using my Network Railcard for the first time.

Now if I use TrainLine or Nat Rail site for any proposed journey from Tottenham Hale to SST OUT in one day and RETURN a few days later it tells me the cheapest ticket is TWO singles at over £20 -

yet National Rail site actually states:



Why can't the sites choose a return ticket only for my Out and Return journeys (made within a month) and why couldn't the ticket office sell me the correct ticket - at the time ?
Do I have to alway tell them specifically when purchasing that I'm not returning same day to get sold an "Off peak return" as "Off peak day" tickets appear to be only valid on the day they were bought?

The issue in this case is that there is NO Off Peak Return valid for the journey you are wanting to undertake.

The list of fares for your journey are as follows

Single (S)/ Return (R)
FDS S 16.40- First Anytime Day Single
FDR R 31.20- First Anytime Day Return
SDS S 10.30- Anytime Day Single
SDR R 12.10- Anytime Day Return
CDR R 11.30- Off Peak Day Return
CBA R 10.50- Super Off Peak Day Return

So in this situation there isn't a return fare from Tottenham Hale to Stansted Mountfitchet to travel out one day and return another. Therefore the cheapest and only option for you is to purchase two Anytime Day Singles (Costing £10 each with your Network Railcard).

You may wonder why this route doesn't have any return fares allowing travel out one day and return another and the likely reason on this route is the fact that the journey is relatively short and easily done outward and return in one day. Some routes that are as equally short as this journey do in fact have Off Peak Return fares and Anytime Return fares but that is usually due to high demand on the route for those fares or in some circumstances just historical.

 

[PP100]

Thank you for your replies and the clarification.
I just thought this morning having read around the forum that it might have to do with the distance. So I have to pay twice with two singles and can't even get a return to save some money unless I come back same day.
Staff are not not psychic but neither are we customers. Nice way of getting yet more money out of me. Seems there isn't enough "high demand" - whatever that is - on this route to provide such a simple choice in this day and age.

 

[John @ home]

I specifically asked at the Tottenham Hale ticket office for a "off peak return" to Stansted Mountfichet - not a "off peak day return"

If you do this journey again, I think there is a way for you to buy an Off Peak Return ticket for £15.05 with your Network Card.

Ask for an Off Peak Return (SVR) to Great Chesterford. This is the first station on this line which offers an Off Peak Return (SVR) from Tottenham Hale, rather than an Off Peak Day Return (CDR). In fact, it offers both. The SVR ticket costs £22.80 (£15.05 with your Railcard). The CDR ticket is £16 (£10.55). There is also a Super Off Peak Day Return at £15 (£9.90 or £10 minimum on Monday - Friday) with more limited availability.

We need to check that this ticket meets your needs. First, the National Fares Manual CD confirms that it is valid for break of journey, so you can indeed get off at Stansted Mountfichet:
Ticket Code: BVR or SVR
Out Validity: DATE ON TICKET
Return Validity:- ONE CALENDAR MONTH
Break of Jrny: (OUT) YES (RTN) YES

Note that not all SVR tickets allow break of outward journey, so this advice applies only to this journey.

Next, we need to check the times when this ticket is valid. The restriction code for a Tottenham Hale to Great Chesterford SVR is 9A. This states:
If travel does not involve London Terminals, see restriction code 2V.

Neither Tottenham Hale nor Great Chesterford are London Terminals, and the route does not pass through a London Terminal, so we can ignore 9A and go to 2V instead.

Restriction 2V states:
Restriction applies to Outward and Return travel, Monday to
Friday only. No travel restrictions on other days.
OUTWARD & RETURN JOURNEYS
By any train except those scheduled to depart before 0930.

This is less onerous than the Restriction applying to your Network Card, so you can use this ticket as a Return from Tottenham Hale to Stansted Mountfichet on any train for which your Network Card discount is valid.

John