Peterborough-Alexandra Palace routing

[depitrox]

Hi all, apologies if something similar has been answered previously, I'm looking for some advice about what routes I can take for a journey, because after consulting the National Routeing Guide I am left with more questions than answers!

I will be making the return journey between Peterborough and Alexandra Palace on Sunday 3rd July, with a Super off peak return ticket and a 16-25 railcard.

Currently the cheapest itinerary provided by Trainline is £13.30 outbound dep 08:45 arr 10:26 via Hitchin and Welwyn Garden City, and returning dep 17:35, arr 19:29, via Stevenage, which is quite restrictive. Most other journeys around this time are more expensive.

As this is a flexible ticket, and the route is "Valid only on Great Northern and Thameslink" would I be able to:

• Take any GN/TL trains at any time and change at Stevenage etc. for both legs?
• Go via a more southerly station like Kings Cross or Finsbury Park? (despite possibly being a longer journey)?
• If allowed via Kings Cross, could I take a break in the journey there for a few hours (as "break and resume" is permitted on the ticket conditions)?

Many thanks in advance for any advice offered.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum.

To specifically answer your questions:

Take any GN/TL trains at any time and change at Stevenage etc. for both legs?

Yes, that's absolutely fine although it's faster if you change at Finsbury Park

Go via a more southerly station like Kings Cross or Finsbury Park? (despite possibly being a longer journey)?

Yes, changing at Finsbury Park is absolutely fine. Kings Cross is on a permitted route which is absolutely fine if your train from Peterborough to London doesn't call at Finsbury Park. If the train from Peterborough to Kings Cross calls at Finsbury Park then you should change there. Almost all Thameslink trains from Peterborough to Kings Cross on Sundays call at Finsbury Park but there are a handful that don't.

If allowed via Kings Cross, could I take a break in the journey there for a few hours (as "break and resume" is permitted on the ticket conditions)?

Break of journey is absolutely fine with this ticket. If you do want to go to Kings Cross then you could purchase Peterborough to London Termoinals ticket which is only £1.15 more. Depending on whether you want to go to Kings Cross before or after visiting Alexandra Palace you could either travel:

1. Peterborough -> Hitchin -> WGC -> Alexandra Palace (break journey) -> Kings Cross (using the outward portion). Then travel from Kings Cross to Peterborough using the return portion; or

2. Peterborough -> Kings Cross (using the outward portion). Then use the return portion to travel Kings Cross -> Alexandra Palace (break journey) -> Stevenage -> Peterborough

The ticket you are being offered by Trainline is a Weekend Super Off Peak Day Return. It is valid on any train that day (operated by Govia Thameslink Railway who operate trains branded Thameslink and Great Northern). I would avoid using Trainline as they chanrge a booking fee, either use a train company website (who are not allowed to charge a booking fee) or simply purchase from Peterborough station on the day of travel - it is the same price.

 

[Watershed]

Hi all, apologies if something similar has been answered previously, I'm looking for some advice about what routes I can take for a journey, because after consulting the National Routeing Guide I am left with more questions than answers!

That is quite a common occurrence I'm afraid to say!

Take any GN/TL trains at any time and change at Stevenage etc. for both legs?

Yes. This particular Super Off-Peak ticket has restriction code FB so is valid at any time on weekends and bank holidays. It is valid on any GTR services on the relevant permitted routes, which include changing at Stevenage.

Go via a more southerly station like Kings Cross or Finsbury Park? (despite possibly being a longer journey)?

Yes. This is because one of the mapped route options from Peterborough to Alexandra Palace (both being Routeing Points) is LONDON. This indicates that you can use mapped routes to and from London. You can also change short of London, i.e. at Finsbury Park, if you prefer.

If allowed via Kings Cross, could I take a break in the journey there for a few hours (as "break and resume" is permitted on the ticket conditions)?

Yes. There are occasionally circumstances where you can go via a more distant station but only if you use direct trains to/from there, or if you purely do so for interchange purposes. However, neither is the case here. Going via London is a mapped route and so you may break your journey there without limitations.

In any case you can rely on the information provided by a booking site - e.g. if it offers you an itinerary via London, and it also tells you that break of journey is permitted on your ticket type, then you can clearly and easily establish that you are contractually entitled to break your journey in London.

 

[depitrox]

Thank you both, this is really helpful.