I wanted to travel from Westbury to Bristol today, returning on Saturday. As I wasn't too worried about arrival time into Bristol, last night I used First Great Western's android app to find the first train I could use with an off-peak return in order to save a bit of money. The app would allow me to select an off-peak return for the 0845 departure (and all later trains); the 0817 (and all earlier trains) required an anytime return to be selected.
So, I booked an off-peak return from Westbury to Bristol Temple Meads using the app (£18.10 instead of £22.00 for the anytime return) last night, collected it at the ticket machine this morning and boarded the 0845.
When collecting my ticket, I realised that it might actually be more convenient for me to make my return journey from Bristol Parkway rather than Bristol Temple Meads. Going by previous experience, I didn't expect there to be any difference in price for this, so I decided to ask on the train if it was possible to get my return portion changed to depart from Bristol Parkway.
I did this when the ticket inspector came round, asking if I could change the ticket if it would be the same price. She first stamped my "out" portion and then started using her ticket machine to find the price. Once she had done this, however, she told me that the price wasn't the same as I was on a peak train. I pointed out that I had used First Great Western's own app to book my ticket and it had allowed an off-peak to be booked, but she said that she thought that must be incorrect, but would ask the guard. I suggested that I could instead ask when I got to Bristol Temple Meads.
A little later the ticket inspector returned, accompanied by the guard. I had the same conversation with him, and he said the FGW app was wrong and this was definitely a peak train. He said I would have to upgrade to a peak return, but didn't ask me to do this immediately as we were approaching a station.
The guard came back again a little later and said he wouldn't charge me this time, but knew where the "confusion" had arisen. According to him, the train was classified as off-peak if you were travelling to Gloucester, but peak if only travelling as far as Bristol. This didn't make much sense to me, and I pointed out to him that when I'd used the FGW app I had booked the exact journey (Westbury-Bristol Temple Meads) and it had allowed an off-peak ticket for the 0845. However, he insisted that the app was wrong.
Feeling a little aggrieved, whilst the train was in Bath I had a brief period of mobile phone signal and took the opportunity to download the National Rail enquiries app. This also showed off-peak tickets valid on the 0845 (I checked for Friday rather than today) and later trains when travelling from Westbury to Bristol TM. The same was true when using the nationalrail.co.uk website.
On arrival to Bristol TM, I found the guard and showed him the details on the website. However, he was still adamant that this was wrong and that the train was only off-peak when travelling all the way to Gloucester, not for any stations in between.
When I left the station, I asked at the ticket office if I could upgrade the return portion. This time there was no debate about the off-peak/peak question. After checking the ticket prices and confirming there was no difference in price, the assistant told me that my ticket was perfectly fine and didn't actually need to be changed; I could simply present it at Bristol Parkway and it would be accepted. I only wish I had just waited to ask here, rather than asking on the train - it would have saved me a lot of aggro...
Anyway, in light of this experience I have a few questions:
1. Was the guard correct, and I was incorrectly travelling with an off-peak ticket when I should have had a peak ticket?
2. Can a train be classified as off-peak if you are travelling from A to C, but peak if you are only travelling from A to B (where B is between A and C)?
3. If the guard was correct and the FGW app, NR app and NR website were wrong, how the golly gosh is any normal person supposed to be able to work out what ticket is valid for the journey they want to make?
So, I booked an off-peak return from Westbury to Bristol Temple Meads using the app (£18.10 instead of £22.00 for the anytime return) last night, collected it at the ticket machine this morning and boarded the 0845.
When collecting my ticket, I realised that it might actually be more convenient for me to make my return journey from Bristol Parkway rather than Bristol Temple Meads. Going by previous experience, I didn't expect there to be any difference in price for this, so I decided to ask on the train if it was possible to get my return portion changed to depart from Bristol Parkway.
I did this when the ticket inspector came round, asking if I could change the ticket if it would be the same price. She first stamped my "out" portion and then started using her ticket machine to find the price. Once she had done this, however, she told me that the price wasn't the same as I was on a peak train. I pointed out that I had used First Great Western's own app to book my ticket and it had allowed an off-peak to be booked, but she said that she thought that must be incorrect, but would ask the guard. I suggested that I could instead ask when I got to Bristol Temple Meads.
A little later the ticket inspector returned, accompanied by the guard. I had the same conversation with him, and he said the FGW app was wrong and this was definitely a peak train. He said I would have to upgrade to a peak return, but didn't ask me to do this immediately as we were approaching a station.
The guard came back again a little later and said he wouldn't charge me this time, but knew where the "confusion" had arisen. According to him, the train was classified as off-peak if you were travelling to Gloucester, but peak if only travelling as far as Bristol. This didn't make much sense to me, and I pointed out to him that when I'd used the FGW app I had booked the exact journey (Westbury-Bristol Temple Meads) and it had allowed an off-peak ticket for the 0845. However, he insisted that the app was wrong.
Feeling a little aggrieved, whilst the train was in Bath I had a brief period of mobile phone signal and took the opportunity to download the National Rail enquiries app. This also showed off-peak tickets valid on the 0845 (I checked for Friday rather than today) and later trains when travelling from Westbury to Bristol TM. The same was true when using the nationalrail.co.uk website.
On arrival to Bristol TM, I found the guard and showed him the details on the website. However, he was still adamant that this was wrong and that the train was only off-peak when travelling all the way to Gloucester, not for any stations in between.
When I left the station, I asked at the ticket office if I could upgrade the return portion. This time there was no debate about the off-peak/peak question. After checking the ticket prices and confirming there was no difference in price, the assistant told me that my ticket was perfectly fine and didn't actually need to be changed; I could simply present it at Bristol Parkway and it would be accepted. I only wish I had just waited to ask here, rather than asking on the train - it would have saved me a lot of aggro...
Anyway, in light of this experience I have a few questions:
1. Was the guard correct, and I was incorrectly travelling with an off-peak ticket when I should have had a peak ticket?
2. Can a train be classified as off-peak if you are travelling from A to C, but peak if you are only travelling from A to B (where B is between A and C)?
3. If the guard was correct and the FGW app, NR app and NR website were wrong, how the golly gosh is any normal person supposed to be able to work out what ticket is valid for the journey they want to make?