Railcards - off-peak tickets at peak times?

[harry]

Hello all,

I'm sure that in the past I've been able to travel on peak time trains using an off-peak ticket because I have a 16-25 railcard.

Does anyone know if this is still the case? (Or am I dreaming!?)

If so - i) is the offer limited to certain TOC's and ii) is the offer limited to certain times of the year (i.e. holidays)?

Also - is there an online reference for queries such as this? I used to search the National Rail website for these sort of things, but they seem to have changed it since my last visit!

Happy Christmas!

H.

 

[Wyvern]

Last week a friend I was with in London reckoned he'd been able to travel from Liverpool on a Peak train with an off peak ticket and senior railcard.

I must say I didn't really believe him, but I asked the EMT ticket bloke about it for my train to Derby and he certainly wasn't having any!

Is it perhaps a Virgin thing?

 

[janb]

Yes, it is a Virgin thing. To quote the Manual,

"Holders of 16-25, Senior, Disabled Persons, HM Forces and Family & Friends Railcards, New Deal Photocards and Inter-Rail (Code 70) Cards travelling with Off-Peak tickets may use any Virgin train service, as long as the journey being made is priced by Virgin Trains. If the journey is not priced by Virgin Trains then the stated Off-Peak restrictions apply."

 

[yorkie]

It's usually only Virgin. But many ticket restrictions may be lifted over the festive period and of course no restrictions apply on bank holidays.

Grand Central have lifted restrictions all of this week and next week.

 

[janb]

It's usually only Virgin. But many ticket restrictions may be lifted over the festive period and of course no restrictions apply on bank holidays.

Grand Central have lifted restrictions all of this week and next week.

Well indeed, Virgin themselves have lifted off-peak restrictions from 24th Dec - 1st Jan.

 

[philjo]

Also, the 16-25 Railcard has a minimum £12 fare payable for use before 10am on weekdays.
Note that this does not apply during July and August.

In your case, the fare is likely to be more than £12, so this rule won't matter.

 

[Wyvern]

Also, the 16-25 Railcard has a minimum £12 fare payable for use before 10am on weekdays.
Note that this does not apply during July and August.

In your case, the fare is likely to be more than £12, so this rule won't matter.

Mine? I wish!

Actually it was a week last Friday.

 

[yorkie]

I must say I didn't really believe him, but I asked the EMT ticket bloke about it for my train to Derby and he certainly wasn't having any!

You could get a ticket to Tamworth and change there for Derby if the connections are any good?

Best to avoid the overpriced EMT, and their rattling Mermaids and threats of fines (sorry, penalty "fares").

London-Tamworth £25.15 Off Peak Return (Valid any train with a railcard)
London-Derby £35.85 Super Off Peak / £48.85 Off Peak / £96.70 (they're having a laugh!) to be valid on any train.

Tamworth-Derby Off Peak return is £8.10 and valid on any train after 0930, so this is valid in the evening at any time.

So the solution is to go with Virgin and avoid awful EMT. EMT hardly want your business judging by the way they talk down to their customers!

 

[Wyvern]

I decided to be extravagant and treat myself to a meal to fill the two hours.

I did change at Tamworth a few weeks ago on the way back from Milton Keynes. That's one bleak place and like being in an earthquake zone.

 

[pemma]

You used to be able to use Saver tickets accompanied by a railcard at peak times on other operators' services as well, such as TP Express and Cross Country. Both have removed those priviledges owning to overcrowding problems.

Virgin still allow you to use them on Off Peak Returns at times. However, Off Peak Returns are more expensive than Advance Singles so you still could pay more at a peak time compared to an off-peak time.

 

[Wyvern]

Yes but if you are attending a meeting with no idea of when it is going to end you can travel home on whatever train is handy.