Based on my attempt at understanding the 'routeing guide', I think the super off-peak return, route any permitted, Reading to Thurso ticket (£170.30 without railcard discount), would be valid for this outward journey:
Saturday 22 December
20:11 to Manchester Piccadilly
Sunday 23 December
09:16 to Edinburgh
13:56 to Inverness
17:54 to Thurso
However, the National Rail Enquiries site tells me I'd need two singles for that outward journey. Also, I can't get either the Cross Country or East Coast sites to sell the return ticket and reserve seats on those trains.
I tried at the ticket office at Reading, but the clerk spent a while tapping on his computer before telling me that ticket wouldn't be valid for that journey. I just thanked him and accepted what he said because I wasn't 100% sure myself.
Is it actually valid, and if so does anyone have any suggestion about how to buy the ticket and get the seat reservations?
Saturday 22 December
20:11 to Manchester Piccadilly
Sunday 23 December
09:16 to Edinburgh
13:56 to Inverness
17:54 to Thurso
However, the National Rail Enquiries site tells me I'd need two singles for that outward journey. Also, I can't get either the Cross Country or East Coast sites to sell the return ticket and reserve seats on those trains.
I tried at the ticket office at Reading, but the clerk spent a while tapping on his computer before telling me that ticket wouldn't be valid for that journey. I just thanked him and accepted what he said because I wasn't 100% sure myself.
Is it actually valid, and if so does anyone have any suggestion about how to buy the ticket and get the seat reservations?