Reasonable routes which aren't permitted.

[miklcct]

Under the current routing guide, there are some routes, where most passengers should think that it's reasonable, but cannot be legally travelled using an any permitted ticket.

(From an old BR National Fares Manual.)

"A reasonable route is one which is:

- on through service
- shortest by distance
- neither of these but which offers the customer a service at the time they wish to travel. However, the price of any possible component of the journey MUST NOT EXCEED the fare for the throughout journey by 'any reasonable route'.

Reasonable routes should not involve 'doubling back' at either end of the journey unless identical fares apply to or from the furthest point of travel."

For example, a journey from any station beyond Woking to Vauxhall interchanging at Waterloo falls into this definition, which is the most logical way to travel to Vauxhall in the morning peak when no fast trains stop at Clapham Junction (fastest journey with minimum number of interchanges), but now it's specifically prohibited by a negative easement that a ticket switch at Waterloo is required (note that Vauxhall and Waterloo are both London Terminals - therefore identical fares apply on a single ticket).

Any other examples where the most likely way of travel isn't permitted by an Any Permitted through ticket, forcing passenger to change ticket while changing trains?

 

[Watershed]

There are plenty of other examples. See for example this thread.

In reality, the Routeing Guide is almost a complete waste of time. The validity of tickets, on the ground, is still just judged on 'is it a reasonable route'. If you find that the Guide permits a circuitous route, even if you manage to obtain an itinerary on a booking engine, it is still highly likely to be questioned.

If you travel via a non-permitted route, the worst penalty that can befall you is to have to pay an excess fare. So if you are doing a route which is reasonable but not permitted, I would not worry too much about it.