Route +ISLE OF MAN SPC

[First class]

If you enter into Avantix, the following journey, it is permitted for cross-London transfer:

Inverness - Douglas IOM

ECR - ECONOMY RETURN
00996 - +ISLE OF MAN SPC Non-standard discounts apply
1 Adult @£ 99.50 = £ 99.50
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£ 99.50

Standard Class Return

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How 'important' is the "+" bit on this ticket? It has a strange sense of logic that a ticket with a cross london journey included would be valid via London.

Now no fares appear on NRES, but obviously that is not to say the ticket isn't technically valid.

I'm wondering whether this is permitting you to use the sleeper to London and travel by day from London to Douglas? You get the route +ISLE OF MAN SPC on all tickets from Douglas to Dundee all the way to Wick.

ATOC SAYS:
The via London, Maltese Cross symbol on a ticket signifies that the ticket
may be used via London Underground or Thameslink services. Unless a ticket
specifies that the journey must be made via London, passengers are free to
use an alternative ‘permitted route’ for their journey as provided by the
Routeing Guide.

 

[mathmo]

Douglas isn't in the Routeing Guide so we may need insider help here!

 

[clagmonster]

The ferries to Douglas depart from Liverpool, Birkenhead and Heysham. Therefore, the valid routes would be those from your originating station to Liverpool, Birkenhead or Heysham.

 

[krus_aragon]

Can you choose any ferry terminal, or do you have to aim for the nearest?

 

[glynn80]

Can you choose any ferry terminal, or do you have to aim for the nearest?

The ferries aren't that frequent so I doubt there would be any issues travelling to the relevant ferry terminal for the departure that suited the passenger best.

I have only done this journey once and travelled out via Heysham and back via Liverpool. On the outward journey they retained the outward portion of my ticket and on the return journey photocopied the return portion of my ticket. I was informed this is in line with the accounting procedures that SeaCat have in place to obtain their relevant revenue from ATOC.

 

[metrocammel]

There seems to be absolutely no logic with the '+' symbol with this ticket.

Out of curiosity, I tried Southend Central to Douglas, and the route was 'Isle of Man SPC' without a '+', yet Thurso (or any far North station it seems) has the '+' symbol. I'm not sure how they expect you to get from Essex to Douglas avoiding the tube, but they obviously expect you'll use it if you're coming from Ardgay or some such station