Springs Branch
Established Member
I'm looking for some advice / reassurance from anyone familiar with ticket splits using PTE products and railcard time restrictions.
Here's the story:-
As I see it, we will hold valid tickets covering every stage of our journey, albeit with a significant overlap at the start.
But could there be any argument about us having physically boarded a train departing Newcastle at a time the railcard was verboten?
I'm aware that Nexus Transfare ticket would also let us use the X66 bus between Gateshead Metro and Metrocentre, then board the Northern train there at an uncontroversial 09:31. But we'll have luggage which we don't really want to be lugging on and off buses, nor loading onto a train at an intermediate stop.
Here's the story:-
- I'll be making a return journey with the missus via the Tyne Valley line, continuing to East Boldon on the T&W Metro.
- We'll both have Carlisle - East Boldon Anytime Short Return (SHR) paper tickets (valid through to the destination on the Metro) using Two Together Railcard discounts.
- Our return trip to Carlisle will be part of a longer-distance journey. This means we're constrained to depart Newcastle on the 09:23 to Carlisle.
- Problem is - it'll be a Friday and our Anytime tickets are not valid before 09:30 on account of the Two Together railcard.
- By good luck, the 09:23 to Carlisle is scheduled to call at Metrocentre at 09:31.
- So I'm proposing to buy two Nexus 2-Zone Transfare tickets at the Metro station, which should cover us for East Boldon - Central by Metro and the Northern train from Newcastle to Metrocentre. i.e. we're starting late and using the railcard-discounted tickets only beyond Metrocentre to Carlisle.
(This works out cheaper than buying Carlisle - East Boldon Anytime Returns without railcard discount)
As I see it, we will hold valid tickets covering every stage of our journey, albeit with a significant overlap at the start.
But could there be any argument about us having physically boarded a train departing Newcastle at a time the railcard was verboten?
I'm aware that Nexus Transfare ticket would also let us use the X66 bus between Gateshead Metro and Metrocentre, then board the Northern train there at an uncontroversial 09:31. But we'll have luggage which we don't really want to be lugging on and off buses, nor loading onto a train at an intermediate stop.
