The Ticketing Quiz

[HST Power]

Came up with this a few days ago, so here goes...

Basically, the aim of the game is to judge whether or not a ticket is valid or not valid based on a scenario depicted by the poster.

For example, I could say the following:

'I travel onboard an EC service with a Standard Class ticket, but I accidentally go in First Class. Valid or not valid.'

Now you'd have to be rather stupid to do that, but obviously, the answer is not valid!

And I certainly hope that the complexity of the scenarios will stretch past that amateur level!

The Rules

1) The scenarios you depict do not have to be true, you can make them up. But ticketing can get very messy and complex so please make sure you are 100% certain about what you are posting. Make it clear, precise and easy to understand, or we'll have pages and pages of debate and no actual quiz going on!

2) Please only post scenarios based on ticketing regulations in England, Scotland or Wales.

3) Remember to be clear about what you are saying and state clearly important information such as when you are travelling, what ticket you have, on or off peak ETC.

I strongly recommend using the NR journey planner to check out the validity of what you are stating before you post.

4)You cannot just state that a ticket is 'valid' or 'not valid.' You must give a reason why the ticket is valid/not valid to get the next turn.

I'll kick things off.

1) I have a super off peak single (TOC not relevant in this case). The 'Route' on the ticket has been prefixed with a plus. Does this make it valid or not valid for travelling on the London Underground?

 

[Track Basher]

Yes it is valid.

 

[HST Power]

Yes it is valid.

Finally a reply! Cheers TB!

Your go.

 

[Track Basher]

You have an Advance Single which is valid on a multi leg journey. One of the legs is non reservable but on this leg you decide to catch a different service than the one shown on your journey print. Is your ticket still valid?

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes as long as the service you now take arrives at the station where you will change onto the reserved service at least the minimum connection time before departure.

 

[OxtedL]

Not quite as catchy as Guess the Station...

 

[Track Basher]

Yes as long as the service you now take arrives at the station where you will change onto the reserved service at least the minimum connection time before departure.

Correct it is valid as long as the train you are catching is not reservable.

 

[ainsworth74]

You hold two advance tickets one for the journey Norwich - Peterborough on EMT and another for the journey Peterborough - Darlington on EC/NT with an 8 minute connection between the two trains. Due to a points failure outside of Ely on the Norwich/Peterborough leg you are delayed by one hour and miss your train. Is your second ticket still valid?

 

[Matt Taylor]

Yes, NRES advise a minimum 8 minute connection at PBO and a 'journey' may consist of a sequence of tickets.

 

[ainsworth74]

Correct!

 

[Matt Taylor]

Just off to work so open floor.

 

[AlterEgo]

I have a ticket from Lancaster to London Terminals. It's an off peak return with any permitted route, with HM Forces Railcard discount. I am starting short from Preston.

Am I good to do this?

 

[Track Basher]

No becuase Virgin trains do not allow break of journey on off peak returns.

 

[AlterEgo]

Well not on the outward leg, which is what I implied (but realise I didn't make clear! )

You're right. Your go!

 

[Track Basher]

I have a season ticket between Peterborough and St Neots. Today I want to travel to London. I want to make best use of the ticket I already hold so purchase a day return from St Neots to London. Can I use an East Coast to Kings Cross that does not stop at St Neots?

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes it is valid due to:

19. Using a combination of tickets

You may use two or more tickets for one journey as long as together they cover the entire
journey and one of the following applies:

(a) they are both Zonal Tickets (unless special conditions prohibit their use);
(b) the train you are in calls at a station where you change from one
ticket to another; or
(c) one of the tickets is a Season Ticket (which for this purpose does not include
Season Tickets or travel passes issued on behalf of a passenger transport
executive or local authority) or a leisure travel pass, and the other ticket(s) is/are not.

(c) being the important part here, it allows you to travel on the EC service even though it doesn't call at St Neots as you hold both a season ticket and a normal ticket.

Open floor.

 

[transportphoto]

Yes, as one of the tickets is a season, the other is not.


Open floor if correct.


EDIT - Ainsworth!!!

 

[Track Basher]

Is correct.

 

[ainsworth74]

EDIT - Ainsworth!!!

Way way too slow. It took me a good few minutes to find the right condition in the NRCoC, copy it and then format into my post. Where on earth were you? With a lazy answer like the one you gave you should have easily stolen it

Open floor.

 

[Track Basher]

I have a Virgin Trains only advance single between London and Birmingham. My plans have now changed and I have to stop at Northampton on my way to Birmingham. I go to the ticket office before the booked departure of my original booked train. Can I pay the difference to an Anytime Single plus the £10 fee to let me break my journey at Northampton?

 

[transportphoto]

Yes, aslong as you attempt to ammend your ticket before the booked time of departure of your first reserved ticket. IIRC.

Floor open if correct.


Edit, ah maybe not as it is TOC specific, I'll stick with my first guess!

 

[Track Basher]

Yes, aslong as you attempt to ammend your ticket before the booked time of departure of your first reserved ticket. IIRC.

Floor open if correct.


Edit, ah maybe not as it is TOC specific, I'll stick with my first guess!

Your second instinct was correct. If you have purchased a TOC specific fare you can only change it to another fare with the same TOC specific rules. In this case you are attempting to change a TOC specific fare to an non TOC specific fare. Your only option is to purchase a new ticket. Also no refund on the original one.

 

[transportphoto]

Oh well, open floor as the answer has been revealed

TP

 

[HST Power]

I am travelling from Hitchin to London Kings Cross in the early hours of the morning. I change trains at Stevenage and use my ticket on a non-stop East Coast service to London Kings Cross. My ticket says that any route is permitted but am I valid or not valid by using the EC train?

 

[Track Basher]

You purchase your advance single ticket on the Internet with a 16-25 Railcard. You get to the station on the date of travel and discover your railcard is out of date.

This is a two part answer. If you go to the ticket office what will they charge you? If you do not realise it is out of date until the conductor checks on the train, what will he charge you?

Let's see how good you are, there are a couple of correct answers here. Let's see if you can get them all.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I am travelling from Hitchin to London Kings Cross in the early hours of the morning. I change trains at Stevenage and use my ticket on a non-stop East Coast service to London Kings Cross. My ticket says that any route is permitted but am I valid or not valid by using the EC train?

Yes you are on the same line of route depends on the type of ticket you are using and what you call early morning.

 

[HST Power]

Yes you are on the same line of route depends on the type of ticket you are using and what you call early morning.

I should've been more clear, but I'll take your answer as you have the next one up anyway.

 

[Track Basher]

Also depends if it is Single or the Outward or Return journey

 

[ainsworth74]

Okay option a) the cost of a new railcard which is I think £28, b) the station office will excess your discounted ticket to the same type of ticket but without the discount so could be a few quid or could a lot more, c) on the train if the guard is lenient the same as the station office but by the book the full single or return fare.

Maybe...

Also open floor as I'm on my travels today and internet access will be patchy at best.

 

[Track Basher]

Option a) is one providing the person is still eligable. The other two are incorrect.

 

[clagmonster]

I have a Virgin Trains only advance single between London and Birmingham. My plans have now changed and I have to stop at Northampton on my way to Birmingham. I go to the ticket office before the booked departure of my original booked train. Can I pay the difference to an Anytime Single plus the £10 fee to let me break my journey at Northampton?

The booking clerk at Euston should establish whether you are willing to travel on a Virgin service to Milton Keynes and change there (and also change at Rugby onto a Virgin service once you have visited the Keynes). If so, they should offer to excess your ticket to a Euston-Birmingham Virgin only single (if one exists, if not any permitted and explain that it is valid only on Virgin services) as allowed by condition 16:
"If you start, break and resume, or end your journey at an intermediate station
when you are not entitled to do so, you will be liable to pay an excess fare. This excess
fare will be the difference between the price paid for the ticket you hold and the price of
the lowest priced ticket(s) available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to
start, break and resume, or end your journey at that station on the service(s) you have
used."
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/system/galleries/download/misc/NRCOC.pdf
They should then sell you a Milton Keynes-Rugby single as no Virgin services travel via Northampton. Of course, depending on the price of the advance ticket held, it may be cheaper to sell a whole new ticket, particularly you were willing to restrict yourself to LM services.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

You purchase your advance single ticket on the Internet with a 16-25 Railcard. You get to the station on the date of travel and discover your railcard is out of date.

This is a two part answer. If you go to the ticket office what will they charge you?

If the railcard was issued at a station and the passenger is still eligible (either through age or has the required documentation to prove they are a full time student) then sell a new railcard, unless a new ticket is cheaper than £28.00 in which case they should offer the choice.
If the railcard is an internet purchased one, then if the passenger is still eligible they should issue a new railcard if the passenger has a passport photograph or has time to obtain one and get back to the booking office before departure time. If not, then the only option would be to sell a new ticket (though many will excess to an undiscounted single, as far as I know the book neither allows or forbids this practice).

If you do not realise it is out of date until the conductor checks on the train, what will he charge you?

By the book, assuming the passenger boarded at a staffed station, either sell a SDS or charge a penalty fare as appropriate. Or they could report for prosecution (failure to show a valid ticket on demand should be attainable).