Using splits for the first time - advice please!

[tom1681]

Hello folks.

On a trip from Plymouth to Bristol Temple Meads I found it was cheaper to split at Exeter St. Davids. As such, I bought advance singles from PLY to EXD and EXD to BRI. Obviously the train stops in Exeter so this is all valid with regards to NRCoC (assuming I've read condition 19 correctly!).

My question is - should I show all tickets to the conductor at Plymouth or only show them the first leg then the second ticket at Exeter? There seems to be difference advice on the forum with regards to this depending on route and TOC so what's the consensus for this journey with CrossCountry? It's the 15:23 from Plymouth on a Wednesday if that makes a difference!

Thanks.

 

[calc7]

I would just show them both - makes it easier for all concerned. If they're only interesed in the part you're currently on then it doesn't matter anyway.

 

[soil]

I would show the currently valid ticket. If they come back and ask you again later, you can show the other.

No point in potentially irritating them by showing them multiple tickets.

 

[Lrd]

I would show both if it was the same train. There is nothing wrong with splitting tickets so the guard won't say anything, saves him having to ask you again if he remembers you.

 

[Wath Yard]

Show both. You're doing nothing wrong, and depending on how busy the train is and whether there is anything remarkable about you that makes the guard remember you, why bother with the hassle if he notices you are still on the train after Exeter when that is destination of the ticket you showed him?

 

[yorkie]

Welcome to the forum.

My question is - should I show all tickets to the conductor at Plymouth or only show them the first leg then the second ticket at Exeter? There seems to be difference advice on the forum with regards to this depending on route and ToC so what's the consensus for this journey with CrossCountry? It's the 15:23 from Plymouth on a Wednesday if that makes a difference!

As it is the same train in this case, and the guard is unlikely to change, it is always best to show all tickets in your circumstance, in my opinion.

Some guards only want to see the current ticket, some want to see all. There was a thread debating this. If you are changing trains, usually the guard only wants to see the ticket that applies to that train. It may be necessary to show more in certain circumstances (such as if there are delays).

 

[tom1681]

Thanks guys - looks like 4-1 in favour of showing all tickets!

 

[sheff1]

I would show both if it was the same train. There is nothing wrong with splitting tickets so the guard won't say anything, saves him having to ask you again if he remembers you.

I had a guard reprimand me for showing more than one ticket. He specifically said I was 'wasting his time'. I now only show the ticket for the section I am on at the time of the inspection.

Of course, you then get the conundrum of what to do when after, say, Exeter the call is 'all passengers who joined at Exeter, tickets please' rather than 'tickets from Exeter please'

 

[Lrd]

I had a guard reprimand me for showing more than one ticket. He specifically said I was 'wasting his time'. I now only show the ticket for the section I am on at the time of the inspection.

Of course, you then get the conundrum of what to do when after, say, Exeter the call is 'all passengers who joined at Exeter, tickets please' rather than 'tickets from Exeter please'

I was talking about the guard not saying anything about split tickets, not which tickets to show, every guard is different.

 

[pemma]

I hold up both tickets but hold up the current one more prominently.

 

[plymothian]

Have all the tickets ready, show the one for the relevant leg of the journey and tell him/her that you've split ticketed and are going on to y after x, do you want to see that ticket too.

 

[RJ]

For 19a splits, I only show the BZ extension ticket. Never caused a problem.

For 19b splits when the train stops at the splitting point, I only show the ticket valid for the concurrent portion of the journey. No need to tell the guard your life story. If they come again, show them the next ticket, job done.

For 19c splits where the train doesn't stop at the splitting point, I endeavor to neatly compile the tickets being used and hand them over for inspection. Where it was plausible, I only showed one ticket in order to avoid the problems that arise when all tickets are presented together.

Sometimes, I was using all three on a single journey, i.e Zone 1-2 season, BZ2 - Luton Airport, Luton Airport - Market Harborough, Market Harborough - Destination. In this case, how many tickets I showed would very much depend on the calling pattern of the service. As 9 times out of 10 I was using services fast from London to Leicester, I had no choice but to show all of them, which usually prompted some degree of dialogue with the Train Managers.

 

[W-on-Sea]

A Crosscountry guard recently complimented me on having saved money by purchasing split tickets (three in total) for a fairly short journey on their network. I admit I am much less adventurous in such matters than RJ, however...

 

[David Goddard]

If I am definitely staying on the same train then I usually show all tickets the first time round.
If on Advances then plans are fixed so they may as well be.
However, if using ordinary Anytime or OffPeaks and there is a possibility that I might break the journey, I only ever show the ticket for the leg in progress.
That way if I decide to get off at some point and resume later, my ticket for a leg that has not yet started remains unmarked.

I was coming back from Derby once and showed each leg (Derby-Birmingham, Birmingham-Banbury, Banbury-Reading) at a time. Conductors changed at Birmingham but when Conductor2 came through again at Oxford, having already seen the Birmingham-Banbury ticket he asked why I didnt show both legs after Birmingham.
I explained that I didnt show both earlier in case I decided to break my journey, as my BAN-RDG would have got marked as used too early , which would probably prompt questions on a later train. Clearly not comprehending my point he grunted "it's the same headcode" (it wouldnt be on the following train!) and carried on through the train.

 

[LexyBoy]

I usually show all, handing over the current one and saying "I'm going on to X". It really doesn't matter though, you have a valid ticket if asked.

On 19c splits I usually explain more clearly as some guards just clock my hold card as validating the other ticket's discount rather than also being a ticket in itself.

Recently heard the most detailed "split ticket" announcement from Paddington where the TM explained that passengers with "two ordinary tickets, or two season tickets, would have to change at Reading for a Didcot stopper, but if there's only one season it's ok..." Fortunately if didn't continue to read out the whole NRCOC!

 

[BestWestern]

Recently heard the most detailed "split ticket" announcement from Paddington where the TM explained that passengers with "two ordinary tickets, or two season tickets, would have to change at Reading for a Didcot stopper, but if there's only one season it's ok..." Fortunately if didn't continue to read out the whole NRCOC!

:roll: Sometimes you can give too much information!

To the OP, for what it's worth I would also agree that showing all tickets initially, along with a simple explanation that "I have a ticket to X and then another from X to Y" would be best, that's certainly what I prefer. It usually means that you can then relax for the rest of the journey without waiting for the Guard to reappear and feeling the awkward urge to present your second ticket and explain asap before you get asked why you have missed your stop!

 

[tom1681]

Yes, I was planning to do that now - seems that's the thing to do when the guard *isn't* changing during the journey and as W-on-Sea said an XC guard complimented him on splits it seems they aren't one of the TOCs that are awkward about it.