Which ticket will allow breaking my Paddington to Great Malvern journey at Maidenhead?

[lightwhisper]

Wednesday next week I'm travelling from Great Malvern to London Paddington and back on the same day. On the return leg I want to break my journey at Maidenhead for a few hours. GWR trains that run from Paddington to Great Malvern do not stop at Maidenhead. So I will need to catch one of the commuter trains that run Paddington to Reading which do stop at Maidenhead. I'm not sure who operates those trains and whether they will accept a GWR Off Peak Return ticket as valid. Would that work or do I need to buy three singles (which is more expensive)?

Proposed journey times are:
Depart Great Malvern 08:56 - Arrive Paddington 11:24
Depart Paddington 15:47 - Arrive Maidenhead 16:27
Depart Maidenhead 19:56 - Arrive Great Malvern 22:14

Thanks for any advice! (I tried asking National Rail Enquiries, but could not get a clear or convincing answer. Their advice after half an hour of repeatedly explaining myself was to get a full price Any Time return.)

 

[Gwr12345]

Wednesday next week I'm travelling from Great Malvern to London Paddington and back on the same day. On the return leg I want to break my journey at Maidenhead for a few hours. GWR trains that run from Paddington to Great Malvern do not stop at Maidenhead. So I will need to catch one of the commuter trains that run Paddington to Reading which do stop at Maidenhead. I'm not sure who operates those trains and whether they will accept a GWR Off Peak Return ticket as valid. Would that work or do I need to buy three singles (which is more expensive)?

Proposed journey times are:
Depart Great Malvern 08:56 - Arrive Paddington 11:24
Depart Paddington 15:47 - Arrive Maidenhead 16:27
Depart Maidenhead 19:56 - Arrive Great Malvern 22:14

Thanks for any advice! (I tried asking National Rail Enquiries, but could not get a clear or convincing answer. Their advice after half an hour of repeatedly explaining myself was to get a full price Any Time return.)

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems fine to me, as long as your return is any permitted and not GWR only. Paddington to Maidenhead services are operated by the Elizabeth line, so you would have to go to Paddington Low Level, but normal national rail tickets are accepted on this, although you might have a bit of hassle if you've got an e ticket, so best to have a paper ticket.

 

[avid2424]

GWR operate Paddington to Maidenhead at 15:38 and 16:06. Elizabeth Line is the 15:47

Confident that an off peak return would be valid on Elizabeth Line

 

[mangyiscute]

Wednesday next week I'm travelling from Great Malvern to London Paddington and back on the same day. On the return leg I want to break my journey at Maidenhead for a few hours. GWR trains that run from Paddington to Great Malvern do not stop at Maidenhead. So I will need to catch one of the commuter trains that run Paddington to Reading which do stop at Maidenhead. I'm not sure who operates those trains and whether they will accept a GWR Off Peak Return ticket as valid. Would that work or do I need to buy three singles (which is more expensive)?

Proposed journey times are:
Depart Great Malvern 08:56 - Arrive Paddington 11:24
Depart Paddington 15:47 - Arrive Maidenhead 16:27
Depart Maidenhead 19:56 - Arrive Great Malvern 22:14

Thanks for any advice! (I tried asking National Rail Enquiries, but could not get a clear or convincing answer. Their advice after half an hour of repeatedly explaining myself was to get a full price Any Time return.)

Yep any Great Malvern to Paddington ticket is valid to break your journey. I will just add that there are fast Paddington to Maidenhead trains at 15:38 or 16:06 which take just 25 mins to Maidenhead rather than 40 mins on the Elizabeth line, and I'd also expect them to be quieter (and in my opinion the trains are nicer too), but you can take any Paddington to Maidenhead train and any Maidenhead to Reading train (to connect with the Great Malvern service) no matter whether its GWR or Elizabeth Line.

 

[lightwhisper]

Thanks everyone for your really quick and helpful advice!

 

[Fawkes Cat]

I've no special knowledge of Maidenhead station, but just in case, try to leave by a staffed barrier instead of putting your ticket in the slot. Barriers have been known to eat tickets when they shouldn't....

 

[lightwhisper]

I've no special knowledge of Maidenhead station, but just in case, try to leave by a staffed barrier instead of putting your ticket in the slot. Barriers have been known to eat tickets when they shouldn't....

Noted, thanks! I'll take a photo of the ticket just in case I've no option but to use a automatic barrier.

 

[Watershed]

Noted, thanks! I'll take a photo of the ticket just in case I've no option but to use a automatic barrier.

In the UK, ticket barriers must always be staffed unless left open. So there should definitely be an alternative to simply using the barrier. Staff may ask you to use the barrier in the first instance, but if the barrier then swallows your ticket, they have no grounds for complaint if you ask them to open it up and fish your ticket out!

 

[mangyiscute]

I can't say I've ever had an intermediate station's ticket barrier swallow a ticket when I'm breaking my journey there, especially since the ticket will have destination Great Malvern I would think it extremely unlikely it wouldn't give the ticket back.

 

[avid2424]

There is always a first time

Indeed I seem to recall an annual season ticket getting trapped inside the barriers. Luckily it was fished out for me without me going through a full ID check