wombwell to manchester

[gtis]

hi
if i buy a ticket on the train from wombwell sth yorks to
manchester pic can i return via manchester vic to
huddersfield then barnsley wombwell
neil

 

[John @ home]

hi
if i buy a ticket on the train from wombwell sth yorks to
manchester pic can i return via manchester vic to
huddersfield then barnsley wombwell
neil

In principle, yes, but the detail depends on the ticket type.

There are two sets of fares between Wombwell and Manchester, via Sheffield and via Huddersfield. Let's assume you have a return ticket via Sheffield because that's the route you use for your outward journey.

If it's a £22.40 Anytime Return (SOR) or a £17.40 Off Peak Return (SVR) then the fares are the same via Sheffield and via Huddersfield. The excess fare you would have to pay is zero. Technically, you should be issued with a £0.00 excess fare ticket but don't be surprised if a ticket examiner doesn't bother to do that because they consider it a lot of work for no perceived benefit.

If it's a £15 Off Peak Day Return (CDR) route Sheffield then there is an excess fare to pay. The Off Peak Day Return (CDR) route Hudderfield is £15.60, and you need to pay half the difference to return by that route. Do this at the booking office at Manchester Victoria before you start your return journey. Ask for a 30p excess fare to return via Huddersfield.

John

 

[yorkie]

If they refuse to issue the excess at the station, buy it on the train.

Don't listen to anyone who tries to sell you a new ticket - they're wrong. Unfortunately some do 'try it on'.

 

[tony_mac]

Can you just waste 30p and get a route Huddersfield ticket to use via Sheffield? It would save trying to mess about with excesses, but I guess it could still cause some hassle on the train, even if it was actually valid.

 

[clagmonster]

I have successfully bought a change of route excess at Picadilly for one portion of acheap day return before, so you could do it there on arrival. I have never tried at Victoria, but they should be able to do it. Make sure that you ask for only the return portion to be excessed.
Yorkie, I am not sure that the excess would be the same on the train, maybe someone with access to the FRPP could clarify?
Tony, a route Huddersfield would officially (but not necesarily in practice) have to be excessed at a cost of £0.00 to a route Sheffield ticket.

 

[glynn80]

Yorkie, I am not sure that the excess would be the same on the train, maybe someone with access to the FRPP could clarify?

The excess would not be the same on the train if there was an “opportunity to buy” before the passenger boarded the service.

Onboard the train and if “opportunity to buy” before the passenger boarded the service, the guard is only obliged to excess the entire ticket to the cheapest Single or Return available for immediate travel and is not obliged to just excess a single portion.

The Excess Fare to charge where there was “opportunity to buy” before boarding the train

Change of route or travel on a day/train for which the ticket is not valid

Charge the difference between the fare paid and the cheapest Single or Return, available for immediate travel, for the journey being made. Railcard holders are eligible for a discount only if original tickets were discounted.


The Excess Fare to charge when there was “no opportunity to buy” before boarding the train

Change of Route

National Rail Conditions of Carriage, Condition 13, permits customers to travel by a different route, from the one stated on the ticket or allowed by conditions of the National Routeing Guide, to make their journey on payment of an Excess fare. The Excess fare is calculated as follows:

Single tickets

The difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Single ticket, available for immediate travel, that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice

Return tickets - change of route in both directions

The difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Return ticket, available for immediate travel, that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice.

Return tickets - change of route in one direction only

Half the difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Return ticket, available for immediate travel that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice.

 

[yorkie]

What a daft rule. But if the ticket office refuses to issue it because they don't know how to issue an excess, then the guard can't penalise you.

I've heard many stories of ticket office staff not knowing how to do it, and guards doing it within seconds. Huddersfield ticket office is one in particular I've heard a few reports of incompetence from (from different people).

And as for charging the full or half the difference, in reality many ticket offices try to charge you the full difference (perhaps due to incorrect coding on their machines), and guards often charge half the difference. In this case it's only over 30p.

The main thing is that even if there was opportunity to buy before travel they should still excess you to the cheapest ticket and including a railcard discount (where applicable). Some people dispute that claim.