travelling at the wrong time on your train tickets...?

[joko]

im buying return ticket to london, travelling back on the same day but i dont really know what time i will be returning...it'll be later on around 7.30-8 or so...but what happens if i just get on the next train to depart and its before or after the time printed on my ticket?

will they even notice?

cheers

[bednobs]

do they give you a time on the ticket?

[ubasses]

Ifyou hhave a cheap day travel card you cannot travel until after 7.30pm and they stop you boarding. Tried in one for a 7.25 when the next 1 was after 8pm

[pretty_snowdrop]

If your ticket is for a particular train you need to make sure you are on that train, If you choose to go on another train your ticket will not be valid. If you have a open ticket you will be able to travel anytime.

[boxtops]

I just buy a return, if it's open you can travel any time.

[Postdog]

You have to pay the full single fare. I assume you are getting tickets from trainline or similar for which you select the train and pay a seat booking fee.You will also need your seat booking ticket, and if you haven't, or get on a different train, it's full fare as I said. They will notice BTW

[gingejbee]

As above-you pay more for the open ticket but get greater flexibility.

[Buenchico]

I used to run a railway station, Joko. I must have had to answer your question hundred (if not thousands) of times!

If you've got an 'Advance' ticket, which specifies which train service you must use, your ticket is ONLY valid on that service (and, if you're allocated a reserved seat, ONLY in that seat). If you try to travel on a different train, it will be regarded as if you've got no ticket at all. That means that (on most routes out of London) you'd have to pay a £20 penalty fare (or double the maximum standard fare, whichever is the greater) just to get to the next station at which the train stops at. At that station you could either get off (and seek an off-peak fare to your destination on the next train) or remain on the train that you're already on but pay the FULL fare (without any off-peak discount) to get to your destination.

However,if you've got a normal ("walk up") 'Peak' ticket, you'll be able to travel on any train (even if you've been allocated a reservation on your original choice of service). Similarly, if you've got a normal 'Off-Peak' ticket you can travel on any service during off-peak hours (which generally means after 7pm for services ex London but you should check the rules for your route).

Chris

[Eve]

Whatever you do, if you go for the first train "off peak" from Euston somewhere popular, expect madness! I made that mistake once with the Manchester train when I was commuting - I have never seen so many people run when the train went up as boarding! Unless things have changed there were way too many people even for a huge Virgin train and I've known them have to put an extra one on and they were still so packed they had to let people in first class and loads of people were standing.

If in doubt, check with a conductor on the train first - I have before now and been fine as they OK'd it. I saw a guy with a return made to pay full single fare (over £100) as his ticket wasn't right once on a train home from London. From memory, it was way more than the return he had originally bought. He was told to pay and take it up with the rail people later. He hadn't asked, just boarded and it was found during the ticket check.

[joko]

ok cheers all, i think ill go for the off peak ones so i can travel when im ready to