London Banter - View Single Post - Off-Peak Return tickets Cambridge-London

[email protected] · November 6th 09, 06:02 PM posted to cam.transport,uk.transport.london

In article ,
(Barry Salter) wrote:

wrote:

I was told by the Cambridge ticket office clerk yesterday that I
couldn't use an Off-Peak Return ticket to travel on the 09:20 but
that I could use an Off-Peak Day Return. The clerk insisted even
though I said as far as I knew the off-peak rule for at least the
last 40 years has been "no arrival in London before 10". I bought
a day return ticket as I was committed to using the 09:20 and
wasn't sure at the time whether I would stay in London or not. I
also didn't want to miss the train.

snip

My question here is, however, to ask if others have had similar
issues. Is it one poorly trained (but not inexperienced) member
of ticket office staff or something wider? Or just another
squabble between NXEA who run Cambridge station and FCC who set
the fares and carry most of the passengers?

In this case, Cambridge Ticket Office appear to have been correct
and both FCC's website and their Customer Relations Department
appear to have been wrong.

The Off-Peak Return from Cambridge to London (priced by FCC)
carries a Restriction Code of 5J, the relevant part of which states:

"By any train scheduled to depart at or after 0930"

The Off-Peak *Day* Return (both Any Permitted and NXEA Only
variants), meanwhile, carries a restriction code of J8, which
states:

"By any train scheduled to arrive at London Liverpool Street or
London Kings Cross at or after 1000, Stratford (London) after 0950,
Tottenham Hale or Seven Sisters after 0940."

The only easements listed permit use of an Off-Peak Return on the
0859 from Kings Lynn (and appropriate times from Watlington - Ely,
inclusive), 0904 from Foxton (and appropriate times from Shepreth,
Meldreth and Ashwell & Morden) and 0915 from Sandy (and 0923 from
Arlesey).

This *appears* to have changed with NFM96, back in May 2007, though
I stand for correction on that.

Cheers,

Hmm. We'll see what response I now get from NXEA.

--
Colin Rosenstiel