Can I be fined for not completing my journey?

[green_and_mean]

SWT and Southern both do cheap deals from London to the South coast which are much cheaper than tickets from my local station. If for example I purchased a return to Bournemouth its only £16 rtn from Waterloo from Woking its £30+, if I got on at Woking could they really fine me for not travelling far enough? Its not the cost of getting to London I have a season ticket for my commute it just seems stupid to have to travel 40 mins to London get on a train and then travel back via Woking to Bournemouth in order to save £15? The terms and conditions do state that you cannot join or leave at intermediate stations but in reality can/will they fine me if I get on mid journey?

[timbo58]

simple answer? :yes, as the correct fare would have been avoided.

train companies are encouraged to offer cheaper fares for lesser routes/branch lines etc.

To use another ticket with the intent of avoiding the correct fare due is an offence, but frankly it depends on how 'hot' the inspectors are on this route and how much they already experience people doing the same and whether or not there are barriers at your 'break' station.

 

It IS an offence, most definitely, but up to you whether you take the risk.

[green_and_mean]

simple answer? :yes, as the correct fare would have been avoided.

train companies are encouraged to offer cheaper fares for lesser routes/branch lines etc.

To use another ticket with the intent of avoiding the correct fare due is an offence, but frankly it depends on how 'hot' the inspectors are on this route and how much they already experience people doing the same and whether or not there are barriers at your 'break' station.

 

It IS an offence, most definitely, but up to you whether you take the risk.

 

The point is I have a valid pass to get on and off at the boarding station (woking) as I have a season ticket, plus I've already paid to travel to London on the same ticket. I just cannot see any logic making you do the same journey into London and then back out again to Bournemouth via woking in order to save money in reality it will probably even be the same train but then logic and the railway network do not go hand in hand.

[timbo58]

ah well: I'm no defender of the rather greedy and IME poorly managed Tocs, but to be fair to them most of these rules are made up by stupid government rules or the ridiculous privatisation process itself: but if there is a fare/range of fares for the journey you are making and you buy another fare to avoid the proper fare being paid then you commit the offence, regardless of the illogicality or morality.

as I've already said it may well not be possible to detect or prove very easily, although I'd suspect that a) the regular staff see this type of evasion quite a bit as you won't be the 1st to have noticed this seemingly attractive 'loophole', and they'll probably not accept an excuse of 'mistaken purchase'.

The staff tend to be 'regulars' on this type of journey, so nothing ever escapes their attention for very long!

[Scaredsheep]

I think that it depends on whether the train from London actually stops at the station at which you board. The extract below from the National Rail Conditions of Carriage allows you to start a journey at any intermediate station - the usual rule is that the train must actually stop there, but check with the customer enquiries section of the relevant rail company. Why not e-mail them with your query and if they say ( in writing) that you can , then you should not be fined. A word from one who has suffered at the hands of ticket inspectors who don't know the rules - take a copy of the Conditions of carriage and a copy of the e-mail response with you when you travel - so that you can educate them on the rules when they try to give you a Penalty Notice or report you for prosecution.

 

Good luck

 

C. Use of tickets

 

16. Starting, breaking or ending a journey at intermediate stations

 

You may start, or break and resume, a journey (in either direction in the case of a return ticket) at any intermediate station, as long as the ticket you hold is valid for the trains you want to use. You may also end your journey (in either direction in the case of a return ticket) before the destination shown on the ticket. However, these rights may not apply to some types of tickets for which a break of journey is prohibited, in which case the relevant Train Companies will make this clear in their notices and other publications.

If you start, break and resume, or end your journey at an intermediate station when you are not entitled to do so, you will be liable to pay an excess fare. This excess fare will be the difference between the price paid for the ticket you hold and the price of the lowest priced ticket(s) available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to start, break and resume, or end your journey at that station on the service(s) you have used.

A ticket which entitles you to travel on the London Underground and/or Docklands Light Railway does not entitle you to break and resume your journey at any of the stations on these networks unless it is a Season Ticket or a Travelcard.

For the purposes of this Condition and Condition 11, you will be treated as breaking your journey if you leave a Train Company’s or Rail Service Company’s stations after you start your journey other than:

 

1. to join a train at another station, or
   
2. to stay in overnight accommodation when you cannot reasonably complete your journey within one day, or
   
3. to follow any instructions given by a member of a Train Company’s staff.
   

[green_and_mean]

I think that it depends on whether the train from London actually stops at the station at which you board. The extract below from the National Rail Conditions of Carriage allows you to start a journey at any intermediate station - the usual rule is that the train must actually stop there, but check with the customer enquiries section of the relevant rail company. Why not e-mail them with your query and if they say ( in writing) that you can , then you should not be fined. A word from one who has suffered at the hands of ticket inspectors who don't know the rules - take a copy of the Conditions of carriage and a copy of the e-mail response with you when you travel - so that you can educate them on the rules when they try to give you a Penalty Notice or report you for prosecution.

 

Good luck

 

C. Use of tickets

 

16. Starting, breaking or ending a journey at intermediate stations

 

You may start, or break and resume, a journey (in either direction in the case of a return ticket) at any intermediate station, as long as the ticket you hold is valid for the trains you want to use. You may also end your journey (in either direction in the case of a return ticket) before the destination shown on the ticket. However, these rights may not apply to some types of tickets for which a break of journey is prohibited, in which case the relevant Train Companies will make this clear in their notices and other publications.

If you start, break and resume, or end your journey at an intermediate station when you are not entitled to do so, you will be liable to pay an excess fare. This excess fare will be the difference between the price paid for the ticket you hold and the price of the lowest priced ticket(s) available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to start, break and resume, or end your journey at that station on the service(s) you have used.

A ticket which entitles you to travel on the London Underground and/or Docklands Light Railway does not entitle you to break and resume your journey at any of the stations on these networks unless it is a Season Ticket or a Travelcard.

For the purposes of this Condition and Condition 11, you will be treated as breaking your journey if you leave a Train Company’s or Rail Service Company’s stations after you start your journey other than:

 

1. to join a train at another station, or
   
2. to stay in overnight accommodation when you cannot reasonably complete your journey within one day, or
   
3. to follow any instructions given by a member of a Train Company’s staff.
   

 

The T&C for the cheap tickets do prohibit breaking or starting the journey anywhere other than a london terminus. I did email SWT 6 days ago asking why, but they as yet have not bothered to reply.