I booked an Advance Ticket from Woking to Bath Spa for the 29th December 2019 departing at 09:47 and arriving at Bath at 11:56. This was booked on the 3rd November 2019, before any strike action had been announced. This is a direct service.
SWR have now published the strike timetable for Sunday 29th December and it is appalling, far worse than any other "strike Sunday". The first train from Woking to Salisbury is at 11:47 arriving at 12:46. Then from Salisbury to Bath departing at 13:25 and arriving 14:27.
This would get me to Salisbury almost exactly 2 and a half hours after I should have got there. (and I have my doubts it won't be so overcrowded I won't actually be able to board it).
Worse, reading the FAQ it says under the heading "Can I use my ticket on other train operators and local bus routes?" For GWR it only lists validity on the services to Bath via Salisbury not via Reading.
In addition under the heading "Will Delay Repay still apply to my journey?" it suggests SWR only pay delay repay against the amended timetable.
This all points to havin g to accept a 2.5 hour delay on my journey with no recourse other than to cancel my ticket and ask for a refund.
Is that really correct?
The service on this Sunday is greately reduced from usual on a Sunday during the strikes. The earliest arrival into London Waterloo from Woking seems to be around 11:30am many hours later than usual too.
I would like to travel to Bath via Reading instead. Given there seem no other services to Basingstoke from Woking it looks like the best route is a rail replacement bus to Guildford, GWR Guildford to Reading and GWR Reading to Bath. But reading the FAQ this isn't a route on which there is ticket acceptance?
Just to add to the confusion on the timetable link for the strikes it shows under the route from London to Exeter, Salisbury and Bath that for trains to Bath
"We won't run any trains on this route. Services will also not run between Yeovil Junction and Westbury via Frome. You should use Great Western Railway trains instead. You can use your ticket - including advance tickets - at no extra cost."
This makes no mention of what routes you can use - so perhaps it is valid via Reading.
Any advise please?
I also cannot believe it is correct that SWR only pay delay repay on the amended timetable. I thought that if I booked prior to the strike being announced (as I did) this should be paid against the booked itinary (which is printed on the ticket). Am I right? If so any tips on getting SWR to accept this?
SWR have now published the strike timetable for Sunday 29th December and it is appalling, far worse than any other "strike Sunday". The first train from Woking to Salisbury is at 11:47 arriving at 12:46. Then from Salisbury to Bath departing at 13:25 and arriving 14:27.
This would get me to Salisbury almost exactly 2 and a half hours after I should have got there. (and I have my doubts it won't be so overcrowded I won't actually be able to board it).
Worse, reading the FAQ it says under the heading "Can I use my ticket on other train operators and local bus routes?" For GWR it only lists validity on the services to Bath via Salisbury not via Reading.
In addition under the heading "Will Delay Repay still apply to my journey?" it suggests SWR only pay delay repay against the amended timetable.
This all points to havin g to accept a 2.5 hour delay on my journey with no recourse other than to cancel my ticket and ask for a refund.
Is that really correct?
The service on this Sunday is greately reduced from usual on a Sunday during the strikes. The earliest arrival into London Waterloo from Woking seems to be around 11:30am many hours later than usual too.
I would like to travel to Bath via Reading instead. Given there seem no other services to Basingstoke from Woking it looks like the best route is a rail replacement bus to Guildford, GWR Guildford to Reading and GWR Reading to Bath. But reading the FAQ this isn't a route on which there is ticket acceptance?
Just to add to the confusion on the timetable link for the strikes it shows under the route from London to Exeter, Salisbury and Bath that for trains to Bath
"We won't run any trains on this route. Services will also not run between Yeovil Junction and Westbury via Frome. You should use Great Western Railway trains instead. You can use your ticket - including advance tickets - at no extra cost."
This makes no mention of what routes you can use - so perhaps it is valid via Reading.
Any advise please?
I also cannot believe it is correct that SWR only pay delay repay on the amended timetable. I thought that if I booked prior to the strike being announced (as I did) this should be paid against the booked itinary (which is printed on the ticket). Am I right? If so any tips on getting SWR to accept this?