Inverness by a circuitous route

[PaxVobiscum]

The more I learn on here about permitted routes, the more confused I become. Having done this journey two years ago, I can't really see why it was allowed at that price.

I started off by looking on NRE at the Advance tickets from Glasgow to Inverness. Incredibly good deal - £8.75 each way F&F.
But then, never having been by rail between Aberdeen and Inverness by rail, I looked to see how much extra it would cost to go via Aberdeen - answer - nothing apparently!

So, let's be silly I thought, never been on the Perth to Edinburgh bit either, what will that cost extra. Answer - again nowt.

On the day, one of the ticket examiners seemed a bit doubtful because it was just the one through ticket each from GLQ to INV, but the reservations satisfied him and he just shrugged his shoulders. No probs on the way back.

Would the fact that the tickets were ordered through the Cross Country website (can't remember why) have had any bearing on it being as cheap to travel by such an indirect route?

Here's the confirmations:

Journey 1: GLASGOW QUEEN STREET to INVERNESS
Ticket Type: ADVANCE SINGLE
Route: This ticket is only valid for travel on First ScotRail Limited services.
Outward Journey: 03/07/2010
departs GLASGOW QUEEN STREET at 08:41 travel by Train service provider SCOTRAIL to station ABERDEEN arrives 11:17
Coach: A Seat: 33F
Coach: A Seat: 33B
departs ABERDEEN at 11:59 travel by Train service provider SCOTRAIL to station INVERNESS arrives 14:10
Coach: B Seat: 11F
Coach: B Seat: 11B

GLASGOW QUEEN STREET to INVERNESS @ GBP 8.75
Adult FAMILY AND FRIENDS RAILCARD Fare GBP 6.80 (1 @ GBP 6.80)
Child FAMILY AND FRIENDS RAILCARD Fare GBP 1.95 (1 @ GBP 1.95)

...........................................................................................................

Journey 2: INVERNESS to GLASGOW QUEEN STREET
Ticket Type: ADVANCE SINGLE
Route: This ticket is only valid for travel on First ScotRail Limited services.
Outward Journey: 03/07/2010
departs INVERNESS at 16:53 travel by Train service provider SCOTRAIL to station EDINBURGH WAVERLEY arrives 20:29
Coach: A Seat: 24F
Coach: A Seat: 24B
departs EDINBURGH WAVERLEY at 21:00 travel by Train service provider SCOTRAIL to station GLASGOW QUEEN STREET arrives 21:50
No seats reserved

INVERNESS to GLASGOW QUEEN STREET @ GBP 8.75
Adult FAMILY AND FRIENDS RAILCARD Fare GBP 6.80 (1 @ GBP 6.80)
Child FAMILY AND FRIENDS RAILCARD Fare GBP 1.95 (1 @ GBP 1.95)

 

[Mr Spock]

Looking on NRES it says that you need more than one ticket for these journies eg. Glasgow-Aberdeen and Aberdeen-Inverness.

 

[cjohnson]

Glasgow and Inverness are both routeing points. Mapped routes between the two are IS or GA. IS shows a route without doubling back via Aberdeen so it should therefore be a permitted route and only one ticket needed.

 

[philjo]

If it is an advance ticket as stated by the OP then the permitted routes don't come into it as you have to travel on the booked trains specified for that itinerary. So provided you are on the trains matching your reservation coupons it is valid.

I have done some trips using advance tickets that don't follow routes normally permitted by the RG or have included doubling back (e.g. Stevenage to Alnmouth changing at Berwick used to be offered in the old EC timetable using the 07:19 Glasgow train from Stevenage as an Ec train was also used southbound for Berwick to Alnmouth whereas changing at Newcastle involved using XC & the ticket I had was routed EC only)

 

[benk1342]

Would the fact that the tickets were ordered through the Cross Country website (can't remember why) have had any bearing on it being as cheap to travel by such an indirect route?

No, all the vendors sell the same tickets for the same prices, with a few exceptions for web-only specials sold by a TOC's site for its own trains. Some of the sites do have slightly different interpretations of permitted routes and how to handle via points than others, I think, though.

 

[yorkie]

On phone at moment but i am fairly sure its a permitted route. Rte via aviemore tickets are cheaper for walk on travel.

Advance is of course booked train(s) only.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

On phone at moment but i am fairly sure its a permitted route. Rte via aviemore tickets are cheaper for walk on travel.

Advance is of course booked train(s) only.

Now I'm being mischievous here but here's a quote from another thread

Inverness - Glasgow is only permitted via Stirling, so splitting there makes no difference to the validity, in this particular case.

As for being allowed via Edinburgh, I don't think EC would have been a problem, but SR from Glasgow to Edinburgh might have been (irrespective of whether it was split or not)

That's actually what triggered me to post this thread!

But maybe I'm taking it out of context.

 

[Deerfold]

Now I'm being mischievous here but here's a quote from another thread



That's actually what triggered me to post this thread!

But maybe I'm taking it out of context.

But as Philjo has said, permitted routes are irrelevant when using Advance tickets - for these you have to use the route you are given (or have managed to get the system to give you).

 

[yorkie]

Yes, Inverness to Glasgow only has permitted routes via Stirling., there are no permitted routes avoiding Stirling. Aberdeen is, optionally, also on a permitted route (Inverness-Aberdeen-Stirling-Glasgow).

And yes, Advance tickets do not necessarily follow the normal Routeing Guide rules, and are instead valid by the booked train(s) only. This is particularly the case when there are TOC-specific promotional tickets (e.g. I've known FirstGroup staff go from London to Edinburgh via Doncaster & Manchester, and Club55 passengers go from Leeds to Edinburgh via Manchester, in both cases it is because there were promotional tickets available that required the use of First services).

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Right, Yorkie and others, thanks - I see now. I hadn't picked that up about Advances being different in that respect. I've been on a few other trips that I was beginning to think were a mistake by the booking engines.
I really should try to make one of the Fares Workshops!