LNER 'authorised to prosecute'

[Mcr Warrior]

...On the way back I got stopped for not having a valid ticket as it turns out it was for Grand Central and not LNER which I was on. I of course hadn't checked the ticket, which did say Grand Central only...

How obvious and legible is the Grand Central restriction on the actual ticket? Surely when you receive tickets for events and services you check at the very least to make sure a mistake hasn't been made (either during booking, processing or printing) by either party etc?

Be good if the OP could upload a copy of the ticket/Trainline itinerary on here. Noted, however, that the OP admits not having checked the actual ticket. Suspect the endorsement is on there, possibly something like "AP GC ONLY" which isn't particularly end user friendly.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Be good if the OP could upload a copy of the ticket/Trainline itinerary on here. Noted, however, that the OP admits not having checked the actual ticket. Suspect the endorsement is on there, possibly something like "AP GC ONLY" which isn't particularly end user friendly.

Don't they use the "friendly" wordings on e-tickets, which would have it saying something like "Valid on Grand Central trains only"?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Don't they use the "friendly" wordings on e-tickets, which would have it saying something like "Valid on Grand Central trains only"?

Believe what you say may indeed actually be the case. Either way, think the OP may have to chalk this one up to experience, unless the Trainline booking itinerary is confirmed as misleading (not seen any evidence of this yet).

 

[AlterEgo]

I find it very difficult to believe the OP’s claim that TOC-specific restrictions weren’t shown on Trainline until his appeal. I tend to think we would have heard a lot more about that if that were the case, from other passengers.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Believe what you say may indeed actually be the case. Either way, think the OP may have to chalk this one up to experience, unless the Trainline booking itinerary is confirmed as misleading (not seen any evidence of this yet).

It's certainly true some of the booking apps aren't very clear about this, I've bought a TOC specific ticket in error before as a result, though fortunately I was able to use that TOC so it didn't cost me anything. What was worse was that it was one of those "10p cheaper" cases and that TOC's train wasn't the most convenient. I have a feeling it was on the Trainline app, too.

I don't however think the OP can do much more than pay what is due and make a formal complaint to Trainline.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

But whichever train the OP had caught from York to London King's Cross, on an advance single, it would have been a specific timed service. Grand Central and LNER trains don't ever depart Southbound from York at the exact same time, do they?

 

[Bletchleyite]

But whichever train the OP had caught from York to London King's Cross, on an advance single, it would have been a specific timed service. Grand Central and LNER trains don't ever depart Southbound from York at the exact same time, do they?

The ticket in question was an Off Peak Single, was it not?

 

[AlterEgo]

The ticket in question was an Off Peak Single, was it not?

It was, on his return. Correct.

 

[Bletchleyite]

FWIW I don't have the actual Trainline app installed at the moment, but here's an example from the LNR app. Only on the summary screen (and under Show Details, but only after you scroll all the way down past all the "legalese") is there an indication of TOC specificity of a given ticket, and in small text, too. I do really think this is not good enough, and so the OP really should make a formal complaint if the Trainline app doesn't make it clear.

However this doesn't affect the fact that the fare for travel on LNER is due (plus, now, the admin fee).

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The ticket in question was an Off Peak Single, was it not?

Stand corrected. If it's the £56-00 fare, that would be marked "GRAND CTRL ONLY" yes?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Stand corrected. If it's the £56-00 fare, that would be marked "GRAND CTRL ONLY" yes?

Yep.

 

[robbeech]

I find it very difficult to believe the OP’s claim that TOC-specific restrictions weren’t shown on Trainline until his appeal. I tend to think we would have heard a lot more about that if that were the case, from other passengers.

There was an issue a few years ago where the App (both Android and iOS and then later just one of them) would not show ANY restrictions when you bought a ticket, until you'd parted with your cash. This was the case with route restrictions too. The example i used at the time was something like Worksop to Doncaster where there is (or at least was) a Via Sheffield fare and a more expensive (but only by a pound or so) Any Permitted. At absolutely no point during the booking process did it mention the ticket carried a "via Sheffield" restriction, although of course the ticket did come with an itinerary taking it via Sheffield which would potentially minimise the issue.
Once the ticket was printed at a TVM, or, in the case of e-tickets / m-tickets, loaded on screen or activated it did display the restriction correctly but this was an issue they were made aware of and did fix, although it took several months.

 

[Watershed]

However this doesn't affect the fact that the fare for travel on LNER is due (plus, now, the admin fee).

On the railways, an admin fee is never 'due' in the sense of being legally enforceable. But as the alternative is being prosecuted (and likely convicted), in this case it's likely to be in OP's favour to pay what LNER are demanding, regardless of how it breaks down.

 

[158801]

What time did you depart York? If you know the exact train, that would be useful; if not, a rough time should suffice.

The OP says

Hi - hoping someone will be able to help with some advice on this!

A few Sundays ago I travelled up to York from Kings Cross. I bought an advance single for the outbound train and return on an anytime off-peak single through Trainline.
On the way back I got stopped for not having a valid ticket as it turns out it was for Grand Central and not LNER which I was on. I of course hadn't checked the ticket, which did say Grand Central only (there's no barriers at York so I had no need to)

So did they travel Kings Cross to York or the other way around ?

 

[yorkie]

It sounds like they made a return journey using 2 x Singles, outwards on an LNER train and returning on Grand Central.

It is not clear when the return journey was made; if it was a day trip then we know the Super Off Peak would have been valid, but it sounds like the amount now due is either a Super Off Peak or Anytime fare plus an admin fee.

We still don't know what the booking confirmation email looks like or what the ticket had printed on it for sure but it is likely that mention was made that travel was supposed to be on Grand Central. Without more information, we cannot really advise.

 

[skyhigh]

So did they travel Kings Cross to York or the other way around ?

Seems pretty clear to me at least that the journey was Kings Cross to York, and this happened on the return leg of that journey (I.e. from York to Kings Cross)