Returning from Reading to London via a different route

[puffing billy]

Any comments on this scenario: At Paddington I purchase a day return (i.e. not for a specific train) from Paddington to Reading. (obviously) I travel to Reading on GWR but is it valid to use the return part of the ticket to travel back to Waterloo on SW trains? [Ignoring that it is almost certainly quicker to return via a fast train to Paddington and use the Bakerloo line to Waterloo]. If the answer is yes then please ignore the rest of this post; if the answer is no then please read on…

I suppose part of the answer depends on whether the ticket is printed as “Paddington to/from Reading” (return to Waterloo not valid) or “London Terminals to/from Reading” (return to Waterloo could be valid) but I guess that someone will tell me that a code in the “small-print” of the ticket is also relevant?

One complication: I’m in possession of a TFL zone-1 to 6 Oyster travel-card so, providing I’m travelling at a valid day/time, I purchase a Zone-6 boundary day return to Reading. This ticket doesn’t mention the actual zone-6 station that I’m required to pass through back into the TFL zonal region so could I use such a return ticket (at the appropriate time) to travel Paddington->Reading>Waterloo?

Although the above is hypothetical it’s a slight simplification of an actual journey that I’m planning so any advice from an expert would be welcomed.

 

[mmh]

Any comments on this scenario: At Paddington I purchase a day return (i.e. not for a specific train) from Paddington to Reading. (obviously) I travel to Reading on GWR but is it valid to use the return part of the ticket to travel back to Waterloo on SW trains? [Ignoring that it is almost certainly quicker to return via a fast train to Paddington and use the Bakerloo line to Waterloo]. If the answer is yes then please ignore the rest of this post; if the answer is no then please read on…

Yes, that would be valid. All fares are "London Terminals" to Reading, with the ones valid on GWR being Route: Any Permitted, so valid on SWR to Waterloo too. There's a slightly cheaper London Terminals to Reading Route: Via Staines fare, which is only valid on SWR.

I suppose part of the answer depends on whether the ticket is printed as “Paddington to/from Reading” (return to Waterloo not valid) or “London Terminals to/from Reading” (return to Waterloo could be valid) but I guess that someone will tell me that a code in the “small-print” of the ticket is also relevant?

You can find which fares are available, their routes and restriction codes at http://www.brfares.com - it's a wonderfully useful site. e.g. for Paddington - Reading: http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=PAD&dest=RDG (which is how you can see that all fares are to/from London Terminals). It also helps with your second question...

One complication: I’m in possession of a TFL zone-1 to 6 Oyster travel-card so, providing I’m travelling at a valid day/time, I purchase a Zone-6 boundary day return to Reading. This ticket doesn’t mention the actual zone-6 station that I’m required to pass through back into the TFL zonal region so could I use such a return ticket (at the appropriate time) to travel Paddington->Reading>Waterloo?

Although the above is hypothetical it’s a slight simplification of an actual journey that I’m planning so any advice from an expert would be welcomed.

The brfares site is very helpful when it comes to boundary zone tickets, which most TOC ticket websites don't think exist.
The fares available for Boundary Zone 6 to Reading are: http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=0072&dest=RDG , unfortunately there are no Any Permitted route fares, they're all either via Slough or via Ascot, so it doesn't look like you can do that.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

unfortunately there are no Any Permitted route fares, they're all either via Slough or via Ascot, so it doesn't look like you can do that.

You could always get the cheaper of the two routed tickets (which is actually via Slough) - and then excess on board if you desired to travel via the other route. Though a ticket for the more expensive of the routed tickets should be possible to zero-excess to the other route, few guards/ticket offices are willing to do this - but most would be willing to do an excess from a less expensive to a more expensive route.

 

[puffing billy]

You could always get the cheaper of the two routed tickets (which is actually via Slough) - and then excess on board if you desired to travel via the other route. Though a ticket for the more expensive of the routed tickets should be possible to zero-excess to the other route, few guards/ticket offices are willing to do this - but most would be willing to do an excess from a less expensive to a more expensive route.

Thanks to you both. My actual plan is London to Tilehurst then back to London via Reading with a break on the way back at Ascot. Z6B day return to Tilehurst does seem to be "any permitted"?

 

[30907]

Thanks to you both. My actual plan is London to Tilehurst then back to London via Reading with a break on the way back at Ascot. Z6B day return to Tilehurst does seem to be "any permitted"?

Indeed it is.