Another one for the train folks...

[indierich06]

Alright guys, I'm off to Leicester this afternoon and I booked tickets a fair while ago with my young person's railcard, but I've just noticed that it expired on Monday, so it won't be valid for travel today. Is there any way I can upgrade my ticket to a standard ticket for travel, rather than young person's ticket? I looked on thetrainline.com and all they suggest doing is cancelling the ticket (with a £10 cancellation fee!) and buying a new one.

I'm going to head down to St Pancras after work and ask for some assistance at the ticket counter, but does anyone know of any alternative, or had to do anything similar before?

I'm thinking of getting the train about 7:15 (the first super off peak train) and it's always so packed that no-one ever checks your ticket, which is fine. But on the Sunday the trains are always quite empty, it'll definitely get checked then so I don't think I'll be able to get away with it...

 

[Jeff]

I looked on thetrainline.com

i don't know the answer to your question, but you should never buy tickets from Thetrainline, there's always a cheaper alternative.
Buy directly from the train company websites instead, you just pay the price of the ticket without any of the extras thetrainline charge, and the tickets are often cheaper if you buy from the train company you're travelling with. Use http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk for London to Leicester tickets - or buy from Megatrain

 

[Motown Fox]

Can you not renew your Railcard at the station?

 

[Jeff]

Can you not renew your Railcard at the station?

Not if he's too old to have one now.

 

[bocadillo]

Alright guys, I'm off to Leicester this afternoon and I booked tickets a fair while ago with my young person's railcard, but I've just noticed that it expired on Monday, so it won't be valid for travel today. Is there any way I can upgrade my ticket to a standard ticket for travel, rather than young person's ticket? I looked on thetrainline.com and all they suggest doing is cancelling the ticket (with a £10 cancellation fee!) and buying a new one.

I'm going to head down to St Pancras after work and ask for some assistance at the ticket counter, but does anyone know of any alternative, or had to do anything similar before?

I'm thinking of getting the train about 7:15 (the first super off peak train) and it's always so packed that no-one ever checks your ticket, which is fine. But on the Sunday the trains are always quite empty, it'll definitely get checked then so I don't think I'll be able to get away with it...

It depends what type of ticket you have got. If it is an Advance ticket, the choice is between paying the £10 fee (twice, because you will have two Advance tickets) or paying for a new YP Railcard.

You say though that you are thinking of using "the first super off peak train". This suggests that you have a Super Off-Peak Return. Super Off-Peak (and Off-Peak) tickets are exchangeable without charge as long as your day of outward travel remains the same. You should pay the additional amount at the ticket office before travel.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/buying-tickets/changing-and-cancelling-tickets.html

If you board the train without exchanging the ticket, you will be treated as though you do not hold a ticket for travel and will be liable to pay the full Anytime Single for the journey. Remember that there are now barriers at Leicester, so you would also be liable to pay the full Anytime Single fare there if you are not 'caught' on the train.


I am presuming that you are travelling from St Pancras, so you will have already paid £35.30 for a Super Off-Peak Return. Without a railcard the fare is £53.50, so there would be £18.20 to pay to amend your ticket. A new Railcard (if you are still entitled to one) would be £28 and it would still be valid for another 364 days.

If you choose to take the unwise route of avoiding the fare, the cost of an Anytime Single is £74 and you would still have to pay another £52.50 for a Super Off-Peak Single to get you back to London on Sunday.


I echo Jeff's advice on not using the trainline. You should always use a rail company site (or megatrain.com)for the best value tickets.

 

[bocadillo]

Not if he's too old to have one now.

His TB profile suggests that he is still young enough. YP Railcards are available up to the person's 26 birthday.

 

[indierich06]

His TB profile suggests that he is still young enough. YP Railcards are available up to the person's 26 birthday.

Yeah, I've just been on their website and I can renew it for a year. I had it my head for some reason that there was a cut off period while you were 25 that you couldn't apply for another railcard.

I think I'll pay the extra and upgrade the ticket when I get to St Pancras this evening and then get a new railcard once I've been paid - I can't tell you how much money that thing has saved me in the past.

 

[spionfox]

His TB profile suggests ......

Does anybody actually put up a totally honest profile on internet forums?!

Apart from Mr Gwilliam of course

 

[bocadillo]

Does anybody actually put up a totally honest profile on internet forums?!

That's what the word 'suggests' is about.

Apart from Mr Gwilliam of course

He might be bluffing. The Kings Lock Tea Rooms Mafia are well-known for it.