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Help I'm drowning in the Virgin Trains ticket types and conditions!

I'm ready to purchase tickets from London Euston to Oxenholme Lake District and then back to London Euston that evening. The train we need to go out on (first of the morning departs 05:30 and arrives 08:43). I have 2 options for this journey Off-Peak (web only fare) or Anytime. Likewise for our return to London (departs OXN 18:31 and arrives Euston 21:25), I have the options for Off-Peak (web only fare) and Anytime. There is a HUGE difference in price between the two ticket types.

So I went searching to see how these work and found it a bit confusing. It seems like a no-brainer to me to purchase Off-Peak (web only fare) for outbound and return. That would be super cheap. But I can't weed through all the conditions about departing London before 09:30 from London, which trains are valid, can I combine 2 Off-Peak singles or do I need to pair it with another type, and where the web only fare comes into it.

I DO know two things about this travel though:
1) Our travel plans need to be at the times I have mentioned above as we are going to meet up with a tour at Oxenholme. The times specified are the ones that will work (though we could take a later return if we had to). We will not be interested in changing our plans.
2)The Virgin website says that they will not offer Off-Peak as an option unless it is on a train that is valid for Off-Peak.

Someone please help me! I'm drowning in Virgin Trains travel-speak!
Thanks

Posted by
4684 posts

The web site will offer you the fares that are available for the trains you select. The very cheapest advance fares are limited to specific trains only. Off-peak fares do have some complicated conditions, but the easiest thing to do is to try to make the specific train you first selected, and if you miss it talk to the railway staff at that point about what other trains you could get. Anytime fares do literally mean any train that day, and "web only" simply means that the ticket can only be purchased online and not from ticket offices.

Since you're leaving that early in the morning, I assume that you are staying in London the previous night. The biggest risk is if you are travelling on the same day as an international flight into London, which could be severely delayed. That's the only time I'd consider buying an Anytime fare or buying on the day.

I am a bit worried about the 0530 departure, as the Underground doesn't start in the morning until 0530. To get to Euston then you would be limited to night time or 24-hour bus routes, or pre-booked taxis. Before you book anything, I would do a search on the TFL website to see how long it would take from your hotel area to Euston by bus, to see if it's practical.

Posted by
23 posts

Thanks for the comments everyone. We are staying in London and are planning to use a prearranged taxi service to get to Euston. Thanks for the thought of traveling the night before.

I need some translation help for the info on the Virgin website.

My main question is this:
As far as you know, can 2 Off-Peak tickets be used in the same day (one up to OXN then one back to EUS)?

Here's the language that is hanging me up from the Ticket Restrictions section for the Off-Peak Single (online):

BOOKING
Can only be booked online, in advance or purchase on the day of travel (not available at stations). This ticket can only be bought as part of a return journey, and in conjunction with either an Advance ticket, or Anytime ticket. If two online Off-Peak Single (Online) tickets are bought as part of a return ticket, it will then become an Off-peak return ticket.

The phrase "return journey" is not one I'm familiar with. It seems to mean 2 things: a round trip (out and back) as well as just the return part of the trip (the "back" part). Will someone please translate the info above?

Thanks everyone!

Posted by
16893 posts

Return means roundtrip in British. You can either start the booking as a roundtrip, or if you buy two matching single journeys they are saying they will consider it a roundtrip. Do go ahead to buy the cheapest fares they offered you, if you are committed to those dates and times. It's safest to think of them as nonrefundable and nonchangeable, even if there might be some leeway.

Posted by
23 posts

Thanks for the clarification, Laura. Thanks for putting in clear (U.S.) terms for me. Nonrefundable, unchangeable works for me. Will be purchasing very soon. YIPPEE! On to planning for Paris!

Posted by
4684 posts

It sounds like they're saying that if you buy two Off-Peak Singles for the same day, the restrictions usually applying to an Off-Peak Return will be enforced. I don't know how different those are, but they're probably tougher.