Megatrain fares

[whole diary]

[inspector_blakey]

I am sure that you know the rules but just to clarify your post for the benefit of everyone - there is no distinction between barried and non-barriered stations in the ticket rules.

Yes, fair point, I should have made that clearer. As others have said alighting short or breaking journey with an advance ticket is fraud regardless of whether a station has barriers or not.

Interestingly though if you are using an Advance ticket, I think I'm correct in saying you are permitted to go outside the barrier in order to use station facilities (toilets, shops, refreshments etc) at gated stations where you make a booked change of train (as long as you catch your booked onward service, of course). I have certainly never been challenged by barrier staff when I have asked to do this in the past. A break of journey is only technically made when/if you leave the station premises.

[Tim]

Interestingly though if you are using an Advance ticket, I think I'm correct in saying you are permitted to go outside the barrier in order to use station facilities (toilets, shops, refreshments etc) at gated stations where you make a booked change of train (as long as you catch your booked onward service, of course). I have certainly never been challenged by barrier staff when I have asked to do this in the past. A break of journey is only technically made when/if you leave the station premises.

I think you are correct that you can cross the barrier line and then re-enter on an advanced ticket.  I have done this a few times at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) to visit Smiths or the ticket office and noone ever minds. 

[BringBackGNER]

I think you are correct that you can cross the barrier line and then re-enter on an advanced ticket.  I have done this a few times at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) to visit Smiths or the ticket office and noone ever minds. 

Will the automatic barriers let you through or do you have to show your ticket? Do the automatic barriers allow you through when you have open tickets that allow break of journey? When I was a student with more time on my hands I used to enjoy taking advantage of the break of journey on return legs of a saver ticket.

[thetrout]

Will the automatic barriers let you through or do you have to show your ticket? Do the automatic barriers allow you through when you have open tickets that allow break of journey? When I was a student with more time on my hands I used to enjoy taking advantage of the break of journey on return legs of a saver ticket.

I'm afraid I plead guilty to that one... At Bristol Temple Meads there is a very good Wetherspoon Pub on Temple Quay which does an excellent coffee

Something worth noting at some stations the toilets are located on the ticket office side of the barrier, if your changing trains and need to spend a penny does that count as a break of journey. I would be inclined to say no because you haven't left railway property...? I'm sure someone will know

[Tim]

A break of journey is when you leave the station, not when you cross the barriers.  On tickets that prohibit break of journey you are therefore allowed to cross the barriers to reach the station cafe/toilets/newsagents/ticket office/timetable racks and I have done all of these things.  Just ask a member of staff rather then using the automatic gates. 

[paul7575]

I'd emphasise that even tickets that DO allow break of journey won't usually operate barriers at intermediate stations. There would be far too much additional data required for the gates to process every possible permutation of journey through the station, from what I've gathered elsewhere.

Paul

[thetrout]

I assumed the ticket gates were linked to a server which holds all the appropriate data. I've seen the CAT5e Network Cabling connections when a barrier staff member took one apart, which leads me to believe thats true!

I'll put my IT/Network Engineer coat back in the cupboard now

If I need to break the journey at Bath, The ticket gates don't give me any trouble. The Bristol Ticket Gates however aren't so understanding...

[inspector_blakey]

Ticket gates seem inconsistent with breaking journeys.

I'm generally a bit bothered about the exit gate swallowing a ticket if I'm breaking my journey so show it to the barrier staff. When entering a station though I know that the gates at Bath will accept a ticket from Bristol (heading east, of course) and that when I've alighted from a rail replacement bus at Swindon during engineering work the barriers there have accepted my ticket and allowed me through.

You're right about the barriers from Bristol - for example they won't accept a Keynsham - Oxford ticket (they should because Keynsham to Oxford via Temple Meads is a permitted route even though it's a "double back")