To ask how you tell if a train is off peak or not?!

[turninginsideout]

I’ve bought a train ticket for a trip to the airport next month. I misjudged the arrival time (I thought my flight was two hours later than it was 😂 type B personality shining through) and the train would get me there too late. I have an off peak return.

How do I tell which of the earlier trains I can get?! It seems impossible to tell!

If you say which train company it’s for I’ll see if I can help.

For the route I’m going to be taking it’s GWR and cross country

Its generally after 930 but varies if you are going to london

Ahh this baffled me too! If you’re in England then this might help. In-city Off-Peak times:

• Off-peak times are generally outside busy commuter hours. Exact times may vary by route and train company, but as a guide: Monday to Friday (except bank holidays): 09:30–16:00 and after 19:00.

Transport for London (TfL) Off-Peak times:

• Monday to Friday from the first service to 06:30, from 09:30 to 16:00, and after 19:00.

Do you use the Trainline app? I seem to recall that tells you if a train is off peak. It's actually great, so def install it.

Can you start the buying process for a ticket for the train you now need? Then it would show the tickets available. I used to buy GWR and XC to Bristol for my son regularly and they listed "also valid on" with a list of the times surrounding the one I was booking.

If you booked on the train line, there is a bit that says" you can also get... and it lists the other trains you can get"

Have a look on the national rail app journey planner.

I think the national rail app would say

Can also use the Trainline app it usually tells you the ticket types available on journeys make sure if it says you have to use a certain station you use that in your search

I never trust Trainline because they put all sorts on there that ends up being wrong!

it also depends if you’ve booked a particular train or a ‘off peak anytime ‘

If it’s a month away, why not cancel your tickets and rebook, carefully.

As PPs said though, you can do the same with the national rail app. Or look at the ticket options for your journey on GWR & cross country & see when the prices change.

Worst case scenario you should be able to change your ticket for a peak one & pay the extra.

Can you just tell us which station to which station as it varies from station to station?

Off peak is travelling after 9.30am.
Ring them up to clarify and ask what your options are with your tickets.

You need to look at the fare codes and T&Cs for those companies because it varies.

For example off peak for my local train company starts at 8.45. If I want to go to London, as well as a morning peak, there's also an afternoon one, meaning a flexible off peak ticket can't be used to return before about 7 pm.

There's also complications introduced by split ticketing and if its Manchester Airport you're going to, Cross Country at least do a special airport ticket on the return that allows you to get any train within a window, in case your flight is delayed.

I agree that it's worth asking what your options are, whether you can change the ticket or refund it and start again.

For some stations and lines, it doesn’t include travel during the evening rush hour too.

Generally speaking, GWR observes national guidelines which are 9.30-16.00 and after 19.00. You may be able to travel from smaller stations from 9am. But if you assume national guidelines, you'll be safe.

The way you tell is by putting in the train journey details for the train you actually want to catch into the national rail journey planner https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/journey-planner/ and then look at the various ticket price options it offers you. If an off-peak ticket is available to buy for that train then the ticket you have is fine. If the only options are "advance" tickets or full-price open/anytime tickets then it's not an offpeak service.

Thanks for this, I have been wondering similar about a ‘super off peak’ ticket I want to buy on GWR from Devon to Reading. The guidelines aren’t particularly clear! Can I assume if I miss (for example) a 1242 train I’ll be ok to get the 1342?

TrainPal app will tell you...Or, if you bought the tickets from a railway company, email/phone them and ask>

Don’t trust trainline. It will tell you all sorts of nonsense and even sells tickets for trains that don’t exist.

Peak/ Off-Peak/Super Off Peak are very confusing because it’s not a one size fits all it depends on the journey you’re making and is based more around the arrival time than the departure, think difference between travelling from Plymouth to Paddington be Swindon to Paddington the 8am from Plymouth would be classed as an off peak service but from an 8am from Swindon to would still be peak.

Literally no one knows this 🤣 just do what the rest of us do - jump on a train and hope you get a fair inspector who understands this common issue and doesn't punish you.

It will tell you on the timetable that's available on the train company's website.