Can I get on any station with an open return?

For example I bought an open return from Winchester to reading station through trainliene (which says i can get on any permitted train). Say for example I am going around reading uni and the nearest station is earley station, can I get on a train back to reading station and from there I take train back to winchester (if that made sense). Do I have to pay extra if I went on a train from earley station to reading station?

I’m sorry if this is confusing, idk how to explain it properly 🥺

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 1

jonathanemptage

Yeah you’d likely have to buy another ticket I think.

Reply 2

cherryhitchkins

Original post by jonathanemptage

Yeah you’d likely have to buy another ticket I think.

Reply 3

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Any permitted train usually means you can go on any of the trains that run between the two stations - for example between London King's Cross and Cambridge there are about 3 (?) different ones (there's a slow and fast one from GWR each once an hour and I think there's another company that runs one once an hour) so if I had any train permitted between those stations I could take any of those options.

So yeah you'd probably need to buy a ticket from this Earlye Station to Reading Station, although then from Reading Station to Winchester it should be covered by the existing ticket. You just need to show the right ticket for the right leg of the journey when asked!