breaking a journey on a single ticket?

[domd1979]

The fares manual says... "Tickets should always be sold for the throughout
journey required unless a customer specially requests more
than one ticket for the journey".

I appreciate that some staff might mention that two tickets are cheaper, but the TOCs don't want customers finding that out!!!

That is not the case. It is almost entirely down to the member of staff not using a bit of intelligence or in the case of other people's annecdotes being caught out by easing of ticket restrictions if you are travelling to certain destinations that have a limited evening service.

An example...very often if you ask for the fare to travel from Plymouth to London to arrive before 10am on a weekday and to return on a Saturday the chances are you will be quoted the Standard Open Return. A clerk with intelligence (such as me ) will quote a Standard Open Single for the outward journey (as that is the peak time travel) and a Saver Single for the return (as it's off peak) thus saving about £44 or a lot more if you can get an advanced purchase ticket and save even more.

 

[Rob S]

The fares manual says... "Tickets should always be sold for the throughout
journey required unless a customer specially requests more
than one ticket for the journey".

I appreciate that some staff might mention that two tickets are cheaper, but the TOCs don't want customers finding that out!!!

I think that is to cover their arses....it stops a simple request for a fare from Plymouth to Paddington becoming an extended analysis of the fare manual to see if it might be cheaper to split the journey in to 3 chunks....some fare quotes take long enough as it is. Thankfully it only tends to be journeys in to or through London at peak time that normally warrants checking the permutations to save a few quid.