7 SEP: Here’s a warning for Australian travellers buying cheap UK rail tickets on the Internet.
A British couple who paid £6 (about $9.60) each for a heavily-discounted trip from London to Southampton found themselved being fined a total £57 (about $90) after jumping off the train two stops before their ticketed destination.
Art student Emma Clark, who was travelling with her boyfriend, said: "This is utter madness.
"I could understand if I had stayed on the train two stops beyond my destination".
But train operator Southwest Train said the two were fined because their tickets were not valid for travel to the station (Eastleigh) where they left the train.
A spokesman said told media: "The customers in this case booked a journey from London Waterloo to Southampton through the megatrain.com website. Megatrain.com does not offer journeys or fares from London to Eastleigh.
"It is made very clear in the terms and conditions of travel that leaving the train at an intermediate station is not permitted on these heavily-discounted tickets.
"As with any service offered by any company, it is important passengers comply with the terms and conditions".
