Originally Posted by
Ldnn1
Condition 12 of the National CoC specifically state that, in Penalty Fare areas, you may be liable for a Penalty Fare if you have a ticket which is not valid for the train you’re on:
The NRCoC has been replaced.
The new conditions of travel specifically state:
If you have an ‘off-peak’ or ‘super off-peak’ Ticket, correctly dated but invalid for the service on which you are travelling...you will be charged the difference between the fare that you have paid and the lowest price Ticket that is valid for the train you are using
I think only needing a ticket for the same day is an old wives' tale. Being off-route is not a penalty-fare situation, but that refers to the routeing on the ticket, and not to taking any route you like in the country.