Does buying a cheap day return ticket (eg, a daytrip from London to Windsor) tie you to a specific return time? I'd like to keep return options open if that can be done inexpensively. Thanks for any info and advice~I'm already grateful to <b>yk</b>, I think it was, for mentioning the discount to Windsor Castle possible with train tix.

I would understand it as starting after 0930 during the week, or at any time on weekends and public holidays. I don't think there's any restriction on the time of the return journey, provided it's the same day.

I'm pretty sure it's valid for any train during that day; at least based on my memory from trips in 2008.

You need to check on a journey by journey basis.

Patrick's right generally: but 0930 outwards is sometimes a bit earlier on some routes, and there ARE some routes with limits on return journeys between 1600 and 1800-ish.

Use the fares section of the nationalrail website, plugging in mock times in the late afternoon to see if this affects you

But the normal fare London to Windsor is not that much at full fare - and i like to take one train line to Windsor and return by the other one that serves the town. One goes from Paddington station via a change of train perhaps at Slough - the other goes from Waterloo Station to Windsor - both Windsor stations are right in the vicinity of the Castle. The Waterloo route is infinitely prettier -going thru leafy suburbs and at times along the tranquil Thames- the route from Paddington is more typical railway industrial detritus.

So for day return info check both routes and use the one closest to your hotel.

You can also take the London tube to Richmond and then hop the train to Windsor - using an Oyster Card for the portion to Richmond then buying a Day Return ticket to Windsor from there. The richmond route via Tube may be the most convenient for many folks.

A full fare ticket from Richmond to Windsor & Eton Riverside station cost 6.50 pounds each way

A Cheap Day Return ticket costs 7.50 pounds return (from Richmond - use your Oyster Card to get to Richmond from any London tube stop)

The conditions say nothing about 9:30am but just that the tickets cannot be used on certain trains at busy times - but you can tell this by putting in times and see how many have the 7.50 pounds pop up- that means you can use the tickets on those trains - any of those trains and not train specific

But like flanner.uk says the conditions for Day Returns vary from rail line to rail line - so check out the Paddington and Waterloo routes as well and check on the trains the day returns are indicated being available on.

(You join the Waterloo to Windsor train at Richmond)

To generalise, you can't use them at peak commuter times. Normally that means you can't get throught the ticket barriers until just before 9.30am, and sometimes they are restricted on the return time as well to avoid the peak hour or so, but not always. If it turns out that way, then you'll just have to hang about and entertain yourself for an hour or so.

Thanks for all the information above. I try to do 'due diligence' before posting a question so I did know about the Richmond option.

It's amazingly helpful to be able to ask a question and get immediate answers -- thank you!