Trainline - Off-Peak timings?

[mrk]

OK,

I am booking a ticket for tomorrow to go to London. I have to be at the Thames side by 11:30 so will depart my local station (Portsmouth harbour) at 0845hrs to arrive by 1027hrs - This is all good.

Question is the Trainline website states the peak hours as before 0930hrs for the Travelcard booking (I will be using only zone 1 so a shade over £6 for x1 purchase) but doesn't say if the same peak/off-peak timings are for the train ticket itself?

The difference is a bit over £20 if buying a non off-peak return ticket so would be nice to know!

FWIW, their website does allow you to book the return ticket as an off-peak return ticket, I assume the off-peak part is for the return otherwise it would not have let me select 0845 as a depart time from Portsmouth Harbour?

I hate trains.

 

[mrk]

That's what I'm afraid of, SWTrains phone lines aren't the greatest and I see I may just have to buy the ticket at the office if I arrive there a bit earlier.

I've taken a screenshot the off peak quote anyway just to use as leverage if they're being weird in the morning

 

[mrk]

Hmm so the off-peak one is only if you're departing *and* returning at off peak times?

Seems confusing they'd allow you to make the booking using peak times for departure even though you're returning during off-peak times!