Two Together Railcard national rollout, March 2014

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

Moderator note: This post and subsequent replies have been split from another topic: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13483.msg147231#msg147231

FYI^▸ (for your information) there's a new railcard coming in a few months. This one is an off-peak only card and is valid after 0930. (More confusion!    )

More information please! I've seen nothing from ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here), mention on other forums, or online. When is it coming? What are the eligibility criteria? What's it called? Any links to further information?

[The Tall Controller]

FYI^▸ (for your information) there's a new railcard coming in a few months. This one is an off-peak only card and is valid after 0930. (More confusion!    )

More information please! I've seen nothing from ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here), mention on other forums, or online. When is it coming? What are the eligibility criteria? What's it called? Any links to further information?

It was announced to staff yesterday, It's called a 'Two Together' railcard and will be coming in March/April. Basically 2 nominared people of any age above 16 will be allowed to buy a railcard and travel with 1/3 off as long as they travel together at all times. It's similar to a yp railcard in that both nominated travellers must supply a photo to accompany the card. It will be purple in colour and posters will start being displayed late March. I am currently unaware of any online information.

[Lee]

Sounds familiar. Wasnt this trialled a while back?

[JayMac]

It was announced to staff yesterday, It's called a 'Two Together' railcard and will be coming in March/April. Basically 2 nominared people of any age above 16 will be allowed to buy a railcard and travel with 1/3 off as long as they travel together at all times. It's similar to a yp railcard in that both nominated travellers must supply a photo to accompany the card. It will be purple in colour and posters will start being displayed late March. I am currently unaware of any online information.

There was a trial of this product in 2012, available to those living in a West Midlands postcode area. After the trial ended ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) said there no plans to roll it out nationally. I wonder what's changed?

[grahame]

It was announced to staff yesterday, It's called a 'Two Together' railcard and will be coming in March/April. Basically 2 nominared people of any age above 16 will be allowed to buy a railcard and travel with 1/3 off as long as they travel together at all times. It's similar to a yp railcard in that both nominated travellers must supply a photo to accompany the card. It will be purple in colour and posters will start being displayed late March. I am currently unaware of any online information.

There was a trial of this product in 2012, available to those living in a West Midlands postcode area. After the trial ended ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) said there no plans to roll it out nationally. I wonder what's changed?

What have the railways got against lone able bodied travellers aged 26 to 59 and outside the South East  Cornwall / some other areas (?) who want to travel off peak?

[Brucey]

It was announced to staff yesterday, It's called a 'Two Together' railcard and will be coming in March/April. Basically 2 nominared people of any age above 16 will be allowed to buy a railcard and travel with 1/3 off as long as they travel together at all times. It's similar to a yp railcard in that both nominated travellers must supply a photo to accompany the card. It will be purple in colour and posters will start being displayed late March. I am currently unaware of any online information.

There was a trial of this product in 2012, available to those living in a West Midlands postcode area. After the trial ended ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) said there no plans to roll it out nationally. I wonder what's changed?

What have the railways got against lone able bodied travellers aged 26 to 59 and outside the South East  Cornwall / some other areas (?) who want to travel off peak?

My understanding of the "Two Together" railcard is to compete against the cost of driving, i.e. attract new customers who would otherwise drive as two train tickets usually work out more expensive than driving.

Sadly driving as a lone person (even WITH a railcard) often beats the train.  Just today I made a return journey that was cheaper to drive than get the train.  It was considerably faster and I was able to reach parts of my destination that wouldn't have been possible relying on the bus (especially as PlusBus didn't include one of the suburbs that I needed to visit).  The whole journey was warm and dry, whereas public transport would have involved at least 6 waits on cold platforms or at bus stops.  Only downside was I spent 3 hours driving in total, which I could have spent doing something else on the train.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Interesting that the Two Together Railcard appeared, unheralded, as an option on ticket machines (well, at least the one here in Charlbury) a couple of months back.

Bit exasperating, though, that from now on I'll need three railcards to get the best fares: a Network Railcard when I'm going to London off-peak, a Cotswold Line Railcard when I'm going to Oxford or Worcester off-peak on weekdays, and a Two Together Railcard when Anna and I are going outside NSE^▸ (Network South East) territory together. It shouldn't be that hard...

[ChrisB]

Yup, me too. I make a substantial number of journeys along the Cotswold Line even though I don't reside on it. Assume it'll be ^30

[JayMac]

The Two Together Railcard will go on sale at 9am on Monday 3rd March 2014.

There is currently a placeholder countdown on the official website:

http://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/

[Rhydgaled]

Bit exasperating, though, that from now on I'll need three railcards to get the best fares: a Network Railcard when I'm going to London off-peak, a Cotswold Line Railcard when I'm going to Oxford or Worcester off-peak on weekdays, and a Two Together Railcard when Anna and I are going outside NSE^▸ (Network South East) territory together. It shouldn't be that hard...

It certainly starts sounding a bit silly when you put it like that.

Why can't the two individual national railcard products (senior and 16-25) be available to anyone? I think these differ in peak restrictions (senior has none, 16-25 says not before 10am Monday-Friday except in school holidays, if I'm right and I could be wrong), so you could rename the senior one ANYTIME RAILCARD and the 16-25 OFF-PEAK RAILCARD. Rather than restricting purchase of these to certain age groups, you could give senior citizens a discount on the purchase of an ANYTIME RAILCARD and students a discount on the purchase of an OFF-PEAK RAILCARD. This means a student who wants to travel before 10am could still buy the senior/ANYTIME RAILCARD, but at a higher price.

[grahame]

Why can't the two individual national railcard products (senior and 16-25) be available to anyone?

Hear, hear

I think the reason is that adults in the middle years of life are likely to be more affluent, perhaps travelling on business, and as such will pay the non-discounted fares rather than being put off travelling completely or switching to a much slower 'express' coach.   Where multiple people travel together, the car v train equation starts to look more favourable to the car without discounts.

[ChrisB]

Exactly is the reason. Trains are full weekdays already generally, why the need to discount?

[Rhydgaled]

I think the reason is that adults in the middle years of life are likely to be more affluent

Sure, which is why I suggested the purchase price of the railcards being more expensive, with discounts for students/seniors. That reflects the fact "adults in the middle years of life" are more likely to have an income, while not excluding them from individual railcards altogether. 

and as such will pay the non-discounted fares rather than being put off travelling completely or switching to a much slower 'express' coach.

Of course Arriva's former CymruExpress 20 coach between Carmarthen and Cardiff* was alot faster than the train.

* originating from Aberystwyth

[Tim]

I think that is a good move.  Shows the railways are serious about taking on the competition provided by cars.  Logic is precisely the same as groupsave. 

[ChrisB]

From Simon Calder in the Independent

Q. What are the benefits?

A. One-third off many Standard and First Class Anytime, Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak and Advance fares across the National Rail network for two people travelling together. The card also includes airport express services, and ferry-inclusive journeys such as trips to or from the Isle of Wight.

Q. And the time restrictions?

A. The card is not valid for ^walk-up^ tickets (ie Anytime or Off-peak) on morning rush-hour trains. It is believed the restriction will apply on all trains due to depart between 4.30am and 9.30am, Monday to Friday. You can still get the discount on these trains if you book Advance tickets.

Q. Can either of us travel alone or with other people?

A. No. The discount applies only when you travel together. Any variation, such as only one of you making the return journey, invalidates the tickets.

Q. Can I buy more than one Two Together cards?

A. Yes, and many people will, even for a one-off journey. Take a standard London-Birmingham off-peak round trip: ^50.50 per person on Virgin Trains, so ^101 for two. The Two Together fare, plus the cost of a new railcard, is ^96.70, which saves enough for a cup of tea each en route.

Leaving London after 0930 means arrival after lunch at many destinations....a tad tight, methinks in reverse peak flows. I can see family adult groups having more than one too...