Can I travel using a Season ticket and children using Friends & Family card?

[whole diary]

[Tim K]

I have a season ticket, Swindon to London Paddington.  I also have a friends & family railcard.

I need to travel to London with my two children.

Ideally I would want to use my season ticket and buy two child tickets with the railcard discount.

The FAQ^▸ (Frequently Asked Questions) on the friends and family railcard website (http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/using-your-card/faqs/23/) states:

To use it, at least one of the group travelling must be named on the Railcard and 
there must also be at least one child travelling on a child rate ticket

Which I think we meet, but I can't book two child tickets using the railcard on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website - will I be able to buy these tickets from the ticket office?

Thanks for any advice

[John R]

I believe you can (based on a thread here some years ago), and I have bought child family tickets on the train on this basis on several occasions. However, without exception, the ticket seller has started by saying that it's not allowed and his machine won't let him do it, but has then been surprised when it has allowed the sale of child family tickets only.

I thought I read in the original discussion that this concession is only permissible with annual season tickets, though the wording you quote doesn't imply any such restriction. If any staff can clarify the position, I'd certainly appreciate it.

[The Tall Controller]

I wouldnt be too sure if you were buying at my station. As you quoted, one of the travelling people must be named on the card so I would assume that means the adult named on the card would have to pay the fare along with the children.

Again, I'm not too sure as I'm still new to the business but that would be my initial thought

[John R]

It says you must be travelling with the group, not that you need to have purchased a ticket with the railcard.

[thetrout]

I believe you can (based on a thread here some years ago), and I have bought child family tickets on the train on this basis on several occasions. However, without exception, the ticket seller has started by saying that it's not allowed and his machine won't let him do it, but has then been surprised when it has allowed the sale of child family tickets only.

That's a very, very grey area when it comes to Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains) issued tickets IMO^▸ ('in my opinion')...  Whilst I don't want to potentially kick a hornets nest across the forum... 16 - 25 Railcards on First Class Fares with Avantix? Or in my personal experience: Super Off Peak Travelcards sold on a Friday when they're valid Saturday/Sunday or Bank Holidays only.

*edit* Changed [ / quote] to [ / url]

[GaryM]

@tkimber - is your season ticket an annual one (gold card)?

[thetrout]

@tkimber - is your season ticket an annual one (gold card)?

Unless they're splitting at Didcot or elsewhere I'm tempted to say no. Gold Card doesn't go West of Didcot Parkway AFAIK^▸ ('as far as I know')?

[GaryM]

Unless they're splitting at Didcot or elsewhere I'm tempted to say no. Gold Card doesn't go West of Didcot Parkway AFAIK^▸ ('as far as I know')?

I didn't actually know that. It looks like you're right...

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/season_tickets/goldcard.html

Ignore my last comment then!

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

Has the "Gold nCard" eligibility changed? Before I retired, now more years than I like to count, I travelled daily from Hanborough to Oxford on an annual season ticket. This was then a "Gold Card" giving the same extras as described, i.e. I could use it as a Network Card to travel anywhere between London and Worcester at the discounted fares. It was therefore valid west of Didcot and not limited to east of Didcot.

[JayMac]

It's more correct to say that Gold Cards (and Network Railcards) don't apply west of Didcot on the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line).

[thetrout]

Or maybe not at all valid on Bristol Stations Trains?

Playing devils advocate slightly. But I'd forgotten that trains can run to Worcester via Swindon. Could it be argued that for a Worcester ticket that a change of trains at Swindon be valid on Gold Card tickets for ex Thames Trains services?!

Completely hijacking the thread and I know that easements are more than likely created... But I guess it brings into question the validity of Gold Card tickets on South West Trains services via Castle Cary. Neither Westbury (Has to call here to reverse direction) or Castle Cary are Gold Card valid routes/stations........

[ellendune]

Yet another reason to undertake a thorough review of this ridiculous fares system. We are discussing whether a price was set by a franchise that no longer exists as a separate entity because if it was then it could be subject to a discount because it would be considered to be part of a different pre-privatisation sector of British Rail.

[JayMac]

Completely hijacking the thread and I know that easements are more than likely created... But I guess it brings into question the validity of Gold Card tickets on South West Trains services via Castle Cary. Neither Westbury (Has to call here to reverse direction) or Castle Cary are Gold Card valid routes/stations........

There are no such services except at times of disruption.

When SWT^▸ (South West Trains) are running by the alternate route then Gold Card/Network Railcard discounted tickets will be valid as if they were travelling by the usual route.

Same applies to Worcester. If disruption closes the Cotswold Line route and passengers are being told to travel by alternate routes then their discounted tickets (or indeed via Evesham tickets) will be valid.

When things are running normally then your Gold Card/Network Railcard discount only applies to journeys wholly in the Network Area. As defined on the following map:

http://www.railcard.co.uk/clientfiles/File/map.pdf


Back to the OPs^▸ (Original Poster / topic starter) original question. I don't think what he/she wishes to do is allowed, although there are no specific rules either allowing or disallowing it. Best ask the Train Operating Company involved.

[Tim K]

Thanks everyone for your advice, I'll see what the ticket office says next week when I go to buy the tickets.  It's only ^15 difference for the off-peak single tickets I need to buy so not worth arguing about if the rules aren't clear.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i have always been told that you need an adult discounted family and friends ticket to support a child one,it is something that i have had to check up on in the past, however i cant find a link to support this i suspect that some staff would issue it and some wont