Railcards, pre 9am not treating passengers equally

[whole diary]

[LiskeardRich]

This morning I bought my ticket as per the rules at the ticket office. I was told I couldn't use my railcard before 9am. Fair enough and correct by the rules.

The gent who sat next to me failed to buy a ticket at the ticket office. He presented the same local railcard I hold and I was declined to use at the ticket office.
The TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context)/Guard/conductor* (*Delete as applicable) gave the gent his railcard discount when selling his ticket onboard.

This is a clear case of treating customers unequally. Also getting a discount by failing to buy before you board. I was obviously less than happy that he was given the discount, He had same origin and same destination as me.

I feel at a disadvantage for following the rules and buying before I board.
It isn't a penalty fare area, however I don't agree that someone who failed to buy before he boarded should get a railcard discount where the opportunity existed, let alone when it is prior to the earliest time where the railcard can be used. There was no queue at the ticket office.

[ChrisB]

You should have quietly taken it up ewith the member of staff onboard & queried why he got a discount while you couldn't...and then queried same with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) customer services.

That member of staff obviously needs 'refreshing'....

[trainbuff]

Is this railcard a Devon and Cornwall Railcard? If so it can be used Off-Peak. For example. Totnes-Exeter after 08.33 a Saver return (Off Peak R) is valid. But a cheap day return (Off Peak Day R)is not due to the restriction on the ticket type! It is a bit of a minefield but the person in the Ticket office should have offered you the cheapest available ticket. However, people do make mistakes. We all do. May be worth sending an email to that effect to Great Western but saying that you were out of pocket. You never know they may offer a refund.

[LiskeardRich]

Is this railcard a Devon and Cornwall Railcard? If so it can be used Off-Peak. For example. Totnes-Exeter after 08.33 a Saver return (Off Peak R) is valid. But a cheap day return (Off Peak Day R)is not due to the restriction on the ticket type! It is a bit of a minefield but the person in the Ticket office should have offered you the cheapest available ticket. However, people do make mistakes. We all do. May be worth sending an email to that effect to Great Western but saying that you were out of pocket. You never know they may offer a refund.

It is a Cornwall and Devon, as did the fellow traveller. The first Eastbound service for it to be valid from Redruth is the 0913. I was charged correctly.

The train was not FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

I was travelling 4 days this week so a 7DS was cheapest for me, however as I was only travelling 4 days had I been sold the railcard discounted ticket as my fellow traveller was offered 4 x daily railcard discounted returns would have been cheaper.

[JayMac]

It is a Cornwall and Devon, as did the fellow traveller. The first Eastbound service for it to be valid from Redruth is the 0913. I was charged correctly.

The train was not FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

I'm slightly confused here. The 0913 is a FGW service, being the 0844 from Penzance to London Paddington. Also the Devon & Cornwall Railcard should be valid on the 0852 as well, from Redruth as far as Tiverton Parkway, but only if purchasing the Off Peak Single/Return (SVS/SVR).

[LiskeardRich]

It is a Cornwall and Devon, as did the fellow traveller. The first Eastbound service for it to be valid from Redruth is the 0913. I was charged correctly.

The train was not FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

I'm slightly confused here. The 0913 is a FGW service, being the 0844 from Penzance to London Paddington. Also the Devon & Cornwall Railcard should be valid on the 0852 as well, from Redruth as far as Tiverton Parkway, but only if purchasing the Off Peak Single/Return (SVS/SVR).

The ticket office told me I could not purchase any ticket with the D & C Railcard that would be valid on the 0852. Trying out online ticket sites, all concur that no ticket with D & C railcard is valid on the 0852.

There is no SVS/SVR available for the journey in question. The other traveller was making the same journey.

[bobm]

It seems you can get an off peak day single or return with the railcard discount on line for the 08:52 if you are going from Redruth to Tiverton Parkway - but not from Redruth to Truro.   

[LiskeardRich]

It seems you can get an off peak day single or return with the railcard discount on line for the 08:52 if you are going from Redruth to Tiverton Parkway - but not from Redruth to Truro.   

I've just played around, the discount is also available on Redruth to st. Austell but not Redruth to Truro.

Only fares between Redruth and Truro are anytime return and off peak day return. The latter is not valid on the 0852, the earlier not compatible with D&C railcard discount.

I may ask email or tweet XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) and query their view on the 0852.

*** edit *** I've just emailed cross country for clarification on acceptance of D&C railcard on the 0852 from Redruth to Truro cc-ing fgw into the email.

[JayMac]

An attempt to clarify.

In response to richwarwicker saying that the first train eastbound from Redruth on which the Devon & Cornwall Railcard can be used was the 0913, I pointed out that it can be used on the 0852 to discount fares on journeys as far as Tiverton Parkway where there is an Off Peak Single/Return (SVS/SVR) fare available.

That, as has been discovered, does not apply to Redruth-Truro as there is only an Off Peak Day Single/Return (CDS^▸ (Off Peak Day Single [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day'))/CDR^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day'))) for that flow which can be discounted by the D&C Railcard.

The SVS/SVR and CDS/CDR have different time restrictions.

For the SVS/SVR on flows within Devon & Cornwall it's generally any train after 0833, although there are some exceptions. Menheniot, Saltash and Ivybridge it's any train after 0810. St Germans is any train after 0815.

For the CDS/CDR it all depends on origin, destination and direction of the single or outward journey. For example Redruth to Tiverton Parkway it is any train after 0840, but the other direction, Tiverton to Redruth it is after 0900. For Redruth to Truro the CDS/CDR is valid after 0900. For Truro to Redruth it is after 0910.

If the ticket office at Redruth is telling passengers they cannot use a D&C Railcard at all before 0900 they are wrong. It depends totally on the destination, the ticket type and that ticket types' restrictions. And that's before you even look at a timetable.

Confusing innit? (I fully expect Chris from Nailsea to be along shortly with his Mornington Crescent analogy)

[LiskeardRich]

I was refused it recently on the 0852 travelling to Plymouth, the 0913 was cancelled that day so I couldn't justify waiting for the next service as time I got there would have been too late. As I was declined to use my railcard I didn't travel as ^40 for two of us was deemed too expensive for us. It's ^12 and some pence with the railcard.
I should of been offered off peak return at ^12.35 each, however they would only offer me the anytime return at ^19.90 each.

We know my opinion on Redruth station and their customer service skills already from another post in the frequent posters area.

[LiskeardRich]

Cross country customer relations sent me an email reply today saying they've referred my question to the revenue manager for clarity. I was expecting a straight forward no the TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) is incorrect.

[TaplowGreen]

I was refused it recently on the 0852 travelling to Plymouth, the 0913 was cancelled that day so I couldn't justify waiting for the next service as time I got there would have been too late. As I was declined to use my railcard I didn't travel as ^40 for two of us was deemed too expensive for us. It's ^12 and some pence with the railcard.
I should of been offered off peak return at ^12.35 each, however they would only offer me the anytime return at ^19.90 each.

We know my opinion on Redruth station and their customer service skills already from another post in the frequent posters area.

....................but if it was before 0900, was your railcard valid??? 

[LiskeardRich]

I was refused it recently on the 0852 travelling to Plymouth, the 0913 was cancelled that day so I couldn't justify waiting for the next service as time I got there would have been too late. As I was declined to use my railcard I didn't travel as ^40 for two of us was deemed too expensive for us. It's ^12 and some pence with the railcard.
I should of been offered off peak return at ^12.35 each, however they would only offer me the anytime return at ^19.90 each.

We know my opinion on Redruth station and their customer service skills already from another post in the frequent posters area.

....................but if it was before 0900, was your railcard valid??? 

Yes, it is valid after 0833 on off peak return. After 9am on off peak day return.

[TaplowGreen]

I was refused it recently on the 0852 travelling to Plymouth, the 0913 was cancelled that day so I couldn't justify waiting for the next service as time I got there would have been too late. As I was declined to use my railcard I didn't travel as ^40 for two of us was deemed too expensive for us. It's ^12 and some pence with the railcard.
I should of been offered off peak return at ^12.35 each, however they would only offer me the anytime return at ^19.90 each.

We know my opinion on Redruth station and their customer service skills already from another post in the frequent posters area.

....................but if it was before 0900, was your railcard valid??? 

Yes, it is valid after 0833 on off peak return. After 9am on off peak day return.

Apologies - my fault for not reading the thread thoroughly! 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Confusing innit? (I fully expect Chris from Nailsea to be along shortly with his Mornington Crescent analogy)

QED.