Complimentary First Class Return ticket

[whole diary]

[Boppy]

Hi,

Out of the blue yesterday arrived a complimentary first class return ticket to anywhere on the network.  The letter with it mentioned it was for the coming disruption at Reading station (I commute between there and Paddington).

Has anyone else received one of these.  There appear to be no restrictions on either who can use it (just write your name) and what day you use the return part on (except that you need to decide that before you travel outwards) or on what time of day!  Not bad!  Thanks FGW^▸ (First Great Western)!   

Jeff.

[ChrisB]

Does it say for the 'coming disruption'?

Because it is compensation for the disruption over last Christmas!

Not strictly required, but they felt it was a sensible gesture. First class season ticket holders got them too.
Go anywhere, anytime, only restricted by the dates available on the ticket

[Boppy]

Ah okay.

It mentioned both - I'll have to re-read it more carefully when I get home tonight!

Thanks.

[argg]

Without wishing to appear ungrateful this is a completely hollow gesture in my opinion.  Disruption was mainly over new year and was well advertised so people could make arrangements.  What about the disruption almost every day coping with late, short formed, over crowded and, quite frankly, uncomfortable trains

How many commuters are realistically going to use it?  To make it worthwhile you would use it for a decent journey (say to Bristol or beyond) and its only one ticket so you have to buy 1st class tickets for the rest of the family.  Far more useful was the free first upgrade (albeit off peak) which they provided a couple of years ago.

To add insult mine arrive the day I had to stand on the 18.47 Padd to Cheltenham, having arrived in good time before the platform was announced but surprise surprise once again...almost all standard class seats reserved and those that weren't reserverd were already taken by those prepared to run the risk of platform alteration.

How is the return defined?  Does it have to be the reverse of the outward journey?  Could I decide for instance that for the next two Friday evenings I might take the 18.47 from Padd to Twyford and use one portion for each of these.  I might stand some change of getting a seat.

[ChrisB]

How is the return defined?  Does it have to be the reverse of the outward journey? 

That is the standard definition of a Return, yes, and the way you need to use it.

As you rightly state, this is simply a gesture of goodwill, they weren't required to issue it. You can travel on your own, you don't need to take 'the family'.....Put ity down to marketing, if you like.

Give it to someone as a gift if you don't feel you want to use it - earn brownie points.

[sfax]

I am attending a wedding in Penzance so will use my complimentary first class ticket to travel from London to Penzance and back Fri-Sun which would cost ^379!

I wasn't really inconvenienced much over Christmas so think this is an absolute bargain.

At the risk of really taking the p!ss, anyone know if you can reserve seats when travelling on a complimentary ticket? 

[Ollie]

Yeah you can, take it to ticket office or give telesales a call.

[JayMac]

Welcome to the forum sfax.  

Don't know for sure about bagging seat reservations on a comp. ticket, but you shouldn't have a problem getting a seat anyway. You are travelling from terminus to terminus so space in first class is very unlikely to be an issue.

[sfax]

Yeah you can, take it to ticket office or give telesales a call.

Thanks, will try this at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)

[Ollie]

Yeah you can, take it to ticket office or give telesales a call.

Thanks, will try this at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)

Yeah go in the Advance office, closes at 20:45 this evening.

[sfax]

Yeah go in the Advance office, closes at 20:45 this evening.

Thanks, I can't actually get the reservation now because it's for July and the dates aren't available yet but I will try this in a few weeks

[Ollie]

Ah okay.

Well details for Advance Office:

Mon - Sat from 07:30 until 20:45
Sunday from 08:00 (iirc) until 20:45