PRIV card for THROUGH travel in London query.

[Silv1983]

Hi all,

To say I was devastated to learn that my PRIV card was only good for Anytime travel tickets when I joined Northern as a driver last year was an understatement! Since then I've been pondering ways to get from where I live in Stockport - to my parents address in Sidcup, Greater London on the cheap at short notice.

I think I've cracked it: it involves getting a TPE service from Stockport to Doncaster (1 hour trip , £8 or £9 odd for anytime return 1st class with PRIV),
Jumping on the GC train (free) down to Kings Cross, a few stops on the Northern Line on the LU to London Bridge, then a 20 min journey to Sidcup via Southeastern.

I wish to utilise a Zone 1-5 Travel Card to make the trip from Kings Cross to Sidcup. It's only about £9, but as im only using the LU as part of a through journey from Greater Manchester to Greater London/Kent: I wondered if the 75% discount would apply.

As per ATOC's website:

"You may also purchase tickets which include a TfL rail/underground journey but only when travelling THROUGH London between two national rail stations on either side of London."

Is there anyone well versed or know'ed in this statement? Would I qualify? Sidcup is IN Greater London but not London, i.e. Central London or in LU zones.

My situation is complicated by the fact that the GC leg of the journey is free and no initial ticket (which would count as outside london) can be paired up with another through London.

Just hoping to make this journey as cheap as possible, as the £100 in fuel to take the car the 480 mile round trip is grinding me down :cry:

Thanks guys.

Silv

 

[steamybrian]

Rail staff cannot purchase a privilege London Travelcard because such a card includes travel on London Buses which rail staff are not entitled to concessionary travel. As a new entrant to the rail industry it is unlikely you are entitled to reduced rate on London Underground but please check.
Suggest you stick to National Rail services but please check if you can get reduced rate travel on FCC services.
At Kings Cross walk across the road to St. Pancras and get a FCC service to London Bridge and change there for South Eastern services to Sidcup. I do not know how much a privilege return would be from St. Pancras to Sidcup.

 

[Mojo]

It means; that if the ticket would include a cross-London transfer as part of its route (in the majority of cases this is a ticket with a + or Maltese cross) then a Priv holder is also entitled to use their Priv discounted ticket on this route. An example of such a ticket that would enable you to undertake this journey would be a Finsbury Park to Sidcup Priv Single.

Rail staff cannot purchase a privilege London Travelcard because such a card includes travel on London Buses which rail staff are not entitled to concessionary travel.

Not entirely, as for many years people with Priv discount entitlement could purchase a reduced rate Travelcard which was marked as "TfL Rail Only" (before LO came about: "LU/DLR Only") to indicate non-availability on stage carriage services. I do not know why this ticket was withdrawn, although it was at a similar time to Priv discount being available on Oyster.

Simply, Toc New Entrants are not entitled to Priv rate travel on the Underground as it is outside the scope of the scheme.

As a new entrant to the rail industry it is unlikely you are entitled to reduced rate on London Underground but please check.

Correct; the only Toc New Entrants entitled to discounts are those employed by FCC or East Coast, and only then on Oyster on presentation of the appropriate card.

 

[Urban Gateline]

I think I've cracked it: it involves getting a TPE service from Stockport to Doncaster (1 hour trip , £8 or £9 odd for anytime return 1st class with PRIV),

Do you have a 1st Class PRIV? As only then can you buy 1st Class PRIV discounted tickets! I know, I was disappointed too!

 

[phil1960]

Jumping on the GC train (free) down to Kings Cross

Since when has Grand Central provided a free service for non-safeguarded staff (or safe guarded for that matter). They are an open access operator and priv/free travel isn't valid.

Phil

 

[185]

Since when has Grand Central provided a free service for non-safeguarded staff (or safe guarded for that matter). They are an open access operator and priv/free travel isn't valid.

Phil

Northern intertoc agreement.

Seen one of GCs (drunken) staff in Manchester tonight.... assuming they used Northern to get here.

 

[Mojo]

Since when has Grand Central provided a free service for non-safeguarded staff (or safe guarded for that matter). They are an open access operator and priv/free travel isn't valid.

Reciprocal agreements between various railway and train companies exist which allow restricted discounted or free travel for employees of companies party to that agreement.

See this thread: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=77855

 

[Silv1983]

Do you have a 1st Class PRIV? As only then can you buy 1st Class PRIV discounted tickets! I know, I was disappointed too!

More bad news! Really got to get to grips with this PRIV business

So folks, thanks for the input... so should I steer clear of LU and just walk from Kings X to St Pancras... FCC to London Bridge and Southeastern all the way to Sidcup? The TFL fare finder puts a Zone 1-5 national rail single at £4.70 (peak). Guessing for a priv discount one has to buy a peak ticket at all times of the day. It's pretty cheap anyway to be fair.

Ok so just seen that that's Oyster rate. TFL seem to hate non Oyster users and make it difficult to get a bloomin price

 

[soil]

You could also consider using London Midland products, splitting/changing at Stoke/Stafford.

 

[bb21]

The TFL fare finder puts a Zone 1-5 national rail single at £4.70 (peak). Guessing for a priv discount one has to buy a peak ticket at all times of the day. It's pretty cheap anyway to be fair.

London St Pancras - Sidcup Route NOT UNDERGROUND Anytime Day Single is £5.70, which is £1.45 PRIV.

The ticket must be issued from London St Pancras [NLC 1555] and not London Terminals [NLC 1072] or it will not be valid from St Pancras.

 

[Silv1983]

London St Pancras - Sidcup Route NOT UNDERGROUND Anytime Day Single is £5.70, which is £1.45 PRIV.

The ticket must be issued from London St Pancras [NLC 1555] and not London Terminals [NLC 1072] or it will not be valid from St Pancras.

Great thanks for that!

 

[34D]

Great thanks for that!

Show your TOC pass to the guard on Virgin and ask. Walk from Euston to St Pancras and ask at the ticket counter there for a priv to Sidcup.