Quarter Fare...........

[plastictaffy]

I'm currently a London Midland employee. With the passes they've provided, we get free travel on LM, Southern, Southeastern and Gatwick Express. Myself and the wife also had photo ID's with them when they arrived. I'm assuming that the staff pass and photo ID covers us for quarter fare elsewhere?? Anyone shed any light??

 

[AlexS]

You should if eligible also got a 'TOCNE' card which is for use on other TOCs. You may have to wait a period of time after starting to get one, I had to wait 1 month.

 

[N Levers]

Like AlexS says you get a TOCNE ("priv") card.

Bear in mind the quarter fare only applys to ANYTIME tickets. Not off peak and not Advance.

 

[Mojo]

Like AlexS says you get a TOCNE ("priv") card.

Bear in mind the quarter fare only applys to ANYTIME tickets. Not off peak and not Advance.

Also a large number of Day Rangers and Rovers are also discountable. Furthermore advance-purchase berth & travel tickets for the Great Western and Scotrail also have the discounts.

 

[455driver]

Priv can work out more expensive than advance tickets so isnt the "benefit" it once was.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

TOCNE Priv cards, and European travel documents come direct from ATOC rather than the TOCs themselves so will be sent out separately.

Priv can work out more expensive than advance tickets so isnt the "benefit" it once was.

Not to mention Priv sometimes being more expensive than the undiscounted Off-Peak fare........

 

[Lad Brookes]

Now if it were to be changed, so Priv rate were available on all walk-up fares...

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Three words......

Never gonna happen.

 

[High Dyke]

Your employer should provide any necessary forms to fill in for leisure travel with other TOCs. Try ATOC for further info: http://www.atoc.org/about-atoc/rail-staff-travel/forms

 

[RJ]

TOCNE Priv cards, and European travel documents come direct from ATOC rather than the TOCs themselves so will be sent out separately.

ATOC also dispense the Govia passes. I recall I got my Priv quite promptly but had to chase the Govia pass up as it was sent under seperate cover and was lost in the post.

Advance fares are good, but the price can be bettered on if you know what you're doing . In terms of creative ticketing, I cut my teeth on Priv split tickets and managed to bring the single fare on a 100+ mile trip down to around £7, which was less than the cheapest tier Advance Single (including YP discount.)

That said, I had other staff trying to do me over even though I was an active staff Priv holder who actually bought tickets, so it's swings and roundabouts really!

 

[Broken Viking]

Priv can work out more expensive than advance tickets so isnt the "benefit" it once was.

Quoted for truth.
A couple of my friends hold legacy BR Privs which they sometimes use for trips half way up the WCML.

Last time we travelled EUS-PRE together though, they were shocked to find that I'd actually spent significantly less then they had. Think I'd paid out about £25 for two Advance singles, whereas their "discounted" Anytimes must've come to about £74 each! hock:

Needless to say; Next time we plan a trip like that, they've asked me if I can get 'em a better deal as well!

 

[yorkie]

Quoted for truth.
A couple of my friends hold legacy BR Privs which they sometimes use for trips half way up the WCML.

Last time we travelled EUS-PRE together though, they were shocked to find that I'd actually spent significantly less then they had. Think I'd paid out about £25 for two Advance singles, whereas their "discounted" Anytimes must've come to about £74 each! hock:

Needless to say; Next time we plan a trip like that, they've asked me if I can get 'em a better deal as well!

Not necessarily the cheapest, but assuming you want a fast Virgin service and don't want to be tied to the train calling at any station, and assuming same day travel:

[stn]EUS[/stn] - [stn]BLY[/stn] SDR £8.65
[stn]BLY[/stn] - [stn]RUG[/stn] SDR £4.15
Heart of England 3 in 7 Rover £17.75
[stn]CRE[/stn] - [stn]PRE[/stn] SDR £10.75
Total £41.30

PRIV fares can be identified by http://www.brfares.com/ using discount code PRV

 

[barrykas]

Travelcard Seasons are similarly useful for such splits, especially if you're doing Singles...

For example:

London Euston ([stn]EUS[/stn]) - Manchester Piccadilly ([stn]MAN[/stn]) PRIV Anytime Single (SOS) is £38.50.

Boundary Zone 4 - Wolverton ([stn]WOL[/stn]) Anytime Day Single (SDS) : £4.35
WOL - Rugby ([stn]RUG[/stn]) SDS : £2.90
RUG - Rugeley Trent Valley ([stn]RGL[/stn]) SDS : £3.35
RGL - Stoke-on-Trent ([stn]SOT[/stn]) SDS : £2.20
SOT - MAN SDS route Virgin Trains only : £2.50
Giving a total of just £15.30, and perfectly valid on the two trains an hour that go via Stoke.

For the one an hour via Crewe, I'm struggling to get it below £16.55, which has RGL - SOT and SOT - MAN replaced by RGL - CRE and CRE - MAN (VT only).

 

[plastictaffy]

Thanks all for your various answers. I've no idea what a TOCNE card looks like.
The international travel stuff (FIP card??) I'm not entitled to until 12 months service, and then I have to apply for it - that's what LM seem to think anyway.

High Dyke - They might have, but in fairness, I've filled out and signed so many forms in the last 4 weeks, that if I have, I wouldn't remember. I'll speak to them when I go back to Brum on the 29th April if I've not had any further bumf from ATOC.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Thanks all for your various answers. I've no idea what a TOCNE card looks like.....

It is ticket sized and has "TOC Privilege Travel Card" written in white on a red band at the top.

....The international travel stuff (FIP card??) I'm not entitled to until 12 months service, and then I have to apply for it - that's what LM seem to think anyway....

And they would be right, though unlike the TOCNE card it is valid for two years at a time (January to December).

 

[sd0733]

I'm currently a London Midland employee. With the passes they've provided, we get free travel on LM, Southern, Southeastern and Gatwick Express. Myself and the wife also had photo ID's with them when they arrived. I'm assuming that the staff pass and photo ID covers us for quarter fare elsewhere?? Anyone shed any light??

I received my 75%off toc card in the post today so hopefully you should get it soon.