Rail Travel Vouchers expiry dates

[Scot_burgh]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie on this forum although I have lurked for a long long time!

I have a query about the use of national rail vouchers. I have some which I got last summer for a delay repay claim, I have just found them and discovered they expire this week!

My important question is whether they have to be used for travel by the expiry date, or if I would be able to use them prior to their expiry, to buy advance tickets (or an anytime ticket in advance, depending on what is available) for use next month?

As an aside, would it not make sense to be able to issue e-vouchers, or for vouchers to be valid for use online? They have reference numbers, voucher numbers etc which I would like to think are unique and identifiable, so it would surely be easy enough to administer and prevent their double usage?

Hopefully my question makes some sense, and I keenly await your replies!

 

[bb21]

You must use them to purchase something by the expiry date. The date of travel need not be before the expiry date of the RTV (Rail Travel Voucher).

Some TOCs do issue e-vouchers, such as Southern. In addition, Southern-issued RTVs are exchangeable for cash at a Southern ticket office.

The reference numbers are not checked in real time when used for payment of rail products.

Yes, it would be more convenient if more TOCs issued e-vouchers, but that is for another time.

 

[maniacmartin]

You need to spend them by the expiry date, but as far as I'm aware, you can use them to buy tickets dated after that date.

RTVs cannot be used online as they are also accepted on-train where there are no facilities to check if they've been redeemed (and no chance of a reliable internet connection).

Some TOCs now give you the option of receiving an e-voucher instead of a paper voucher, if you submit your delay claim online through their website. You get given a code which works on that TOC's site.

 

[Scot_burgh]

Brilliant, thank you.

I didn't realise that some TOCs give you that option now, hopefully it will be rolled out by others soon. It's a pain that I won't be able to get East Coast's 10% online discount!

I don't mean to open the whole real time information on board the train can of worms, seeing as it has been done to death several times on here!

 

[radamfi]

If you buy an Anytime/Off-Peak ticket with the vouchers, then ask for a refund, do you get the full amount back in cash minus a £10 administration fee?

 

[telstarbox]

Would the refund not have to be made in RTVs? A code on the ticket after the price indicates the original payment method.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

If you buy an Anytime/Off-Peak ticket with the vouchers, then ask for a refund, do you get the full amount back in cash minus a £10 administration fee?

Assuming the ticket office/Guard followed correct procedure when issuing the ticket and the vouchers paid for the whole ticket, no, you will get vouchers for the refund.

 

[bb21]

Having consulted The Manual, it would appear that there is no nationwide guidance on this matter. The Manual lists the refund method for many types of payment, but is silent on the subject when payment is by RTV (except when the refund is a result of delays or cancellations in accordance with NRCoC Condition 26, but it is vague even in that case).

My guess is that each TOC will have its own policy and I doubt that the refund will be paid in cash.

 

[talltim]

Even if you get RTVs as a refund, presumably they won't give you ones with the expiry dates of the original ones?

 

[bb21]

Probably, but unless the refund is in accordance with NRCoC Condition 26, you will lose the admin fee to say the least.

 

[radamfi]

How does the ticket office know how much of the ticket was spent on vouchers when you take it back for a refund?

 

[dcd]

Don't expect to be able to use the RTV at all ticket offices. Last Friday I tried to use Scotrail and East Coast vouchers at my local FGW station but the were not accepted by their scanner. Booking clerk said Southern, SWT and FGW only would work. He suggested using another TOC's station . This I did today at a SWT station and all was well.

 

[maniacmartin]

Don't expect to be able to use the RTV at all ticket offices. Last Friday I tried to use Scotrail and East Coast vouchers at my local FGW station but the were not accepted by their scanner. Booking clerk said Southern, SWT and FGW only would work. He suggested using another TOC's station . This I did today at a SWT station and all was well.

What a lame excuse. If the scanner doesn't work, surely they can key in the value? Even if they can't, why is that your problem?

 

[bb21]

Absolutely. There is no reason why the voucher has to be scanned.

 

[Mojo]

If you buy an Anytime/Off-Peak ticket with the vouchers, then ask for a refund, do you get the full amount back in cash minus a £10 administration fee?

If in the London area and desperate then take the vouchers to an Underground booking office (not a TfL one), have them loaded as PAYG onto an Oyster card then withdraw the balance, with no admin. fees. You might want to return at a later date to avoid any potential conflicts though. Remember you need ID with name & address to have an Oyster card refunded.

 

[maniacmartin]

If in the London area and desperate then take the vouchers to an Underground booking office (not a TfL one), have them loaded as PAYG onto an Oyster card then withdraw the balance, with no admin. fees. You might want to return at a later date to avoid any potential conflicts though. Remember you need ID with name & address to have an Oyster card refunded.

Tut tut!

Also, if the RTVs happen to be issued by Southern, you can directly exchange them for cash at any staffed Southern-operated ticket office.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

How does the ticket office know how much of the ticket was spent on vouchers when you take it back for a refund?

They can't always tell specifically how much is paid in vouchers, but they can often tell if a portion of the fare was paid for with them.

In the days of APTIS and SPORTIS, clerks would specify, on the ticket, the method of payment that had the highest value. Whilst that may still be true in some cases (though done automatically by the machines rather than the clerk), some ticket machines can be more specific.

 

[Deerfold]

If in the London area and desperate then take the vouchers to an Underground booking office (not a TfL one), have them loaded as PAYG onto an Oyster card then withdraw the balance, with no admin. fees. You might want to return at a later date to avoid any potential conflicts though. Remember you need ID with name & address to have an Oyster card refunded.

What's an Undeground booking office that's not a TfL one?

Surely LU is part of TfL?

Do you mean "not an LO booking office"?

 

[radamfi]

What's an Undeground booking office that's not a TfL one?

Not a Travel Information Centre?

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14432.aspx#TICs

 

[Deerfold]

Not a Travel Information Centre?

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14432.aspx#TICs

Perhaps - I wasn't sure. Hopefully Mojo will be able to clarify.

 

[bb21]

Yes, I believe Mojo meant "not a Travel Information Centre". He often distinguishes them by referring to them as LU ones and TfL ones.

 

[Deerfold]

Yes, I believe Mojo meant "not a Travel Information Centre". He often distinguishes them by referring to them as LU ones and TfL ones.

Ok. Not the clearest distinction.

 

[trentside]

Don't expect to be able to use the RTV at all ticket offices. Last Friday I tried to use Scotrail and East Coast vouchers at my local FGW station but the were not accepted by their scanner. Booking clerk said Southern, SWT and FGW only would work. He suggested using another TOC's station . This I did today at a SWT station and all was well.

I would forward a complaint to FGW about this.

They use the STAR system, which - if an RTV won't scan - simply requires them to press 'No Doc Type' (for a non-barcoded voucher) and then input the account number, voucher number and amount. Ironically - SWT using the same ticket issuing system as FGW, so obviously there wasn't a problem with your vouchers.

 

[55003]

I have received some rail travel vouchers for a late running service. They are for £20-25 each. Can I only use them at a ticket office or do any of the TOCs accept them through their telephone sales or on-line sales? If I went to a ticket office and purchased a ticket for less than the value of the voucher will the office give me change or will I lose the unspent value?

 

[Deerfold]

I have received some rail travel vouchers for a late running service. They are for £20-25 each. Can I only use them at a ticket office or do any of the TOCs accept them through their telephone sales or on-line sales? If I went to a ticket office and purchased a ticket for less than the value of the voucher will the office give me change or will I lose the unspent value?

You will not get change from a travel voucher.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I have received some rail travel vouchers for a late running service. They are for £20-25 each. Can I only use them at a ticket office or do any of the TOCs accept them through their telephone sales or on-line sales? If I went to a ticket office and purchased a ticket for less than the value of the voucher will the office give me change or will I lose the unspent value?

AIUI, some telesales offices do accept them, but they won't release any tickets until the vouchers are received (it has been known for vouchers to be 'lost'). Some train companies will replace Rail Travel Vouchers with e-vouchers, but only vouchers issued by them and only for use on their website, again you would need to send in your vouchers.

You do not receive change from Rail Travel Vouchers, but you can buy more than one ticket with them.

 

[55003]

Thank you for your reply. Does FGW telesales accept them?

 

[maniacmartin]

From an older thread:

The only thing I am aware of on this topic is that FGW telesales will accept RTVs, by taking full payment of the booking and then refunding the value of the RTVs when sent in.

 

[Prairie_5542]

With the expiry date it states valid for twelve months FROM 4 July 2013 (for example). So would this expire on 3rd July 2014 or 4th July 2014? Why can't they put valid until date? Or is the date on the voucher the date when their delay occured? Just confused!!

 

[bb21]

With the expiry date it states valid for twelve months FROM 4 July 2013 (for example). So would this expire on 3rd July 2014 or 4th July 2014? Why can't they put valid until date? Or is the date on the voucher the date when their delay occured? Just confused!!

It's the date it was issued.

The expiry date would be 3rd July I would imagine. This would be consistent with railway jargon.