Rail Travel Voucher question

[r45]

I am planning on using a Rail Travel Voucher to book a train from London to Edinburgh. I got the Rail Travel Vouchers as compensation from a delayed journey a while ago.

My question is, can I go to the ticket office at a London Underground tube station and get the tickets there? I'm guessing not...but just wanted to check. Would be a lot more convenient for me than going to a National Rail station.

I also then have a secondary question. I saw it mentioned on this forum that it's possible to use Rail Travel Vouchers to top up a PAYG Oyster card...is that right?! If so can I do that at a tube station or does it need to be at a National Rail station which also does Oyster (e.g. Wimbledon)?

Thank you for any help!

 

[bb21]

My question is, can I go to the ticket office at a London Underground tube station and get the tickets there? I'm guessing not...but just wanted to check. Would be a lot more convenient for me than going to a National Rail station.

Not for a ticket to Edinburgh, no. You need to use a National Rail ticket office, which includes any London Overground ticket office, but past reports suggest that it would likely be more hassle than its worth using an LO ticket office for anything more than a point-to-point single paying by cash.

I also then have a secondary question. I saw it mentioned on this forum that it's possible to use Rail Travel Vouchers to top up a PAYG Oyster card...is that right?! If so can I do that at a tube station or does it need to be at a National Rail station which also does Oyster (e.g. Wimbledon)?

That is correct. You can do it at any London Underground ticket office, but be warned that standards vary.

 

[bicbasher]

I also then have a secondary question. I saw it mentioned on this forum that it's possible to use Rail Travel Vouchers to top up a PAYG Oyster card...is that right?! If so can I do that at a tube station or does it need to be at a National Rail station which also does Oyster (e.g. Wimbledon)?

Wimbledon no longer does Oyster transactions from the ticket office TIS after SWT who manage the shared NR/LU stations decided to remove Oyster from those ticket offices affected.

My personal suggestion is to exchange the RTV's at a LU station next to a tube station, such as London Bridge or Charing Cross or a London Overground station, but as bb21 mentions, some station clerks are more knowledgeable than others. At Forest Hill, I've had no problems exchanging them for PAYG.

Some FCC stations, mainly on the Thameslink core, also Essex Road and Drayton Park can also do this for you.

 

[r45]

OK well I work right next to Bond St tube station so I think I'm gonna give it a try down there (adding it on to my Oyster). I will then just buy my London-Edinburgh tickets online.

Will let you know how I get on!

 

[njr001]

In a similar thread 'maniacmartin' supplied a link to an LU document 'Ticket Office Operations' which explains to ticket office staff how to add RTV's to PAYG oyster cards. When my local station didn't know what to do I printed the relevant page and they were happy to do.

 

[maniacmartin]

The whole document (obtained under FoI) is too big for this forum. Here are the relevant pages.

 

[r45]

Just managed to put £75 of vouchers onto my Oyster at Bond St station no problem whatsoever, the guy didn't even bat an eyelid. What a result! Thank you for everyone's help.