Scotrail's 20% off season ticket deal

[newguy]

Hi folks

I use the train everyday and I currently buy monthly session tickets. For the next year only, Scotrail are offering 20% off session tickets and then they revert to the normal price thereafter. I am wondering about how to get best value for money.

If I buy monthly sessions tickets for the next 8 months and the month after that buy a yearly session ticket. Will the yearly session ticket be at this year's special price or do they take into account the fact that it will be used over the next period (where the ticket goes back up by 20%) and subject it to a price increase?

Thank you
Newguy

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Hi folks

I use the train everyday and I currently buy monthly session tickets. For the next year only, Scotrail are offering 20% off session tickets and then they revert to the normal price thereafter. I am wondering about how to get best value for money.

If I buy monthly sessions tickets for the next 8 months and the month after that buy a yearly session ticket. Will the yearly session ticket be at this year's special price or do they take into account the fact that it will be used over the next period (where the ticket goes back up by 20%) and subject it to a price increase?

Thank you
Newguy

I'm no expert and I haven't worked through the sums. But given that annual seasons are cheaper per journey than monthly ones, and assuming (a) the reduction is given on all tickets bought whilst the offer is running and (b) that annual tickets also benefit from the reduction then the best option might be to buy an annual ticket as soon as the offer starts, and another annual ticket immediately before the offer ends. You would have two tickets for some days or weeks and so lose out like that, but I would expect you still to save overall.

 

[newguy]

Thanks you. I did wonder about this. But I just sort of assumed that in the last month of the promotion ScotRail would just increase the price of the yearly ticket or not allow you to buy it because most of the benefit would come outwith the period. I’ve never bought an annual before so not sure what they typically do before a price increase.

Also I was not sure whether they would allow two annual tickets on my smart card at the same time.

 

[John R]

Normally you can buy an annual ticket at the “old rate” the day before the increase comes in, but with a special offer and such a big discount they might seek to limit that option.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Also I was not sure whether they would allow two annual tickets on my smart card at the same time.

Don't know on this point - but is there anything stopping you getting a second smartcard?

 

[newguy]

The smart card is attached to my ScotRail account / debt card, so I doubt it’s possible to have two accounts.

 

[kkong]

The smart card is attached to my ScotRail account / debt card, so I doubt it’s possible to have two accounts.

But you can have more than one ScotRail smartcard - I have three (photo, Club 50 photo and a non-photo) all attached to my ScotRail account.

Whether you can have more than one photo smartcard, I'm not sure.

I don't remember seeing anything explicitly prohibiting it - just something along the lines saying that you would "normally" only require one.

 

[jfollows]

Hi folks

I use the train everyday and I currently buy monthly session tickets. For the next year only, Scotrail are offering 20% off session tickets and then they revert to the normal price thereafter. I am wondering about how to get best value for money.

If I buy monthly sessions tickets for the next 8 months and the month after that buy a yearly session ticket. Will the yearly session ticket be at this year's special price or do they take into account the fact that it will be used over the next period (where the ticket goes back up by 20%) and subject it to a price increase?

Thank you
Newguy

”Season ticket” and can you edit the title to say this? Your version sounds like a pub crawl.

 

[Ziggiesden]

”Season ticket” and can you edit the title to say this? Your version sounds like a pub crawl.

It is now 40% and I believe the data will load tonight so they discount will be available from Saturday, 28th September:

Important information on ticket changes Following the Scottish Government announcement that the Off-Peak all-day fares trial will come to an end on 27 September 2024, we wanted to let you know what this means for ticket prices. After the trial ends, you can access additional savings on Seasons and Flexipass tickets: Save 40%* with weekly, monthly, and annual Season Tickets purchased in the next 12 months, compared to 5 or 20 Anytime Day Returns. 12 journeys instead of 10 on Flexipass - for the same price - a saving of 32%^ compared to six Anytime Day Return tickets. Off-Peak fares will continue to be available for travel outwith the busy peak times. Super Off-Peak Day Return tickets~ will return. Available on selected routes, these tickets provide lower prices to those traveling at the quietest times of day. For more information, visit us here. Thank you for choosing ScotRail, and we look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.​ Find out more

Copyright © ScotRail 2024. All rights reserved.​ You are receiving this e-mail from ScotRail because you have previously registered for a MyScotRail account, signed up to receive news from us, or purchased a rail ticket from ScotRail in the past. Our privacy policy explains how we protect and process your data so you always have the peace of mind whilst transacting with us. Terms & Conditions: *Terms & Conditions apply, please see the ScotRail website for more details. ^Terms & Conditions apply, please see the ScotRail website for more details. ~Terms & Conditions apply, please see the ScotRail website for more details.​

 

[newguy]

Thanks all. I’ll look at the costs at the weekend and come up with a plan.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@newguy. What are the start (and end) point(s) on the season ticket?

 

[reb0118]

Remember, you can get a season ticket for any length between a month & a year. It would be possible to get one now until the day before the offer ends and then renew for another year.

AFAIAA you can "lock in" the discount by purchasing before the offer ends.

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Re. Smartccards I see no reason why you can't have two or more registered to one account. Conversely, you can have two or more tickets, including seasons, loaded onto one card.


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It is now 40% and I believe the data will load tonight so they discount will be available from

​

.​

For the avoidance of doubt there is no 40% discount on season tickets - the discount is 20%.

The 40% "saving" is based on the difference between a season ticket and the corresponding number of anytime day returns.

False advertising?

 

[kkong]

The 40% "saving" is based on the difference between a season ticket and the corresponding number of anytime day returns.

False advertising?

Not really - ScotRail could hardly make it any clearer what they are comparing with!

From 28 September, an extra discount will be applied to Season Tickets for 12 months, meaning you will save over 40% on your monthly peak-time commute compared to 20 Anytime Day Return tickets.

 

[newguy]

Thanks everybody. My regular commute is Muirend to Glasgow. Here are the current costs vs the new costs

	Monthly	Yearly
Current Cost	£73.40	£764
Next week	£58.80	£612

In the course of a year I would typically buy only 11 monthly tickets because of holidays etc and with the new costs that would cost £546.80

So I think what I will do is buy 10 monthly's and then buy the next years ticket. That will save me nearly £300 pounds over the course of the tickets.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Thanks everybody. My regular commute is Muirend to Glasgow. Here are the current costs vs the new costs

	Monthly	Yearly
Current Cost	£73.40	£764
Next week	£58.80	£612

In the course of a year I would typically buy only 11 monthly tickets because of holidays etc and with the new costs that would cost £546.80

So I think what I will do is buy 10 monthly's and then buy the next years ticket. That will save me nearly £300 pounds over the course of the tickets.

I'm not sure at what point you have a typo, but £58.80 x 11 = £646.80, so rather more than the quoted annual ticket.

 

[Watershed]

Thanks everybody. My regular commute is Muirend to Glasgow. Here are the current costs vs the new costs

	Monthly	Yearly
Current Cost	£73.40	£764
Next week	£58.80	£612

In the course of a year I would typically buy only 11 monthly tickets because of holidays etc and with the new costs that would cost £546.80

So I think what I will do is buy 10 monthly's and then buy the next years ticket. That will save me nearly £300 pounds over the course of the tickets.

It might be worth considering buying "odd period" season tickets lasting just over a month, to cover the dates between your holidays. The cost of adding a few additional days onto a monthly season ticket, for example, is quite reasonable.

However, as @Fawkes Cat has said, if you are really buying 11 monthlies each year then there is little point - an annual season ticket is priced at around 10.5x the cost of a monthly season so would be cheaper.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is it perhaps worth buying an annual season now, using it for however long, then getting a season ticket changeover (to something local like Muirend to Williamwood), at or around the same time that a new Muirend to Glasgow season ticket is separately bought?

If so, anyone able to do the appropriate calculations?

 

[newguy]

I'm not sure at what point you have a typo, but £58.80 x 11 = £646.80, so rather more than the quoted annual ticket.

You’re absolutely right. That was a typo. Thanks for pointing it out.

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It might be worth considering buying "odd period" season tickets lasting just over a month, to cover the dates between your holidays. The cost of adding a few additional days onto a monthly season ticket, for example, is quite reasonable.

However, as @Fawkes Cat has said, if you are really buying 11 monthlies each year then there is little point - an annual season ticket is priced at around 10.5x the cost of a monthly season so would be cheaper.

I don’t realise you could do that. I thought it was only possible to buy a monthly period. Is this something that you have to do at a ticket office rather than through the ScotRail website.

 

[Watershed]

You’re absolutely right. That was a typo. Thanks for pointing it out.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Sep 2024 ==


I don’t realise you could do that. I thought it was only possible to buy a monthly period. Is this something that you have to do at a ticket office rather than through the ScotRail website.

Yes, you can buy season tickets for custom periods between a month and a year.

You should be able to get them online by manually selecting an end date or duration, as well as at a ticket office.

 

[newguy]

Yes, you can buy season tickets for custom periods between a month and a year.

You should be able to get them online by manually selecting an end date or duration, as well as at a ticket office.

Thanks Watershed. it looks like Scotrail doesn’t allow you to use this option. There is a ticket option that allows you to enter a custom period but i can’t get the webpage to actually show the cost for the custom period. This would have been very useful

interesting the avanti website show the custom option. Is there another provider where I can buy tickets from and load onto a Scotrail smart card? Alternatively would getting an Avanti smartcard work or would I have issues with the ticket inspectors? thanks

 

[Hadders]

A ticket office will be able to sell you a custom season ticket.

Many ticket retailers sell season tickets although they would be loaded to that company's smartcard. That doesn't make it invalid on Scotrail services but it can sometimes causes complications as (I think) Scotrail use a different format smartcard - perhaps someone local can confirm.

To confirm that when you purchase your next season ticket it has to start while the offer is still on. So assuming the last day of the 40% promotion is 27th September 2025 (which is a Saturday) and if you're going to use odd-period season tickets you'll want your last odd-period season to finish on Friday 26th September 2025, then buy an annual valid from Saturday 27th September 2025 until Saturday 26th September 2026.

 

[reb0118]

Does your employer offer a season ticket loan?

 

[newguy]

A ticket office will be able to sell you a custom season ticket.

Many ticket retailers sell season tickets although they would be loaded to that company's smartcard. That doesn't make it invalid on Scotrail services but it can sometimes causes complications as (I think) Scotrail use a different format smartcard - perhaps someone local can confirm.

To confirm that when you purchase your next season ticket it has to start while the offer is still on. So assuming the last day of the 40% promotion is 27th September 2025 (which is a Saturday) and if you're going to use odd-period season tickets you'll want your last odd-period season to finish on Friday 26th September 2025, then buy an annual valid from Saturday 27th September 2025 until Saturday 26th September 2026.

Thanks Hadders

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Sep 2024 ==

Does your employer offer a season ticket loan?

Thanks. They might well do. I’ll need to check. I’ve never considered doing this before because I just found it easier going for the monthly option