Seven Week Season Ticket

[tbrain]

Hi,

I travel between [stn]LTV[/stn] & [stn]EUS[/stn] on a daily basis, and usually buy a monthly season ticket.

I did the same thing last week (bought a monthly season ticket), ending on the 11/09/11.

Now as I'm going on holiday on 01/10/11, I planned to then buy three weekly season tickets to take me up to that date. However, this morning I realised that I could've bought a 7 week season ticket when I renewed rather than a monthly season ticket and three weekly tickets, and that this would've also worked out circa £150 cheaper! I always thought that you could only get weekly, monthly & annual tickets!

Whilst appreciating that I'm a dufus, do you think that I will get any joy if I speak to the LTV ticket office and ask them to update my season ticket to the 30/09/11 and pay the difference, or do I just have to swallow a bitter pill this time around and pay the extra £150?

Thanks!

 

[LexyBoy]

I don't think it will be possible for them to extend your monthly Season - though I may be wrong.

They will be able to refund your current monthly Season and issue you with a new one valid until 01/10. The refund would be calculated based on how much it would have cost you to travel the days you've had the Season ticket - i.e. Anytime returns for Friday, Monday and today (or a 7 day season if cheaper). Without knowing which Season ticket you hold (i.e. route and price) I can't say whether it would be cheaper to do this or just get the 7DS.

As you have found, it can save quite a bit to plan ahead and buy tickets up until you go on holiday, or just to finish on a Friday and start on a Monday! (You probably know already, but it's worth clarifying that a Season can be issued for any time between a month and 10 months, doesn't have to be a multiple of weeks)

 

[tbrain]

Thought so!

Appreciate your help!

 

[Nym]

As you have found, it can save quite a bit to plan ahead and buy tickets up until you go on holiday, or just to finish on a Friday and start on a Monday! (You probably know already, but it's worth clarifying that a Season can be issued for any time between a month and 10 months, doesn't have to be a multiple of weeks)

As a silly question, does this include tickets like the GMPTE, TfGM, System One Travelcards County Card tickets? They are issued on special ticket stock but look very much like standard season tickets.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

As a silly question, does this include tickets like the GMPTE, TfGM, System One Travelcards County Card tickets? They are issued on special ticket stock but look very much like standard season tickets.

Countycards and Traincards are only available in weekly, monthly and yearly lengths as they are PTE products.

Point to point (including 'add-on' fares) and London Travelcard seasons are available for anything between a month and a year inclusive.

 

[Nym]

Countycards and Traincards are only available in weekly, monthly and yearly lengths as they are PTE products.

I believe the phrase is one that I can't post on here, s'pose I'll just stick with monthlies.

 

[bb21]

From the information you have provided, I would deduce that you either have a monthly season ticket between Lichfield Trent Valley and London Terminals Route Any Permitted in Standard Class or Route High Wycombe in First Class. Given that the second one is highly unlikely, I did some calculation on the basis that you hold the Route Any Permitted ticket in Standard Class. If it is not the case then please let us know as the calculation can be different.

There are some other assumptions I have made based on the information you have provided, if any of these are incorrect then please also let us know.

• Your current monthly season ticket started on 12th August and lasts till 11th September and cost £824.10, without any discount applied.
• You would like a season ticket to last you till 30th September.

Scenario 1: Carry on with the ticket you have and then buy three weekly tickets when it expires to take you through to 30th September.

Further Costs -

Weekly Ticket (3 lots): 230.60 * 3 = 691.80

Total: £691.80

Scenario 2: Refund the current ticket you have at the end of the day today (18th), which will have one week's usage deducted as you have already used it for a week, and purchase a new odd-period season ticket to last you through to 30th September.

Further Costs -

Monthly Ticket: 824.10
less Weekly Ticket used between 12th August and 18th August: -230.60
less Administration Charge: -10 (In fact, Virgin might only charge you £5 admin.)
Residue Value: 583.50

Season Ticket (for 1 month 12 days between 19th August and 30th September): 1154.60
less Refund (on current ticket): -583.50

Total: £571.10

So you would still be saving over £100 by refunding your current ticket and obtaining a new one lasting you all the way to 30th September.

Of course if any of my assumption is incorrect then the calculation will be different.

 

[tbrain]

bb21,

You are right, the former but with 1-6 travelcard so £867.10 per month.

The three additional weeks season tickets will cost me £242.00 each.

The season ticket that I have currently started on the 11th, so as of today has had 9 days usage.

Spoke to the ticket office the other day and it was like talking at a brick wall so I gave in!

I think that I will just swallow the difference this time around and never make the same mistake again by planning ahead!

 

[snail]

Spoke to the ticket office the other day and it was like talking at a brick wall so I gave in!

Avoid the too.much.information trap...

1. Go to the ticket office and tell them you want to end your current season early. Say nothing about your future plans. They should know how to calculate the refund on the basis explained above.

2. When you have your money back, ask for a new season covering you for the appropriate period.

Alternatively, write to the TOC and politely tell them the booking office refused to deal with your simple request to replace one season with another, and you would like the difference refunded to you in vouchers.

 

[bb21]

Avoid the too.much.information trap...

1. Go to the ticket office and tell them you want to end your current season early. Say nothing about your future plans. They should know how to calculate the refund on the basis explained above.

2. When you have your money back, ask for a new season covering you for the appropriate period.

Alternatively, write to the TOC and politely tell them the booking office refused to deal with your simple request to replace one season with another, and you would like the difference refunded to you in vouchers.

I agree. This is money that you don't need to waste.

I will show you some sample calculations below based on the new information you have provided.

Lichfield Trent Valley - London Zones 1-6
Route Any Permitted
Standard Class

• Your current monthly season ticket started on 11th August and lasts till 10th September and cost £867.10.
• You would like a season ticket to last you till 30th September.

Scenario 1: Carry on with the ticket you have and then buy three weekly tickets when it expires to take you through to 30th September.

Further Costs -

Weekly Ticket (3 lots): 242.00 * 3 = 726.00

Total: £726.00

Scenario 2: Refund the current ticket you have at the end of the day on 24th, which will have two week's usage deducted, and purchase a new odd-period season ticket starting from 25th August to last you through to 30th September.

Further Costs -

Monthly Ticket: 867.10
less Weekly Ticket (2 lots): 242.00 * 2 = 484.00
less Administration Charge: -10 (In fact, Virgin might only charge you £5 admin.)
Residue Value: 373.10

Season Ticket (for 1 month 6 days between 25th August and 30th September): 1041.00
less Refund (on current ticket): -373.10

Total: £667.90

So you would still be saving £58 (possibly £63 if £5 admin charge applies) by refunding your current ticket and obtaining a new one lasting you all the way to 30th September.

There is no point refunding it between 20th and 23rd, as an Anytime Day Travelcard, which is what is used to calculate the equivalent daily cost, is £164.00. Only two of these will make it more expensive than the weekly rate. Therefore you might as well make the most of the extra week that will be deducted.

At the end of the day, it is your decision. However I can't see why you would want to waste that money just because the clerk didn't know how to do it. Be firm, and if needed be, ask for the supervisor.