TOC Staff Friends & Family Tickets

[pendostar15]

I hope someone might be able to answer this for me, I’m not too happy with myself!

Brought my mother on a weekend away using a friends and family discounted ticket (I work in the railway). However, we are returning today (not sure what time) and I realised just after 0930 this morning that I hadn’t booked her return ticket for today. Not sure how it is for other TOCs but for mine the cut-off is 0930 just because of how the tickets appear on the system.

Not got my work phone on me or laptop to find out who the TM will be (I know colleagues who have done the same before and have just called up the TM to check their friend or family member will be okay getting on the specific train) so I can’t get into contact with anyone who might be on the train itself.

Not even got access to my own work roster to see who is working today who might be able to call up the TM, and don’t want to bother anyone who isn’t working.

Tried to speak to them at ticket office but they said they can’t book one discounted from their system either.

Tried to change the time and date on my phone system to see if it tricked the website to let me book the ticket (as if it was before 0930) but the website catches on!

My mother hasn’t got a railcard or anything so it’s going to cost me £40 outright for one journey for her instead of £10 for a day so I’m very annoyed at myself. Without speaking to the TM beforehand I wouldn’t want to risk buying one for tomorrow and getting her a penalty fare if it turned out they were in a bad mood and didn’t accept it for today’s travel.

Anyone had this happen before and found any way to get the £10 day ticket after 0930 or sort it out with some other method? Would appreciate any advice. Need to leave between 4 and 6 so have a few hours to sort out a ticket.

 

[Daniel_P]

Just pay the £40 like the majority of customers would do, and treat the difference as an idiot tax.

 

[Haywain]

Just pay the £40 like the majority of customers would do, and treat the difference as an idiot tax.

This ^.

 

[MrJeeves]

Pay the price, unless you'd like to risk a ticketing irregularity for your mother.

it’s going to cost me £40 outright for one journey for her instead of £10 for a day so I’m very annoyed at myself.

It's a good thing for railway staff to discover what it's actually like to be a fare-paying passenger.

 

[Haywain]

Brought my mother on a weekend away using a friends and family discounted ticket (I work in the railway).

Not all TOC schemes for family and friends are the same.

 

[Coleridge]

Not got my work phone on me or laptop to find out who the TM will be (I know colleagues who have done the same before and have just called up the TM to check their friend or family member will be okay getting on the specific train) so I can’t get into contact with anyone who might be on the train itself.

Without speaking to the TM beforehand I wouldn’t want to risk buying one for tomorrow and getting her a penalty fare if it turned out they were in a bad mood and didn’t accept it for today’s travel.

Is it really acceptable to ask a fellow employee to turn a blind eye to the fact that you knowingly won't have a valid ticket for the journey you're going to make?

I don't really see why you would think that a ticket purchased for tomorrow should be valid today just because you work for the railway.

 

[Hadders]

This is unfortunate, but an undiscounted normal ticket should be purchased.

 

[pendostar15]

Hi everyone, I’ve purchased a ticket.

I haven’t worked on the railway long, and have spent thousands on train tickets in the past along with my family which is why we thought it would be nice to use a bit of a perk for the first time - which obviously went wrong as I’m an idiot who forgot!

Thanks, hope everyone has a nice day.

 

[peakNed]

Nice bit of animosity from the non staff, no surprise!
Personally I’d have just spoken to the guard and explained the situation, have to be a proper doylem to turn you away.

 

[Haywain]

Nice bit of animosity from the non staff, no surprise!

I'm ex-railway staff, if it helps.

 

[Coleridge]

Nice bit of animosity from the non staff, no surprise!
Personally I’d have just spoken to the guard and explained the situation, have to be a proper doylem to turn you away.

I don't think there's animosity; just surprise that someone would think that being an employee of the railway allows their family members to travel without a valid ticket, and that some staff members will give leeway to fellow employees that they wouldn't give to a member of the public.

 

[pendostar15]

Coleridge, I understand where you’re coming from. The reason I mentioned speaking to the TM was because it was the advice I was already given from a colleague (which I wasn’t doing as I explain in the OP), and therefore I was seeking other advice i.e. if anyone had managed to use an app or change the time successfully to allow me to pay for a valid ticket.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[CyrusWuff]

I suspect the 0930 cut-off was setup to both reflect the time restriction and allow the ticket to be retailed online.

If they wanted them to be available to buy on the day of travel, the TOC could change the time of the virtual train to something like 2358 - 2359.

 

[Watershed]

Coleridge, I understand where you’re coming from. The reason I mentioned speaking to the TM was because it was the advice I was already given from a colleague (which I wasn’t doing as I explain in the OP), and therefore I was seeking other advice i.e. if anyone had managed to use an app or change the time successfully to allow me to pay for a valid ticket.

Hope that makes sense.

Amongst most TOCs there is certainly a culture of allowing free travel for fellow rail staff, so I can't say I'm surprised at what you were told by a colleague. That's not to say it is permitted under the rules for staff travel, however it is widespread practice which management at most TOCs will be well aware of.

That said. I would proceed with great caution in assuming that any particular guard would be inclined to extend such gratuity at all, or towards family members of staff. It only takes someone to take exception at the breach of the rules you're asking them to condone, for you to potentially lose your own travel facilities (potentially even permanently) and to face disciplinary action yourself.

It's not a risk worth taking in my view.

 

[bb21]

It only takes someone to take exception at the breach of the rules you're asking them to condone, for you to potentially lose your own travel facilities (potentially even permanently) and to face disciplinary action yourself.

It's not a risk worth taking in my view.

This, very important to remember.

The travel irregularity won't just be on your mum if someone takes exception, but traceable back to yourself, and the penalties can be severe, so it simply isn't a risk I would personally be willing to take, especially if you are still new to the railway. Why jeopardise your career.

 

[pendostar15]

Thanks everyone, appreciate the information!

Thought there might have been a technical way to get around the ticket booking time restriction on the website, but the advice about what my colleague suggested is also useful and explains why they suggested it in the first place.

Always learning something new about the railway hey.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Thanks everyone, appreciate the information!

Thought there might have been a technical way to get around the ticket booking time restriction on the website, but the advice about what my colleague suggested is also useful and explains why they suggested it in the first place.

Always learning something new about the railway hey.

Doesn't matter what you do to your personal device the website will have a time field that you cannot alter.