Free First Capital Connect tickets

[Bungle73]

What did you do in Brighton, Bungle Sir? Any hints for those of us that intend going there in the next few weeks?

I did a couple of audio walks that I downloaded a while ago from here, I went around the Pavilion, sat on the beach and had my packed lunch, and rounded the day off with a meal in a pub (The Market Inn). No hints really...that I can think of atm anyway.

Edith yeah. One hint. If you want to do the Pavilion download the Brighton Museums iPhone app. You get a pound off entry if you present it at the entrance.

 

[Bedpan]

Cheers, I don't know when I will go yet, will wait and see if we get a spell of fine weather in the next few weeks and hope that I have a free day.

 

[Deerfold]

These tickets are going to come in very handy. Off to see Lacuna Coil in Brighton on Wednesday - probably would have been a bit pricey without the free rail travel.

 

[extendedpaul]

Hi Bungle !

I live quite near you I think (Rainham) and haven't used any of my free tickets yet. Could I ask - where did you travel to in order to start your FCC journey ?

I only qualify for a network card with a £13 minimum weekday fare. A weekday return off peak journey to a FCC station will cost me £10.90 - that's to Bromley South or Sevenoaks. Do you know of a better (cheaper) way ?

 

[Bungle73]

Hi Bungle !

I live quite near you I think (Rainham) and haven't used any of my free tickets yet. Could I ask - where did you travel to in order to start your FCC journey ?

I only qualify for a network card with a £13 minimum weekday fare. A weekday return off peak journey to a FCC station will cost me £10.90 - that's to Bromley South or Sevenoaks. Do you know of a better (cheaper) way ?

I caught the HS train to St. Pancras, but I have a Disabled Persons Railcard which I can use any time and has no minimum fare.

Bromley would be probably the cheapest access to the FCC network I would have thought, but a bit of a hassle if you're going to somewhere on the Brighton line say.

 

[dmacw]

Everyone on here AFAIK has said 'yes', but nobody has reported back saying they've tried it and it's worked! Technically they're Anytime tickets and subject to the NRCoC which states that the restriction would be written on the ticket if they wanted to enforce it... but we all know what some FCC gateline staff are like!

I've used my ticket today and broke the journey at Cambridge on the way from Kings Cross to Kings Lynn.

 

[IanD]

Somone mentioned earlier that you could get a plusbus with this ticket. How is that done? We're planning on visiting Cambridge on Saturday from King's Cross/Finsbury Park. Would we need to get the +Bus before we start or could we get it when we arrive at Cambridge? Also, could we get the railcard discount if I flash my Gold Card or F+F card?

Cheers

 

[bb21]

Somone mentioned earlier that you could get a plusbus with this ticket. How is that done? We're planning on visiting Cambridge on Saturday from King's Cross/Finsbury Park. Would we need to get the +Bus before we start or could we get it when we arrive at Cambridge? Also, could we get the railcard discount if I flash my Gold Card or F+F card?

Cheers

You can purchase plusbus at any time with a valid rail ticket. Discount is available with either the F&F or the Gold Card.

See here. Question 5.

 

[IanD]

You can purchase plusbus at any time with a valid rail ticket. Discount is available with either the F&F or the Gold Card.

See here. Question 5.

Cheers. I've only ever bought them at the same time as the tickets.

Should have read the FAQ before posting though! :roll:

 

[jon0844]

Here's an odd one. I realised I never got my free tickets this year with my season ticket - given it expires soon, I applied again and just got my two passes. However, they aren't the same scratchcards given out on the above offer - so presumably FCC hasn't yet produced new ones for 2011/2012 (or they're going to wait and do them for 2012/2013).

So I get the letter saying; 'Thank U for renewing your Annual Season Ticket with First Capital Connect. We really appreciate you continuing to travel with us and would like to give you these complimentary scratchcard tickets for you to use or give to your family and friends.'

But I didn't get scratchcards - I got two complimentary passes - 'Valid for one Standard Class off-peak day return journey on First Capital Connect trains on the First Capital Connect network.'

There's no expiry date, which is good as given the time of year - and the fact I'm on holiday soon and away a lot of December - I would likely want to use them in 2012. But here's the catch; I can't go using these next year, or giving them to anyone else as they are only valid for annual season ticket owners (I won't be once this one expires) and I have to write my photocard number on them. I can't even travel between 1630 and 1901 on trains from London 'no matter where you join the service'.

I can bring a guest (which is made clear in the T&Cs on the reverse, but not mentioned anywhere on the front) who doesn't have to have an annual season.

In other words, these passes are pretty useless! And if I only read the letter they sent, I'd be liable to a PF if I used them from Jan 1st 2012! Thank you FCC.

 

[Deerfold]

Popped up to Cambridge for a couple of hours last night on my first of these. reminded me hoe lax ticket checks are on FCC.

Boarded a fast to Cambridge (just) at 1814, just stopping at Royston. No checks prior to travelling, very cursory check at Cambridge on manual gate as there were a lot queueing for it. Few seats on the 12 carriage train, but got one. Fortunately got on right bit of train - came through from St Pancras - nothing to indicate train was goign to split at Royston until audio announcement just before Royston - signs on train were not working.

Boarded the 2145 back. Checked slightly more rigorously before being allowed through the gate. Non-stop to Kings X, announced just before leaving and about 10 minutes before Kings X.

Going to be using my 2nd tonight, hopefully on the 1700 from Blackfriars to Brighton. If not, on the 1722 (This may be busy. It's a rather odd service that is less frequent in the peak than during the middle of the day).

 

[tannedfrog]

Does anyone know if these will work on the luton airport bus? Thanks

 

[stut]

Can I safely assume that if I haven't got the tickets by now (my application appeared to be successful), I'm not going to get them at all?

 

[LexyBoy]

But I didn't get scratchcards - I got two complimentary passes - 'Valid for one Standard Class off-peak day return journey on First Capital Connect trains on the First Capital Connect network.'

There's no expiry date, which is good as given the time of year - and the fact I'm on holiday soon and away a lot of December - I would likely want to use them in 2012. But here's the catch; I can't go using these next year, or giving them to anyone else as they are only valid for annual season ticket owners (I won't be once this one expires) and I have to write my photocard number on them. I can't even travel between 1630 and 1901 on trains from London 'no matter where you join the service'.

Tells you something about FCC's attitude to their customers - obviously they're more concerned about bigging up their image and luring in new customers than keeping the ones they've got.

Contrast that with FGW who sent me six weekend return (as in, sat/sun only, but doesn't have to be over the same weekend) tickets valid anywhere on FGW. Free to give them away - no need to fill in a photocard number.

FCC hardly covers a big area and is hugely commuter-focussed so giving a measly two, heavily restricted, free tickets is a bit cheap (yes, something's better than nothing but also - it's the thought that counts!).

 

[philjo]

Popped up to Cambridge for a couple of hours last night on my first of these. reminded me hoe lax ticket checks are on FCC.

FCC seem to have increased their on board ticket checks on the GN route recently - I have had my season ticket checked on board 5 times in the last week - which is probably more than the whole of the previous year! One of the RPIs was actually stamping the non-season tickets - usually they either just say it is OK or scribble on it with a pen.

 

[transportphoto]

I've had this through from FCC Customer Relations:

Dear transportphoto

Thank you for your email received on 10 November 2011. We place great emphasis on good customer services and I am sorry that you are unhappy with the response that you have received from us.

I can confirm that your complimentary ticket if it has been filled in for a journey that requires you to cross London will be valid to use on the underground via the most direct route between London St Pancras/ Kings Cross and London Bridge when the central core is closed due to engineering works. It would not however, be valid to use in the form of a Travelcard.

I trust that you will not have any problem, however if you do encounter problems please send all the tickets along with any additional tickets purchased and we will look in to this.

Thank you for contacting us.

No more bus for me then!

I wonder what will happen when I get to the tube stations at Kings Cross/St Pancras and London Bridge...

TP

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

It's all worked for me over the past year of using these tickets. Break of journey at Stevenage and Croydon and no hassle at any of the gates (St. P, Kings X). And friends have used them without being arrested etc. etc.

The only oddity remains that when the Thameslink route is closed at weekends, FCC won't accept underground travel via Victoria and then to the Wimbledon Loop as a permitted option. Only tube travel on the Northern Line to London Bridge seems to be permitted.... but that's true of season ticket holders as well as the scratchcard ones. Presumably, they're just getting everyone ready for the day when the Loop services terminate at Blackfriars rather than go on to St. P???

NB. The FCC trains to Sevenoaks magically become SE at Blackfriars for ticketing/revenue allocation purposes, so you may find the scratchcards are not valid to Bromley.

 

[yorkie]

NB. The FCC trains to Sevenoaks magically become SE at Blackfriars for ticketing/revenue allocation purposes, so you may find the scratchcards are not valid to Bromley.

Ticket booking sites show these trains as operated by FCC throughout (even if you just search for Blackfriars to Sevenoaks) so I would suggest that any attempt to claim you cannot travel beyond Blackfriars towards Sevenoaks to be unenforceable.

Unfortunately there may be problems getting back from Sevenoaks though!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

As far as I know the trains do change from FCC to SE at Blackfriars - but I thought this was only for operation purposes - and that ticketing was not affected. This is supported by the fact that ticket booking sites show the whole route as FCC.

 

[Deerfold]

Had a little trip to Brighton last night to see Lacuna Coil.

Security on the way down was higher than my last trip. I touched in with my Oyster at Blackfriars due to large queues at the manual gate, though I nedn't have - I had 6 minutes spare when I reached the platforms before the 1700 to Brighton. Ticket check just after South Croydon and checked at the Barrier at Brighton. Busy but I got a seat.

Google maps lies about the location of the Concorde 2 - It said 21 minutes' walk from the station - it took me 34 and I usually beat the google times by about a third.

A most excellent gig and then return on the 2311 to London Bridge.

Rather quieter on the way back - about 15 people in my carriage. No checks or barriers after we left Brighton.

2 down, 3 to go

 

[Paul Kelly]

Ticket booking sites show these trains as operated by FCC throughout (even if you just search for Blackfriars to Sevenoaks) so I would suggest that any attempt to claim you cannot travel beyond Blackfriars towards Sevenoaks to be unenforceable.

Similarly to how the Newcastle to Glasgow via Dumfries services are shown as operated by Northern throughout, even though they change to Scotrail at Carlisle. I think it is just a limitation of the booking engines that they don't allow for the case that a train can change operating company part-way through the journey.

I suppose by the same reasoning it means you could use one of those complimentary Northern passes to go to Glasgow...

 

[mappman1000]

Got my book of five and plan to scratch in Kings Lynn and the Hertford Loop

 

[Bungle73]

I used another one of mine to go back to Ely yesterday. No checks at KGX since the train left from unbarriered part of the main shed. Checked by the guard on the train no problems, then no barrier at Ely. On the way back it didn't get checked at all.

Now I have 3 left which I'm unsure what to use for; maybe using one to go to Peterborough.

 

[lyesbkz]

Similarly to how the Newcastle to Glasgow via Dumfries services are shown as operated by Northern throughout, even though they change to Scotrail at Carlisle. I think it is just a limitation of the booking engines that they don't allow for the case that a train can change operating company part-way through the journey.

However if you were using a booking website to plan your itinerary, and you wrote the 'FROM' and 'TO' stations on your FCC ticket as required, and the 'TO' station was Sevenoaks, then surely it would be unfair (and impossible) for FCC to tell you that you've inadvertently voided your ticket!

(or would they give you a replacement which would be valid until Dec 2012..)

 

[bnm]

Been out and back to Sevenoaks earlier this week with one of my scratchcard tickets.

No problems.

YMMV though....

 

[Brucey]

Bedfore seeing the posts above, I contacted London Underground to see if they would accept the tickets. This was their response

Thank you for contacting us.
As the ticket is marked for use on First Capital Connect (FCC) services only, I would say that it is most likely not valid for travelling from King's Cross and London Bridge on a day when there is no FCC service. For a definitive answer, I would suggest that you contact FCC directly. Their customer service phone number is 0845 026 4700 and their email address is customer.relations.fcc@firstgroup.com.

Once again, thank you for writing in. Please do contact me again if you need any help in the future.

Kind regards,

**
Customer Service Advisor
Customer Service Centre

That response doesn't exactly inspire me with any confidence (how can an operator not know whether a ticket is valid or not on THEIR OWN services). Perhaps I should devise a statistical function to determine the probability of my ticket being accepted.

I've contacted FCC to get my own copy of the post above to use in case the ticket is refused.

 

[Bungle73]

Surely LU are either allowing NR-only ticket holders to use their services due to the planned disruption or they're not? And if there are then the tickets will be vaild.

 

[wintonian]

Drat! - with todays chaos I completely forgot I had them on me, was going to go up to Norwich and back as I have only been on NXEA once and that was briefly.

 

[Brucey]

Response sent by FCC (contrary to what transportphoto was told)

Thank you for your email of 20 November 2011 enquiring about complimentary ticket.

I would advise that the First Capital Connect complimentary tickets are valid only on First Capital Connect services. Therefore you cannot travel on tubes with First Capital Connect complimentary tickets.

Thank you once again for you email.

 

[Bungle73]

Response sent by FCC (contrary to what transportphoto was told)

I think that response is wrong. FCC's website clearly states (regarding the engineering works):

Crossing and travelling to/from central London (First Capital Connect tickets can be used for travel on these routes): Please use the following routes:

Northern line between Kentish Town, King's Cross St Pancras, London Bridge and Elephant & Castle
Jubilee line between West Hampstead and London Bridge
Bus route 45 between Blackfriars and St Pancras International
Bus routes 63 or N63 between Elephant & Castle, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras International

That seems pretty clear cut to me.