Gold Card from SWT

[twyfordboy]

Hi,

Now my Network Card has expired, I am thinking about buying a Gold Card on the famous Ryde route (£132 p/a) in order to avoid paying the £13 minimum and to take advantage of the £5 first class upgrades.

If I buy the ticket from the South West Trains website (rather than from a SWT station) would I be eligible still for the six free trips per year which are included in their "Gold Service"? I understand that trains on the IOW are run by SWT.

Thanks very much!

 

[yorkie]

As far as I'm aware!

There is a similar topic here, but Matt Taylor's reply suggests the answer may be no, that doesn't seem right to me but I don't know the answer.

 

[twyfordboy]

Thank you Yorkie. Yes, it's a bit confusing. I am not too far from a SWT station so maybe it's safer to buy my ticket from there.

 

[yorkie]

Seems it's a no, sorry!

Tom Cairns helpfully says SWT try to claim that they are a "different operating division" (!) on the IOW and therefore they don't give you the 6 free tickets. In other words, the Stagecoach-owned company has wiggled out it. Apparently they used to give the free tickets but someone informed SWT of this and they then closed the loophole.

To get the 6 free trips you need to purchase something like Lymington Pier - Lymington Town (£322 Std class) this means that to get 6 free trips you are effectively paying £32 per trip, although these are day rangers (for Fridays*, Saturdays or Sundays) so it may be worth it if you want to do 6 long trips on SWT that would otherwise cost a lot of money.

(* Valid from 0500 but not out of Waterloo between 1600 to 1900)

Also I am told it takes up to 4 months for the free tickets to be posted and never less than 2 months. They do not expire but are only valid in conjunction with a valid gold card.

 

[twyfordboy]

Yorkie,

I am so grateful for all the effort you have put into this query. I think I will just forego the free SWT trips now I know they will not be included in the cheap season ticket.

Thanks so much!

 

[Greenback]

Hastings - St Leonards (West or Warrior Square) showing as £264 for an annual

Even better - Newhaven Town to Newhaven Harbour is £132!

 

[glynn80]

Hastings - St Leonards (West or Warrior Square) showing as £264 for an annual

Even better - Newhaven Town to Newhaven Harbour is £132!

But neither of these are SWT seasons and therefore would not qualify for the "Gold Service" SWT offer to their Annual Season ticket holders.

If they were just looking for the basic Gold Card package the OP may as well just stick with a Ryde St John's to Ryde Esplanade season.

 

[Greenback]

You are correct, of course!

 

[Oracle]

I once asked Barry Doe if that meant that you got free FC tickets if ypu had a FC Gold Card. He thought however that you were restricted to SC. Twickenham to St Margaret's was I thoughht at one stage the cheapest SWT fare and included FC availability. Is it now £280 Standard Class? And £420 FC?

However Barnes to Barnes Bridge seems to be slightly cheaper.

By these calculations can it ever be worth it to splash out nearly £300 compared to a ticket to Ryde? Bought on the Island of course!

 

[yorkie]

I'm told it's 6 free first class day rangers if your Gold card is FC.

BNS - BNI is £276 but this is only of use for the 6 free Standard rangers. There is no FC fare on that route as trains through BNS only have standard class accommodation.

This is indeed cheaper than TWI-SMG at £280, which also has no FC option.

That brings the cost down to £24* per day rover allowing unlimited travel on SWT, so someone who travels a lot on SWT may find Barnes to be better than the Ryde option.

* ( £276 - £130 ) / 6 = 24

 

[glynn80]

It is also worth bearing in mind the Gold Service program is also not available to Annual Travelcard holders unless the Travelcard they hold covers all six zones.

I'm told it's 6 free first class day rangers if your Gold card is FC.

Can I ask your source, as this is contrary to the impression I was under.

 

[Oracle]

Interesting that both options I mention have a FC availability on National Rail? If you do indeed get a FC benefit so to speak with a FC Gold Card, which is the cheapest Gold Card on SWT between stations that actually have a First Class train service? All the suggestions I have come up with are around £600 or so!

Just going back a second: is the Barnes-Barnes Bridge the cheapest SWT Standard Class Annual or is there anything cheaper?

 

[yorkie]

Can I ask your source, as this is contrary to the impression I was under.

The source is the aforementioned blogger, Mr Cairns. He has in his possession some of these complimentary tickets. These have "First / Standard Class" written on them, you cross out the one not relevant to the accompanying Gold Card. They are valid on all SWT services for a day of your choice (you date it yourself).

 

[LondonLarry]

The source is the aforementioned blogger, Mr Cairns. He has in his possession some of these complimentary tickets. These have "First / Standard Class" written on them, you cross out the one not relevant to the accompanying Gold Card. They are valid on all SWT services for a day of your choice (you date it yourself).

And they don't expire so you can carry them over from one year to the next!

 

[garnon]

Seems it's a no, sorry!

Tom Cairns helpfully says SWT try to claim that they are a "different operating division" (!) on the IOW and therefore they don't give you the 6 free tickets. In other words, the Stagecoach-owned company has wiggled out it. Apparently they used to give the free tickets but someone informed SWT of this and they then closed the loophole.

To get the 6 free trips you need to purchase something like Lymington Pier - Lymington Town (£322 Std class) this means that to get 6 free trips you are effectively paying £32 per trip, although these are day rangers (for Fridays*, Saturdays or Sundays) so it may be worth it if you want to do 6 long trips on SWT that would otherwise cost a lot of money.

(* Valid from 0500 but not out of Waterloo between 1600 to 1900)

Also I am told it takes up to 4 months for the free tickets to be posted and never less than 2 months. They do not expire but are only valid in conjunction with a valid gold card.

I purchased the said IOW gold card in May and received the six free tickets in July/Aug. Is the restriction referred to above more recent than this or merely a myth ?

 

[Oracle]

The 'Barnes' ticket is cheaper than 'Lymingtons', possibly because of the costs involved in the Pier station being leased? I suggest that bearing in mind the Portsmouth Harbour- Portsmouth & Southsea costs allegedly because of the pier charges. Is there any SWT Gold Card cheaper than 'Barnes'? Also, what is the cheapest First Class Gold Card on SWT?

 

[adrianboult]

I also bought the lymington SWT gold card in March of this year and recieved the free tickets about two months or so later - with a little chasing.

 

[Matt Taylor]

Just to clarify the situation, this morning I was assisting a passenger with a query regarding these tickets and he still had the undated tickets attatched to the letter from SWT which details their use, the accompanying map provided by SWT Gold Service showed that these free tickets are valid on Island Line services (but not on the WightLink catamaran from the harbour).

 

[garnon]

Just to clarify the situation, this morning I was assisting a passenger with a query regarding these tickets and he still had the undated tickets attatched to the letter from SWT which details their use, the accompanying map provided by SWT Gold Service showed that these free tickets are valid on Island Line services (but not on the WightLink catamaran from the harbour).

I think the questions is - if you buy an island line annual season ticket (gold card) - whether SWT still issue 6 free tickets for use on their network.

I did, in May, and received them. Since then it is suggested SWT have removed the benefit from Island Line annual season tickets.

 

[Oracle]

So does that mean the 'Barnes' Gold Card is the cheapest SWT-issued one that you can buy to get the tickets or is there an even cheaper one that I can't think of?

 

[adrianboult]

I have just called the 'gold service' number at SWT and they confirmed that they do no longer issue the 6 free tickets on the Ryde Esplanade/Ryde St John's Rd and that it was highly unlikely that I did this journey on a daily basis because of where I live.
Fact is I did get the tickets some months ago, but would be interested to see where it mentions this new restriction on their website - I can't find it.

Surely if you buy a goldcard card and then fail to use it for that journey that is irrelevant. They still got £132 out of me for nothing and I am not causing any wear and tear on their lousy trains - win win for them.

Is there any comeback on this for next year when (if) I renew?

Many thanks.

 

[LondonLarry]

I have just called the 'gold service' number at SWT and they confirmed that they do no longer issue the 6 free tickets on the Ryde Esplanade/Ryde St John's Rd and that it was highly unlikely that I did this journey on a daily basis because of where I live.
Fact is I did get the tickets some months ago, but would be interested to see where it mentions this new restriction on their website - I can't find it.

Surely if you buy a goldcard card and then fail to use it for that journey that is irrelevant. They still got £132 out of me for nothing and I am not causing any wear and tear on their lousy trains - win win for them.

Is there any comeback on this for next year when (if) I renew?

Many thanks.

They may get the £132 from you, but the free tickets will have a much higher equivalent monetary value than your season ticket. If you don't like SWT services, why have you bothered to try and get the free tickets? It's not really win-win for them as I'm sure they'd prefer you actually pay for a journey rather than get freebies and then moan about it.

 

[Dougal2345]

I think the questions is - if you buy an island line annual season ticket (gold card) - whether SWT still issue 6 free tickets for use on their network.

I did, in May, and received them. Since then it is suggested SWT have removed the benefit from Island Line annual season tickets.

Just turning the question on its head slightly, I have a quite a few leftover "free" tickets from several years of Gold Card ownership.

I no longer have a Gold Card - but if I were to buy the famous Isle of Wight Ryde Gold Card, is there any reason why I shouldn't use it together with my remaining free tickets to travel on the mainland SWT network?

 

[garnon]

Just turning the question on its head slightly, I have a quite a few leftover "free" tickets from several years of Gold Card ownership.

I no longer have a Gold Card - but if I were to buy the famous Isle of Wight Ryde Gold Card, is there any reason why I shouldn't use it together with my remaining free tickets to travel on the mainland SWT network?

I see no reason why this would not work. Indeed, I have already (successfully) tried it.

 

[furryfeet]

under what legal basis are SQT allowed to withdraw the freebies for Island line annual season tickets ?

what do the regulatory authorities have to say about this ?

If they can get away with the Island line today, then tomorrow it will be Lymington .....

 

[Dougal2345]

under what legal basis are SQT allowed to withdraw the freebies for Island line annual season tickets ?

what do the regulatory authorities have to say about this ?

If they can get away with the Island line today, then tomorrow it will be Lymington .....

Well I suspect that as it was a free "perk" they can do what they like. They can probably remove the first class upgrade perks and the £1 "Partner" NSE Card too if they feel like it (is that still available on the Ryde season by the way?).

Let's make a guess at the value of those six day tickets.

If many people were spending, as seems likely, £132 for a season they'll never use in order to obtain the six tickets and a network card, then they're paying (£132-£25)/6 = £17.80 for each of those tickets.

So to take an extreme example, someone living in Exeter could use them for day trips to London - normal price for an off-peak day return with an NSE Card - £38.10. Those free tickets were really quite a bargain - roughly a 50% discount.

So it's quite understandable they'd withdraw them, isn't it? Well, maybe, but read on....

A long journey on Southern - say Milton Keynes-Eastbourne - costs £24.40 for a NSE day return. But they'll sell you a Day Save ticket for a tenner - a 60% discount.

So are Southern just more generous?

Or do Southern realise that many of these day tickets are used for journeys that people wouldn't bother making if they had to pay full price? Certainly in my case I've mostly used the free SWT tickets that way, although a few times I've used them for journeys I would have paid to do anyway.

If SWT sold their own DaySave, I wonder how much they'd charge?

 

[LondonLarry]

Well I suspect that as it was a free "perk" they can do what they like. They can probably remove the first class upgrade perks and the £1 "Partner" NSE Card too if they feel like it (is that still available on the Ryde season by the way?).

That's unlikely as this is a perk that applies to all Goldcard issues in the London & South East area. All the TOCs in this area would have to agree to remove the perk before it would happen.

 

[furryfeet]

That's unlikely as this is a perk that applies to all Goldcard issues in the London & South East area. All the TOCs in this area would have to agree to remove the perk before it would happen.

So have they all agreed this ?

Or if they have not is the action by SWT illegal ?

 

[yorkie]

Yes it would have been agreed, and I would imagine that those 'perks' date back to NSE days.

The free SWT tickets offered by SWT are over and above the standard perks offered.

 

[A60K]

I think there's a bit of confusion over what are 'perks' - AIUI the SWT free tickets are real perks, not something that other TOCs give, whereas the First Class upgrade and Partner Card are part of the general scheme T&Cs.