GWR Rewards

[ajhard]

Perhaps they mean a ticket where the fare is set by GWR? Or a ticket that has a route description involving the word GWR ?

Either way, I detest these lazy descriptions, that are of zero use to real customers, of tickets. It takes little effort to be clear. It’s a a problem at every TOC.

Agree - I have used the lounge many times since achieving Gold status and have never been asked to show the ticket.

 

[PZ 08895]

The ticket must be between two GWR stations to get points. I have experimented with this and Horsham to Penzance does not earn points but Reading to Penzance does, despite both fares being set by GWR. So I now split my tickets at Reading when doing the journey which is both slightly cheaper than a through ticket when using a Network Railcard for the first part and earns 20 points for Reading - Penzance. After three journeys I will be at the silver tier and get a free ticket! I use the forums site for Horsham to Reading, but obviously not for the 'pure' GWR part to get the points.

 

[furlong]

Agree - I have used the lounge many times since achieving Gold status and have never been asked to show the ticket.

They basically need a documented way to eject easily anyone abusing the privilege: It is still intended for use while waiting before or after a journey. Euston had to go further and impose a time limit on visits.

 

[smckay]

Hi all, new here.

I achieved Gold status but am struggling with the rewards. As DID is my local station, I dont think I can access Advance Single tickets. However, trying Swindon, where I see them, I still fail to use my codes for 1x Free First class return ticket or 1x Free Standard class return ticket.

Here is the ticket in the most recent attempt I made, SWI to PAD: Advance Single (1st Class)

Error: eVoucher code and PIN combination not valid.

Has anyone had success with either reward?

 

[PZ 08895]

I have not got to gold status yet, but I did have similar issues with the Rewards discount not working with one internet browser type, but it did work when trying another browser type (I think Edge was OK), so maybe worth trying that? Also try clearing out browser cache and cookies.

 

[gembercannelle]

The scheme requires one to spend 30GBP per day. Can this be achieved by buying multiple advance tickets for different dates, or do all tickets have to be for the same day?

 

[Mainline421]

Hi all, new here.

I achieved Gold status but am struggling with the rewards. As DID is my local station, I dont think I can access Advance Single tickets. However, trying Swindon, where I see them, I still fail to use my codes for 1x Free First class return ticket or 1x Free Standard class return ticket.

Here is the ticket in the most recent attempt I made, SWI to PAD: Advance Single (1st Class)

Error: eVoucher code and PIN combination not valid.

Has anyone had success with either reward?

You can use them, just not to PAD.

 

[317362]

The scheme requires one to spend 30GBP per day. Can this be achieved by buying multiple advance tickets for different dates, or do all tickets have to be for the same day?

You can buy multiple tickets for different days, they have to be between 2 fully GWR stations.

When redeeming rewards they have to be singles not returns and the help team are quite responsive it it fails first time.

I got to Gold but have just reset for year 2. I have redeemed rewards but since the GWR web upgrade they have reappeared. GWR know this.

 

[gembercannelle]

You can buy multiple tickets for different days, they have to be between 2 fully GWR stations.

When redeeming rewards they have to be singles not returns and the help team are quite responsive it it fails first time.

I got to Good but have just reset for year 2. I have redeemed rewards but since the GWR web upgrade they have reappeared. GWR know this.

At the moment I keep getting a message saying the code is not valid (40% off one). I am not sure what exactly GWR stations are, in particular, does Oxford count as a "GWR station"?

 

[smckay]

You can use them, just not to PAD.

Thanks, please can I ask why?

 

[Stargull]

In case other people are having the same problem I had with this, the code and pin for the ticket rewards should be entered before searching for a journey, by clicking 'have a promo code' underneath the box where you specify the number of people travelling on the GWR.com home page, and not as an 'evoucher' on the checkout page. I had to contact customer services to have this pointed out, but once you realise it does work ok.

 

[Mark J]

So what will happen to GWR Rewards when GWR eventually becomes part of GBR.

Will the scheme then be discontinued and all perks lost. Or is likely that GBR may have some kind of replacement scheme on a nationwide/geographical basis.

 

[Belperpete]

So what will happen to GWR Rewards when GWR eventually becomes part of GBR.

Will the scheme then be discontinued and all perks lost. Or is likely that GBR may have some kind of replacement scheme on a nationwide/geographical basis.

As GWR and Avanti are very much in the minority in having such a scheme (do any other TOCs have such?), I suspect that they will be discontinued. Unfortunately GBR seems to be more about saving the government money than improving things for passengers, so I doubt anyone is going to pay to roll the scheme out across all TOCs.

I can't speak for the GWR scheme but most of the perks on the Avanti scheme have a shelf life (if only because you have to keep earning points to retain your membership level). So I would hope that you would retain your perks until they naturally expired and/or your membership expired.

 

[A S Leib]

As GWR and Avanti are very much in the minority in having such a scheme (do any other TOCs have such

LNER, in a different way (2% credit back for booking journeys involving LNER services, on their own website / app or elsewhere, rather than getting discounts or free tickets in the way Avanti and GWR do theirs).

 

[Belperpete]

LNER, in a different way (2% credit back for booking journeys involving LNER services, on their own website / app or elsewhere, rather than getting discounts or free tickets in the way Avanti and GWR do theirs).

I really can't see that being rolled out nationwide across all TOCs, you .might as well just cut all fares by 2%.

Once they all come under the GBR umbrella, I can see ex-SWR customers from places like Exeter start asking why they aren't getting the same perks as ex-GWR customers. And likewise ex-LNR and ex-EMR customers from places like Birmingham, Crewe and Derby asking why they aren't getting the same as ex-Avanti. Once that ball starts rolling, you have either got to roll it out nationwide, or stop it dead.

 

[AlterEgo]

you .might as well just cut all fares by 2%.

Those aren't the same thing though, and don't produce the same consumer behaviour.

 

[Belperpete]

Those aren't the same thing though, and don't produce the same consumer behaviour.

Agreed, but it only works because LNERs' is currently one of a number of competing TOCs websites. Once LNER is subsumed into GBR, it becomes impractical. If the LNER model was rolled out across GBR, you would end up with the GBR website offering 2% off GBR fares, which would effectively cut rail fares by 2%. The independent retailers would have to offer the same to stay in business. Aside from the anti competition angle, there is no way the government is going to sanction subsidising that.

 

[AlterEgo]

Agreed, but it only works because LNERs' is currently one of a number of competing TOCs websites. Once LNER is subsumed into GBR, it becomes impractical. If the LNER model was rolled out across GBR, you would end up with the GBR website offering 2% off GBR fares, which would effectively cut rail fares by 2%. The independent retailers would have to offer the same to stay in business. Aside from the anti competition angle, there is no way the government is going to sanction subsidising that.

Oh I quite agree it isn't going to continue. I half expect some sort of intercity-oriented loyalty scheme though - one that is barely worth signing up for.

 

[Belperpete]

I half expect some sort of intercity-oriented loyalty scheme though - one that is barely worth signing up for.

It costs money to run a loyalty scheme, and I have trouble seeing what incentive GBR would have to offer such a scheme. What would be the payback to GBR - and perhaps more importantly the Treasury?

The likes of Avanti, GWR and LNER had an incentive to keep their customers loyal to keep their books looking good, but that incentive is now largely gone and will surely vanish entirely once they are all subsumed into the corporate GBR website. Any incentive to use the GBR website that disadvantages the independent retailers is surely pretty quickly going to be referred to the Competition Authority.

 

[Mainline421]

What would be the payback to GBR - and perhaps more importantly the Treasury?

Building loyalty to increase usage and therefore increase revenue, obviously. If I had to guess they'll probably just changeover to a poor value GWR Rewards/Club Avanti hybrid based on spending vast amounts though, despite most large publicly owned European railways offering something better.

 

[Mark J]

It will be a shame though when the rewards are finally disbanded.

I've not yet claimed my off 40% standard advances (have until mid may to do so). However, I've used the discount on a free coffee and discounted food and drink on board.

It did seem rather daft starting a loyalty scheme, knowing full well GWR would eventually be going back into public ownership (it was known at the time GWR Rewards was launched) - and thus the loyalty scheme coming to an end.

 

[Belperpete]

Building loyalty to increase usage and therefore increase revenue, obviously.

That is a somewhat pat response without considering who would GBR be keeping their customers loyal to, against what competition. The Tesco clubcard, for example, is designed to keep people shopping in Tesco, as opposed to their competitor supermarkets.

I doubt that the somewhat paltry rewards offered by the current schemes are enough to tempt anyone who is considering alternative modes of transport, such as car or coach. And the costs of a scheme that were to offer rewards significant enough to do so would be unaffordable.

The current loyalty schemes are largely designed to keep you buying from a particular TOC's website, rather than their competitor TOCs. Once they are all GBR, that competition has vanished.

I think that the LNER scheme, with it's discount offering, is also aimed at attracting customers away from the likes of Uber. But for the reasons explained previously, I cannot see such a scheme being rolled out across GBR.

I doubt that the current schemes attract much additional revenue, as the rewards for buying extra tickets are so paltry in comparison. The number of additional revenue journeys generated must surely be insignificant compared to the number of free and discounted journeys being given out as rewards. And I doubt that the Treasury would be willing to underwrite a scheme that increases usage on routes that are already deemed to be overloaded.

As I say, I really cannot see much incentive for GBR to offer a scheme.

 

[A S Leib]

That is a somewhat pat response without considering who would GBR be keeping their customers loyal to, against what competition. The Tesco clubcard, for example, is designed to keep people shopping in Tesco, as opposed to their competitor supermarkets.

DB and I think ÖBB have point schemes with relatively few alternatives.

 

[Belperpete]

DB and I think ÖBB have point schemes with relatively few alternatives.

Which begs the question, what is the commercial justification for these schemes? What do they achieve that justifies the costs?

 

[Benjwri]

As I say, I really cannot see much incentive for GBR to offer a scheme.

GBR will still be in competition with third party retailers and will save on commission paid to them for each purchase. If a loyalty scheme can be funded from that then a scheme could make sense, even ignoring that the railway does still compete with driving, coaches and in some cases flying.

 

[Belperpete]

GBR will still be in competition with third party retailers and will save on commission paid to them for each purchase. If a loyalty scheme can be funded from that then a scheme could make sense

I could see any such scheme aimed directly against third party retailers very rapidly being referred to the competition commission.

The only TOCs currently running reward schemes seem to be those predominantly running long distance services (GWR, Avanti, LNER and in the past MML). If such a scheme were worthwhile, why haven't any of the other TOCs followed suit?

I suspect the reason is that the likes of GWR and Avanti can restrict your use of the rewards, as the free and reduced tickets are only usable on services where there is a reservation quota available. I could forsee problems rolling out such a scheme nationally to other services where reservations aren't such a feature of sales.

Once GBR takes over, any scheme has surely got to be applicable nationally. No point in offering free teas and coffees to people whose trains never have buffet service, for example. Offering free or discounted tickets that are not available to third party retailers would surely be seen as anti competitive.

 

[apbj]

As I say, I really cannot see much incentive for GBR to offer a scheme.

GBR is competing with other modes and also for leisure spend.

I reckon there will be something simple and transactional that will reward spending eg ability to earn/redeem Nectar, Avios, Virgin points etc when purchasing on GBR site. This brings airline customers into the ecosystem.

I think we'll see an end to the more ambitious reward schemes such as GWR or Avanti, which is a shame because a deeper loyalty partnership would be a powerful incentive to choose the railway over domestic flying. A lot of people choose flying for some trips because of their loyalty benefits; reciprocate on InterCity journeys and it would be a game changer. But I fear it will be written off as too complex.

 

[Belperpete]

GBR is competing with other modes and also for leisure spend.

I reckon there will be something simple and transactional that will reward spending eg ability to earn/redeem Nectar, Avios, Virgin points etc when purchasing on GBR site. This brings airline customers into the ecosystem.

I think we'll see an end to the more ambitious reward schemes such as GWR or Avanti, which is a shame because a deeper loyalty partnership would be a powerful incentive to choose the railway over domestic flying. A lot of people choose flying for some trips because of their loyalty benefits; reciprocate on InterCity journeys and it would be a game changer. But I fear it will be written off as too complex.

The current loyalty schemes are not to encourage people to travel by train, but to book on the relevant TOC's website. If you want a scheme to encourage people to travel by train, it should surely be applicable wherever you book your tickets, not just GBR. All that a GBR-only scheme will do is discourage people from booking with third-party retailers. I can see the third-party retailers complaining about any such scheme being inherently anti-competitive.

 

[uvarvu]

Thanks, please can I ask why?

You can use them, just not to PAD.

The GWR website is lamentable, but there is a workaround:

1. Log into GWR and start a search for your journey. Enter your promo code and pin here (not at payment stage) and choose a destination station such as Hungerford (not Paddington).
2. Run the search. If it doesn't work, try a different destination station.
3. When you have a successful station you should see the list of ticket options, all discounted.
4. Amend your journey to Paddington and search again, selecting First Class if desired and have a 40% code or First Class code.
5. Voila!

 

[WelshBluebird]

Somewhat confused at the above - I booked advance tickets to and from Paddington using a 40% code last week and it worked fine!