LNER 3rd Party TOC agreements

[TreacleMiller]

Hi all,

Any LNER staff here that can confirm the TOCs that have a travel arrangement with LNER?

Im aware it might be a case of free travel or a major discount but I don't know with which operators LNER have an agreement with.

Ill be commuting to York and then Leeds for my driving position but I am trying to factor in travel costs to my budget - im about to take a significant pay cut and my car isn't exactly economical .

Thanks in advance.

 

[Yfg132]

People correct me if I'm wrong but you'll receive 75% discount off other tocs and free travel with lner only. However generally if you ask very nicely before boarding showing your ID I'd say 95% of railway staff are very kind and view anyone who works on the railway as 'railway family' and will let you board for free! That's my expirience anyway.

 

[heedfan]

There is an agreement with EMR but that probably won't help as they don't go anywhere near York.

You will receive a Duty Travel Pass if you are starting driver training which allows you to travel for free on any TOC provided that you are on duty, this pass includes when you are attending a training school in the course of your duties. The caveat is this might take a while to turn up if you are brand new to the railway as RSTL take time to get you set up in their system.

 

[Watershed]

Hi all,

Any LNER staff here that can confirm the TOCs that have a travel arrangement with LNER?

Im aware it might be a case of free travel or a major discount but I don't know with which operators LNER have an agreement with.

Ill be commuting to York and then Leeds for my driving position but I am trying to factor in travel costs to my budget - im about to take a significant pay cut and my car isn't exactly economical .

Thanks in advance.

There is free travel on LNER for all purposes, and a reciprocal agreement for commuting with EMR and GTR. However these agreements are obviously of little use to you if you are commuting from Sheffield to Leeds or York as you would be using Northern or XC.

The other general travel facility available to you is a 75% discount off most rail tickets. This comes in the form of a "Rail Staff Leisure Card" (aka Priv) entitling you to 75% off single and return walk-up tickets for leisure purposes only, as well as a Reduced Rate Season ticket, wherein you submit an application for an authorisation form giving you 75% off a season ticket.

This season ticket must be issued for a month or longer, from the closest station to home to the closest station to your workplace (you couldn't get a season for Sheffield to Doncaster and use your staff pass for the remainder, for example). But once you have it, you may use the season ticket for any purpose, including commuting or leisure purposes.

In practice, many conductors (particularly in the North) are more than happy to let you travel for free if you ask them before boarding, showing your Priv or TOC travel pass. However, this is not permitted under the rules of issuance for the Priv, and if you were to be 'discovered' by an RPI, it could constitute a travel irregularity leading to the temporary or permanent withdrawal of travel facilities, and/or disciplinary action. Whether that's a risk you wish to accept is up to you...

 

[Devonish]

I would be wary of "I asked the guard and he said it was fine to travel for free" scenario. I know someone who did just that (and indeed guard was happy) and ended getting reported by barrier staff at the destination station following a long intercity journey.

 

[L401CJF]

This season ticket must be issued for a month or longer, from the closest station to home to the closest station to your workplace (you couldn't get a season for Sheffield to Doncaster and use your staff pass for the remainder, for example). But once you have it, you may use the season ticket for any purpose, including commuting or leisure purposes.

Not entirely true, I applied and was granted one for my commute during my training period. I was commuting from A-B on another TOC then B-C on my own TOC. I applied for a season ticket for A-B, and A wasnt even my local station but was the 2nd closest with a bigger carpark and more frequent direct service. I explained this in the notes, and that I could use my own toc from B-C, and it was granted.

Also as has already been said, personally if I am travelling for leisure I always pay with priv discount on other TOCs, I dont try my luck. However I always let other staff travel on my train no questions asked.

I often use another TOC to commute to work (10min journey), in uniform, with TOC card, although not strictly allowed I ask the guard if I can jump on and never been told no. Been checked by RPIs on my commute 3 times this week no issues at all. Of course it is all discretionary and it is a risk, depends on which RPI you get.

For me in uniform off to work, no issues. Personally I think wanting free leisure travel on other TOCs is taking it a bit far so I never chance it. Hope this helps.

 

[Watershed]

Not entirely true, I applied and was granted one for my commute during my training period. I was commuting from A-B on another TOC then B-C on my own TOC. I applied for a season ticket for A-B, and A wasnt even my local station but was the 2nd closest with a bigger carpark and more frequent direct service. I explained this in the notes, and that I could use my own toc from B-C, and it was granted.

A better served origin station, still nearby to your home, is probably likely be accepted. But I've certainly heard stories of people having applications refused where they've asked for a season solely for the part of their commute that's not covered by their own TOC/reciprocal pass.

 

[Lemmy99uk]

However generally if you ask very nicely before boarding showing your ID I'd say 95% of railway staff are very kind and view anyone who works on the railway as 'railway family' and will let you board for free! That's my expirience anyway.

Really poor advice for someone embarking on a railway career.

 

[Yfg132]

Really poor advice for someone embarking on a railway career.

How is it poor advice.. So that new railway employees barking on a new career no longer have the backs of other railway employees on things which have been going on for decades and is one of life's very few perks?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

How is it poor advice.. So that new railway employees barking on a new career no longer have the backs of other railway employees on things which have been going on for decades and is one of life's very few perks?

It’s poor advice because if someone meets that 5% that aren’t ‘free’ as you put it they risk dismissal if reported as a a travel irregularity.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 May 2022 ==

This season ticket must be issued for a month or longer, from the closest station to home to the closest station to your workplace (you couldn't get a season for Sheffield to Doncaster and use your staff pass for the remainder, for example). But once you have it, you may use the season ticket for any purpose, including commuting or leisure purposes.

PRIV rate flexi-seasons are also available these days, but again these are as the OP says are only available in one month durations.

 

[Watershed]

It’s poor advice because if someone meets that 5% that aren’t ‘free’ as you put it they risk dismissal if reported as a a travel irregularity.

Absolutely true; however equally it is worth noting that the 'misuse' of Priv facilities in this manner is extremely commonplace based on what I have observed, even at the higher levels of TOCs (for example, using First Class facilities when not strictly entitled to do so).

The ability to treat such travel as an irregularity is primarily there as a sanction to be able to use against people where there is a disagreement (commonly if someone 'fails the attitude test'). So by no means would I encourage anyone to do it, but equally they would hardly be an outlier if they did.

PRIV rate flexi-seasons are also available these days, but again these are as the OP says are only available in one month durations.

Indeed they are, and seeing as the use of Priv discounted single/return tickets for commuting purposes is explicitly forbidden, there are actually more use cases for Priv rate Flexi seasons than public rate Flexi seasons (which are usually atrocious value for money).

But as a driver it seems unlikely that the OP would commute on other TOCs sufficiently infrequently for a Flexi season to be cheaper than a season ticket. It's perhaps more appropriate for someone who works part time or only comes into the office a few days a week.

 

[High Dyke]

This is my EMR issued spouse pass. It is valid for leisure travel on LNER, who I believe have a reciprocal arrangement for travel on EMR.

 

[Yfg132]

This is why you never board without previously speaking to the train manager/guard and if its the 5% you can then go buy a priv ticket for the next train or they may sell you one on board. I'm not saying just get on and plonk yourself in first class like a self righteous twerp.

 

[Lemmy99uk]

This is why you never board without previously speaking to the train manager/guard and if its the 5% you can then go buy a priv ticket for the next train or they may sell you one on board.

Once again, terrible advice to the OP.

You cannot use a PRIV ticket when travelling to or from work.

 

[Efini92]

Once you have your DAT card that will cover you for transport to training school.
Ask the school if they can provide you with travel warrants for northern or XC. You shouldn’t be out of pocket for travelling to the training school.

 

[TreacleMiller]

Already asked HR. XC out of the question by the looks of it, but could get a season ticket to Doncaster and then travel via York free. Annoyingly, Season ticket to York doesnt permit travel via.... Doncaster. LOL.

 

[Watershed]

but could get a season ticket to Doncaster

As stated above, this is very much at the discretion of RSTL. I've heard of similar applications being rejected in the past, but perhaps you'll have better luck!

Annoyingly, Season ticket to York doesnt permit travel via.... Doncaster. LOL.

Yes it does - you can travel via Leeds or Doncaster. Or via Pontefract Baghill - if you can find a train that's running that way!

 

[TreacleMiller]

As stated above, this is very much at the discretion of RSTL. I've heard of similar applications being rejected in the past, but perhaps you'll have better luck!


Yes it does - you can travel via Leeds or Doncaster. Or via Pontefract Baghill - if you can find a train that's running that way!

Really, season ticket terms literally said not via Doncaster.

 

[Watershed]

Really, season ticket terms literally said not via Doncaster.

There are no fares from Sheffield to York which are routed 'not via Doncaster'. You can see the full list here.

There are fares from Sheffield to Leeds which are routed 'not via Doncaster'. But I don't see that these would be of any use to you when commuting to York. You would need to go Sheffield-Leeds-Doncaster-York to use your LNER staff travel pass (unless you caught the once daily LNER service between Leeds and Aberdeen).