Railcards and Season tickets

[Killingworth]

Sorry if there's already a thread for this, but it's well known that the use of Season tickets is falling.

A new 26-30 Railcard has just been introduced ensuring that anyone up to 30 can get reduced rate travel, as can all those from 60 upwards. Other railcards are available for all sorts of groups such as armed forces, disabled, family and friends, Network (South East), employees at Manchester Airport to name but a few. There are many others. They come with with a wide range of limitations and restrictions, however it's immediately obvious that the 31-59 age group are getting a generally poorer deal.

I sometimes travel to Manchester from Sheffield and know some fellow passengers are using season tickets, a few for first class, but that number is declining. Why? A few reasons I've heard;

1. Many travel Monday-Thursday only. Work at home Friday is becoming quite normal.
2. Railcard users get no discount on a Season ticket.
3. Advance fares are now available on specific trains that undercut a Season ticket discount.
4. Season ticket holders don't get a booked seat - advance fare payers do.
5. On our line first class season tickets are only usable on TPE trains where they may have to stand.
6. Split ticketing options!

Having to book multiple advance tickets is a torment many put up with to save money and get a booked seat. I've seen large handfuls of tickets being shuffled, a veritable pack of cards, including cycle reservations booked in a different coach to the passenger.

Our fare calculation methods are truly amazing. The range of options mind blowing.

That's further compounded by the different formats of tickets issued, and all the rail and travel cards to accompany them.

Some passengers are regularly paying double what those in the know are shelling out to travel on the same trains. But why should Season ticket holders lose out without a booked seat to those seated on cheaper Advance fares?

No wonder Season ticket sales are down.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Sorry if there's already a thread for this, but it's well known that the use of Season tickets is falling.

A new 26-30 Railcard has just been introduced ensuring that anyone up to 30 can get reduced rate travel, as can all those from 60 upwards. Other railcards are available for all sorts of groups such as armed forces, disabled, family and friends, Network (South East), employees at Manchester Airport to name but a few. There are many others. They come with with a wide range of limitations and restrictions, however it's immediately obvious that the 31-59 age group are getting a generally poorer deal.

I sometimes travel to Manchester from Sheffield and know some fellow passengers are using season tickets, a few for first class, but that number is declining. Why? A few reasons I've heard;

1. Many travel Monday-Thursday only. Work at home Friday is becoming quite normal.
2. Railcard users get no discount on a Season ticket.
3. Advance fares are now available on specific trains that undercut a Season ticket discount.
4. Season ticket holders don't get a booked seat - advance fare payers do.
5. On our line first class season tickets are only usable on TPE trains where they may have to stand.
6. Split ticketing options!

Having to book multiple advance tickets is a torment many put up with to save money and get a booked seat. I've seen large handfuls of tickets being shuffled, a veritable pack of cards, including cycle reservations booked in a different coach to the passenger.

Our fare calculation methods are truly amazing. The range of options mind blowing.

That's further compounded by the different formats of tickets issued, and all the rail and travel cards to accompany them.

Some passengers are regularly paying double what those in the know are shelling out to travel on the same trains. But why should Season ticket holders lose out without a booked seat to those seated on cheaper Advance fares?

No wonder Season ticket sales are down.

You can reserve a seat on trains that carry specific seat reservations (no, not the "counted place" reservation Northern et al use) if you have a season ticket. When I used to commute daily, for a while I used to get these a week at a time on the Friday beforehand at the ticket office.

I know TPE sometimes play silly buggers with seat reservations and refusing to issue them to holders of certain types of tickets, but hopefully a good ticket office is able to get reservations.

I think it's sensible for Advances to be available if there is the spare capacity, as otherwise it might simply go empty, but doesn't appear to make much sense to sell Advances on services that are known to be very busy.

Of course that doesn't necessarily align with the commercial interests of a TOC such as TPE that is known to be struggling in view of an ambitious franchise agreement where they are obliged to pay ever increasing premiums to the DfT, predicated on significant growth that hasn't entirely materialised.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Several TOCs don’t allow season ticket holders to reserve seats.

 

[Killingworth]

You can reserve a seat on trains that carry specific seat reservations (no, not the "counted place" reservation Northern et al use) if you have a season ticket. When I used to commute daily, for a while I used to get these a week at a time on the Friday beforehand at the ticket office.

I know TPE sometimes play silly buggers with seat reservations and refusing to issue them to holders of certain types of tickets, but hopefully a good ticket office is able to get reservations.

I think it's sensible for Advances to be available if there is the spare capacity, as otherwise it might simply go empty, but doesn't appear to make much sense to sell Advances on services that are known to be very busy.

Of course that doesn't necessarily align with the commercial interests of a TOC such as TPE that is known to be struggling in view of an ambitious franchise agreement where they are obliged to pay ever increasing premiums to the DfT, predicated on significant growth that hasn't entirely materialised.

I don't think many use a ticket office. Buy online and pick up at TVM - which is another story on a Monday morning when it may have run out of tickets. How do reservations work with E-tickets?

TPE isn't struggling with demand for commuter time services on the Sheffield-Manchester route, in both directions. Fastest trains, often cheapest from 3 TOC's fares, and too few carriages at peak hours. At least more carriages are coming, but that's our local issue and not the purpose of this thread.

 

[_toommm_]

Just as a heads up, Piccadilly happily issue a week's worth of reservations for you in both directions. They do it there and then if its quiet (and even entertain seating requests such as forwards facing tables at a window), or if not, they take a photocopy and give you reservation slips in the morning.

They even did it with my cheat ticket so you'll have no trouble with your (presumably) standard season.