refund on change of season ticket

[zip]

Hi

I have a 12 month season ticket from Welwyn Garden City to London terminals that does not include any other zones that started on 6 Dec 2012. From 3rd August I will have a 5 week period where I will not need the train, I will then need the train again from Welwyn Garden City to Highbury and Islington. I assume any refund I would get from refunding my ticket on the 3rd August and getting a new 12month ticket to start on the 9th September would be less than any refund I would get on changing the ticket from terminating at London Terminals to Highbury and Islington.


Please therefore would you be able to advise what the refund amount would be for changing my Season ticket to terminate at Highbury and Islington from the 3rd August to the 5th Dec 13 when the ticket terminates.

Many thanks in advance for your help on this.

 

[bb21]

Not worth it.

Without doing the exact calculation, remember that with each season ticket, you get around 6 weeks' worth of travel free, compared to buying monthly tickets. If you refund your ticket, you will be charged on what you have used on the basis of monthly tickets roughly pro rata, so you lose those 6 weeks' "free" travel instantly.

In addition, your ticket is currently priced on the basis of the cost from last year throughout its validity period (£62.50 per week, or 3.84 times that per month). If you purchase new tickets in September, you will have to pay the going rates this year, which for Welwyn Garden City - Highbury & Islington is £60.40 per week, or 3.84 times that per month.

I simply do not think it is worth it refunding and buying a new one in 5 weeks' time. I think your refund would be roughly £570, but between September and December your new ticket (assuming that you buy an annual season) will effectively cost you over £600, and you lose the advantage of starting your annual season just before price increases each year.

Just not worth it imo.

 

[zip]

Thanks for your quick response on this, very helpful.

 

[Be3G]

I think you've got the wrong end of the stick there bb21: the OP is asking for a changeover starting on the date that he/she begins the five-week period of no use.

 

[bb21]

No, the OP is specifically asking about refunding then buying a new annual season in September.

A changeover is a possibility. One option is for the OP to change over to a Welwyn Garden City - Hatfield season in August, then change it over again to a Highbury & Islington season in September. The season ticket after the changeover will still finish in December however getting someone who knows how to do changeovers might take time, especially if a second changeover is involved.

The OP might wish to consider this. It will probably be better value I think.

 

[maniacmartin]

Whilst it is possible to do a season ticket changeover to a really cheap ticket, and then do another changeover when you require use of the ticket again, staff won't enjoy doing it for you.

There is no requirement for the changeover to be on the same route - you could change to the infamous Ryde Pier ticket for 5 weeks...

 

[Muzer]

What's this Ryde Pier ticket? Ryde Pier Head to Ryde Esplanade or something?

 

[bb21]

What's this Ryde Pier ticket? Ryde Pier Head to Ryde Esplanade or something?

Not quite Ryde Pier. Ryde Esplanade to Ryde St Johns Road. Cheapest season ticket in the NSE area.

Without the consideration of retaining the Gold Card, then Lichfield City - Lichfield Trent Valley is cheaper.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The price of that particular season ticket is useful for some people wanting refunds on their season ticket, where the refund value for the changeover exceeds the refund value on the season ticket they hold (with the added bonus that you keep a Goldcard (Network Railcard benefits).

In this case, although the refund due would work out somewhere in the region of £200 (after you have changed it back), I'm not sure it is worth all the hassle you will have getting it done, particularly if your season was bought through your company (or by company cheque).

 

[zip]

Sorry for the confusion, I was asking what the refund amount would be for changing my Season ticket to terminate at Highbury and Islington (instead of London Terminals) from the 3rd August to the 5th Dec 13 when the ticket terminates.

Thanks

 

[bb21]

Sorry for the confusion, I was asking what the refund amount would be for changing my Season ticket to terminate at Highbury and Islington (instead of London Terminals) from the 3rd August to the 5th Dec 13 when the ticket terminates.

Thanks

Oh, I see. Sorry about the misunderstanding.

A changeover for the period after 3rd August (inclusive) is calculated as follows:

Welwyn Garden City - London Terminals: £2500 ÷ 365 = £6.85 (rounded to the nearest 1p)
Welwyn Garden City - Highbury & Islington: £2320 ÷ 365 = £6.36 (rounded to the nearest 1p)

Days to refund: 29 + 30 + 31 + 30 + 5 = 125

Total credit for surrendered ticket: £6.85 x 125 = £856.25
Total charge for new ticket: £26.85 x 184 = £795.00

Total refund: £856.25 - £795 = £61.25

This refund is not subject to the administration charge.

You will get more back if you do a changeover to something like the Ryde ticket mentioned above, then change over again in September to the Highbury ticket, but it might involve a lot of hassle as it involves a second changeover, the calculation of which is not explicitly set out and there is no consensus amongst experienced forum members how the calculation should be performed.

 

[zip]

That’s perfect, thanks for that. I think I will just go with the one changeover as not sure I want the hassle or stress of asking for the second.