Season Ticket Question

[atomicdanny]

This may sound daft but would it be possible to buy a season ticket from any station (for example - a bit extreme but say - buying Dover Priory - Faversham from say Inverness).

Also how do railway staff feel about railway vouchers? only asking this because I have a few of them and they are in small amounts from £20 down to £1. How long would they generally take to do (and would they annoy staff?) Only because of a few mistakes from Southeastern people (to be fair however they were all professional all the time)

 

[me123]

Yes, you can purchase any season ticket anywhere. However, bear in mind that you will have to return to that ticket office if there is any problem.

So you could go up to Wick and buy a Penzance-St Erth season if you were so inclined. They'd have to sell it to you, and I'm sure they would. But if you lost your ticket, if it's damaged, if you want a refund etc... you'd have to go back up to Wick to get a replacement! So it's not particularly convenient, and it's obviously in your best interests to pick a local or convenient station when you buy your ticket. Wherever you buy your ticket, I find that they tend to remind you of this at the time. So if you were going to do something ludicrous like what we've suggested here, they'd probably try and talk some sense into you!

I've never dealt with Rail Travel Vouchers (although will do soon once may Delay Repay comes through), so I can't answer your question. However, I'm pretty sure that they have to accept them, so how they feel about it would be totally irrelevant. If you don't mind me asking another question on top of yours, does anyone know if the vouchers can be used to purchase tickets on the train? And can you get change for them (either cash or more vouchers)?

 

[island]

There is generally no problem buying a ticket from any station to any other station from any third station, season or not. (I have seen notices at some stations that the ticket window will sell only tickets from their own station before 1000, presumably to stop people like me coming up to a busy commuter station on Monday morning and wanting to buy four advances for random dates 10 weeks away. And pay partially by rail travel vouchers, partially by warrant, and partially in 5p coins.)

I hear several London stations do a roaring trade in Ryde Pier Head to Ryde Esplanade annuals

I imagine ticket clerks might be a bit wound-up if you have a big pile of vouchers, although you could mitigate it by making sure they're all unfolded, facing the same way, and anything you have to fill in is filled in.

To me123: I believe you can spend them on the train for tickets (and possibly even buffet purchases). TOCs are not however obliged to provide change if you don't spend the full value.

 

[atomicdanny]

ah thanks for that (the only reason why I asked really was because I would be in Stowmarket on the 25th April, and was going to get a weekly season ticket for the next day from Aylesham, Kent to Chatham - because I had about £50 worth of vouchers)

 

[me123]

That's of course fine, and for the sake of a week you probably won't need a replacement or anything like that anyway.

And thanks for that info "island". Hopefully I'll get sensible denominations of RTVs!

 

[CliveJones]

With the exception of having to fill in the ticket number and price and stamp them, they are the same as cash. So as a ticket office guy I can say use as many vouchers as you want, its not a problem.

If you do want to be thoughtful then you can fill in as much as possible on the back which would help the staff.

 

[Greenback]

As an ex ticket office guy, I agree with Clive - £2 or £200 it's all the same!