Split Flexi-Season Validity

[ajhard]

Hi there

If I have 2 Flexi Season tickets, one for Didcot - Slough and another for Slough - Paddington, are they valid for use on any Didcot - Paddington service, ie no issue if the train doesn't stop at Slough?
I think this is ok, based on section 14.3 of the Conditions of Travel.

Taking this further, I assume no issues with buying the 2 tickets from an alternate TOC (where I can get a discount)?

Final question - I assume I activate the 'day' on the Didcot - Slough portion when I go through the gates at Didcot, am I able to activate the Slough - Paddington ticket in the NR app?

Thanks!

 

[Kite159]

Hi there

If I have 2 Flexi Season tickets, one for Didcot - Slough and another for Slough - Paddington, are they valid for use on any Didcot - Paddington service, ie no issue if the train doesn't stop at Slough?
I think this is ok, based on section 14.3 of the Conditions of Travel.

Taking this further, I assume no issues with buying the 2 tickets from an alternate TOC (where I can get a discount)?

Final question - I assume I activate the 'day' on the Didcot - Slough portion when I go through the gates at Didcot, am I able to activate the Slough - Paddington ticket in the NR app?

Thanks!

Yes, you can activate the second season within the app, just make sure it's activated before you board the train just in case you forget or get pounced on by a RPI/guard etc.

 

[Watershed]

There might even be a cheaper station to split at than Slough - I haven't checked for Didcot, but for Reading-London I think one of the small ones like Taplow worked out cheapest.

The station you split at doesn't need to be one served by GWR - it's sufficient for the train to pass through there.

The only disadvantage of splitting in this way is that you can't take the same permitted routes as a Didcot-London ticket, e.g. via Wokingham to Waterloo.

 

[ajhard]

Just bringing this back up again, the first flexi ticket successfully activated at the barriers at Didcot, but I’m not having any luck activating the Slough - Paddington portion, both the TOC and National Rail apps are saying they can’t find any tickets to add. Do I just have to wait until arrival at Paddington where I assume it will activate at the exit barrier?

 

[Haywain]

Just bringing this back up again, the first flexi ticket successfully activated at the barriers at Didcot, but I’m not having any luck activating the Slough - Paddington portion, both the TOC and National Rail apps are saying they can’t find any tickets to add. Do I just have to wait until arrival at Paddington where I assume it will activate at the exit barrier?

Have you got them both on the same smartcard? I believe that can cause difficulties.

 

[ajhard]

Yes - they are both on one smartcard. When I got to Paddington the chap on the gate line just waved me through (tapping the smartcard had not worked), so I assume this evening when I tap in it will activate that portion and then for the other 7 flexi days it should work as expected.

For future it sounds as though I will need a 2nd smartcard, how do I go about getting one from the same TOC when I already have one?

 

[Watershed]

You can get one from another TOC. But the easiest option is to use sTickets where enabled - rather than smartcards.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Just bringing this back up again, the first flexi ticket successfully activated at the barriers at Didcot, but I’m not having any luck activating the Slough - Paddington portion, both the TOC and National Rail apps are saying they can’t find any tickets to add. Do I just have to wait until arrival at Paddington where I assume it will activate at the exit barrier?

Sounds like you're trying to add a ticket rather than activate it.

 

[ajhard]

Sorry, yes the language is tripping me up.

The DID-SLO portion was added and activated by tapping in at Didcot, I have been unable to add or activate the SLO-PAD ticket. Hoping tapping in tonight at Paddington will do the trick.

Per the above I will get a second TOC card, but will also go with Smart Tickets in preference, also better not having to carry the smartcard.

Thanks all

 

[CyrusWuff]

Sorry, yes the language is tripping me up.

The DID-SLO portion was added and activated by tapping in at Didcot, I have been unable to add or activate the SLO-PAD ticket. Hoping tapping in tonight at Paddington will do the trick.

Per the above I will get a second TOC card, but will also go with Smart Tickets in preference, also better not having to carry the smartcard.

Thanks all

There has been an issue affecting Remote Ticket loading (yes, yet another one!) since just before 09:00 this morning.

Tickets purchased at Ticket Offices and TVMs are mostly unaffected as they load directly to the card at the time of purchase. Tickets already loaded and activation of a travel day on a Flexi Season are also unaffected.

 

[ajhard]

So... two more questions on this topic!

1 - I understand I can buy 2x e-Tickets rather than confusing matters with 2 on the same Smartcard, however how would I 'activate' the ticket for the 2nd part of the journey (Slough - Paddington) as I won't be going through a gate at Slough? Is there an 'app' that can do that for an e-Ticket as opposed to a Smartcard?

2 - Trainline and Trip.com both ask for a photocard number (which I don't have), I was under the impression that no photocard was needed for a Flexi-season?

Thanks!

 

[Watershed]

So... two more questions on this topic!

1 - I understand I can buy 2x e-Tickets rather than confusing matters with 2 on the same Smartcard, however how would I 'activate' the ticket for the 2nd part of the journey (Slough - Paddington) as I won't be going through a gate at Slough? Is there an 'app' that can do that for an e-Ticket as opposed to a Smartcard?

You could buy 2x sTickets. These are different to an eTicket in that you don't get a PDF or Wallet pass, you can only access it within the app and on the device where you bought it.

You need to activate a day's travel for both Flexi Seasons before you start your journey to work in the morning. You'll be able to do this in the app where you've bought the Flexi Season - it should be fairly self-explanatory once you have bought it.

2 - Trainline and Trip.com both ask for a photocard number (which I don't have), I was under the impression that no photocard was needed for a Flexi-season?

Thanks!

There is no requirement for a Photocard, however sTickets would typically have your name and photo shown on them instead.

I would suggest using a retailer with good customer service especially as this is a fairly expensive purchase. Neither Trainline nor Trip.com are exactly known for that.

 

[ajhard]

You could buy 2x sTickets. These are different to an eTicket in that you don't get a PDF or Wallet pass, you can only access it within the app and on the device where you bought it.

You need to activate a day's travel for both Flexi Seasons before you start your journey to work in the morning. You'll be able to do this in the app where you've bought the Flexi Season - it should be fairly self-explanatory once you have bought it.


There is no requirement for a Photocard, however sTickets would typically have your name and photo shown on them instead.

I would suggest using a retailer with good customer service especially as this is a fairly expensive purchase. Neither Trainline nor Trip.com are exactly known for that.

Thank you!

So that has helped, I was not aware an sTicket was different from an eTicket, who sells sTickets? I am able to get some cashback from TPE, Trainline and Trip hence was looking at them. Up to now I have been buying Weekly from TPE, but can't buy the 2x Flexi from them as they only issue a single Smartcard, they don't seem to offer an sTicket as far as I can tell.

 

[Watershed]

I believe Trainline and the GTR and Southeastern apps are some providers. There may be others but those are the ones I'm aware of.

Can appreciate that cashback is attractive but it has to be weighed against the potential cons if things go wrong, of course.

 

[ajhard]

Thank you! Agreed, it's a trade off...