Super off peak travelcard

[Class377]

Hi,
I was planning going to Charing Cross at the weekend from St Albans City, and on the FCC website the option "Super off-peak travelcard" came up. At a fair bit cheaper than a standard off-peak travelcard it looks appealing, but are there any restrictions? I was thinking of running SAC-STP, then tube from STP-London Bridge and Southeastern from LBG-CHX - would I be able to do that?

 

[Edvid]

Yes you can. The only difference (besides the price obviously) is that it's limited to weekends.

That said, you may be able to get a return if you're just travelling to CHX and back (I haven't tried it myself though).

 

[LexyBoy]

You certainly could do that, though if you just want to get to Charing Cross why not just take the tube (or direct 91 bus) from St Pancreas? (Or tube from Kentish Town to avoid changing lines, assuming your train stops there). A travelcard gives you unlimited travel by bus/tube/train etc within London.

A quick look on national rail offers Super Off Peak Return to STP at £8, but only a Off Peak Day Return to CHX at £15 so I guess the travelcard is the better bet (not sure how much that is).

 

[Class377]

Yeah, thanks, it's what I suspected, just when I looked at it on the FCC website it said it was only offered by c2c for some reason.

Thanks for the help, I might go via Kentish town but I do like the Southeastern rolling stock

Many Thanks again.

 

[MCR247]

Electrostars FTW!

Networkers

 

[Class377]

Yeah lol.

Sorry for the other question, but I see usually a Southeastern return from LBG-CHX is about 2 quid cheaper than first class..

If I wanted to travel first class for just this part of the journey could I go to the ticket office and ask for my travelcard to be "upgraded" for this section, or would I have to pay for a whole new return ticket?

 

[MCR247]

You wont miss out on anything if you dont go 1st class...

 

[John @ home]

If I wanted to travel first class for just this part of the journey could I go to the ticket office and ask for my travelcard to be "upgraded" for this section

No. The FCC SuperOffPeak Day Travelcard is a Standard only product. There is no First Class version.

would I have to pay for a whole new return ticket?

Yes. You would have to buy a First Class ticket for the part you travel in First Class accommodation. But if travelling in a Class 377 train the Standard portions of Coaches 1 and 4 of each unit are effectively identical to First Class accommodation.

John

 

[jon0844]

Does anyone know why FCC is only selling the super off-peak tickets online and at ticket windows? The TVMs don't sell them and when I asked, it seemed as if they never will!

So, you come to Hatfield station and the ticket window is closed (staff on break, station closed) and instead of paying £12 for a Super off-peak Travelcard, you'll have to pay £16.

No wonder FCC wanted to reduce the opening hours of stations!

Although there are posters up, nobody going to a TVM (which is obviously what everyone wants people to do) is going to even know a super off-peak ticket is available as it's not on there! This is yet one more reason why people will never switch from a ticket window to using a machine.

 

[yorkie]

So, you come to Hatfield station and the ticket window is closed (staff on break, station closed) and instead of paying £12 for a Super off-peak Travelcard, you'll have to pay £16.

If the full range is not available, get a PTT. If PTT machine is unavailable you can buy onboard (if someone comes round - unlikely on FCC of course!) or, more likely in this case at your destination/interchange point.

 

[SouthEastern-465]

Electrostars FTW!

Networkers

Nothing wrong with "Networkers" (may need a refurb though!).

 

[jon0844]

If the full range is not available, get a PTT. If PTT machine is unavailable you can buy onboard (if someone comes round - unlikely on FCC of course!) or, more likely in this case at your destination/interchange point.

FCC have now removed Permit to Travel, so that's not an option.

And at Hatfield, the ticket window will often close so staff can have a break - which means the gates will still be manned - so there's no way to get on the train. The question is, can an RPI sell the ticket?

I've asked before and the guy on duty manning the gates wouldn't sell any discounted tickets at all and said I'd have to wait until the staff came off their break. No ticket: no getting on to the platform!

Some will sell tickets or queue bust, but it's a bit hit and miss.

 

[John @ home]

FCC have now removed Permit to Travel, so that's not an option.

And at Hatfield, the ticket window will often close so staff can have a break - which means the gates will still be manned - so there's no way to get on the train. The question is, can an RPI sell the ticket?

I've asked before and the guy on duty manning the gates wouldn't sell any discounted tickets at all and said I'd have to wait until the staff came off their break. No ticket: no getting on to the platform!

Some will sell tickets or queue bust, but it's a bit hit and miss.

If that happened to me during the advertised ticket office opening times (Hatfield times here) then a letter to the MD of the TOC would be sent forthwith demanding reasons in writing why the breach of the franchise should not be reported to the Secretary of State. I would include the name of the member of staff on duty at the gates and state that I had taken timed photographs of the closed booking office and the closed gate line.

John

 

[jon0844]

I did write about this incident on another forum, and was told that staff are entitled to breaks. It didn't seem to matter that if you couldn't get the ticket you wanted from a TVM it meant you couldn't travel at all - or at least not until a time convenient to the TOC.

At Hatfield, I am not sure if there's staff shortages, but recently the ticket windows have been closed long before the station closes (especially on Friday), and the gates left open because they're not manned. Ticket machines are continually out of paper stock too.

Obviously, without going to other stations along the line, I can't tell if this is a local problem or one of staff shortages in general.

 

[yorkie]

Yes staff are entitled to breaks, and if they leave the barrier open there is no problem and you can buy at your destination.

What they can't do is leave barriers closed and unmanned! Also they can't refuse to sell tickets and prevent you accessing the platform.

 

[jon0844]

The ticket window and the gateline are different though.

If the ticket window is shut but the gatelines staffed, you're not getting through without a ticket. Some will sell tickets, others will point to the TVM and say 'no ticket, no travel'. As we all know, TVMs don't sell loads of tickets (such as ticket extensions) and now I know it won't sell the super off-peak tickets valid at weekends.

Of course, open gates but an open ticket window is likely to make you liable to pay a penalty fare...

I must incredibly unlucky too, as when I'm on my own, I'm using my season ticket.. but whenever I'm with someone that needs a ticket, it always ends up being a nightmare! I do feel for the ordinary punters sometimes.

 

[CarDriver]

I suppose the "solution" is to buy a ticket to the next station and excess it enroute.

I wonder if the gate line staff that refuse to sell the ticket in the first place would issue the excess?