Travelled without Railcard

[Olamide]

Hello Everyone,

Good Evening.

kindly review my situation regarding an incident report issued to me today.

I booked a train ticket on train line using my student rail card discount as always.

Upon the ticket check procedure by the officer, he scanned and requested to view my rail-card. Upon me searching my bag,i realized i forgot it at home.

I informed the officer and kindly offered to show him a picture of the rail-card but he insisted he had to see it physically.

He then requested my name and house address and asked me some questions which I answered and requested i sign. I was issued a incident travel report.

He then said once i receive a letter in about two weeks, I should respond and attach a copy of my rail card.

my rail-card is valid till February 2024. This is the first time I forgot it at home and going through such ordeal.

Will kindly appreciate your response and feedback as i am worried.

 

[island]

You have been correctly advised. There is a procedure for a forgotten Railcard to be forgiven once a year; assuming you do in fact have the correct Railcard and it was valid when you travelled, you will just need need to send in a copy of it when you get the letter and that will be the end of the matter.

 

[jfollows]

National Rail Conditions of Travel 8.6 (https://assets.ctfassets.net/e8xgeg...e9b4e6/National_Rail_Conditions_of_Travel.pdf):

8. Railcards
8.1 If you use a Railcard to purchase a discounted Ticket, you must carry the Railcard (and have it available for inspection) when you travel. The Railcard must be within its period of validity when you travel (in other words it should not have expired).
8.2 The Railcard may have additional restrictions which will apply to any Tickets you buy when using it.
8.3 If you have a Railcard, you must ensure that the information on it can be read by rail staff. On occasions this printed information may fade over time. If your Railcard starts to become illegible for this reason, we will replace it without charge. This can be done at any station with a Ticket office or through the Licensed Retailer from which it was purchased.
8.4 When you buy a national Railcard the full terms and conditions will be provided. They are also available from www.railcard.co.uk, and on request from all staffed Ticket offices.
8.5 If you are travelling with a Railcard discounted Ticket and are unable to present the Railcard when asked by the staff or authorised agents of a Train Company, you will be treated as having joined a train without a valid Ticket and Conditions 9.1 – 9.5 will apply.
8.6 However, if you were unable to present the Railcard because you had forgotten to carry it on that particular journey or mislaid it, the Train Company concerned will refund any fare or Penalty Fare paid in accordance with Condition 10.
8.7 In order to claim such a refund, you will need to contact the customer service department of the Train Company that charged you the additional fare or Penalty Fare, providing the full details of your Railcard, together with the additional Tickets you have purchased or any Penalty Fares notices. A maximum of one such claim will be considered in any 12-month period.

 

[Sheffcaster202]

I was part way through writing similar to the above comments when my phone went all funny

You’ll have a bit of a wait for a letter to come through and when it will ask for your version of events, you can usually reply by email copying your reference number in and attach a copy of your railcard. The TOC concerned can then check out it’s validity and it should be the end of the matter

As you were issued an irregularity report you won’t have to claim a refund or anything as described in the T&Cs copier over by jfollows

 

[MotCO]

But remember to carry it with you in future! You won't be so lucky next time!

It is also often suggested to set a reminder (e.g. on your phone) to renew it before it expires.

 

[Olamide]

You have been correctly advised. There is a procedure for a forgotten Railcard to be forgiven once a year; assuming you do in fact have the correct Railcard and it was valid when you travelled, you will just need need to send in a copy of it when you get the letter and that will be the end of the matter.

Thank you for your response.

now i feel much better.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jun 2023 ==

But remember to carry it with you in future! You won't be so lucky next time!

It is also often suggested to set a reminder (e.g. on your phone) to renew it before it expires.

Thank you for your response.

The reminder is a great idea. I will set it immediately.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jun 2023 ==

National Rail Conditions of Travel 8.6 (https://assets.ctfassets.net/e8xgeg...e9b4e6/National_Rail_Conditions_of_Travel.pdf):

National Rail Conditions of Travel 8.6 (https://assets.ctfassets.net/e8xgeg...e9b4e6/National_Rail_Conditions_of_Travel.pdf):

Thank you for your response.

I feel much better now. Upon the receiving the letter will attach a copy of my railcard as advised.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you for your response.

now i feel much better.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jun 2023 ==



Thank you for your response.

The reminder is a great idea. I will set it immediately.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jun 2023 ==





Thank you for your response.

I feel much better now. Upon the receiving the letter will attach a copy of my railcard as advised.

Yes, as mentioned the 'Forgotten Railcard Policy' allows one grace occasion per year IIRC for you to be let off if you prove you actually have a forgotten Railcard.

These are a lot of cases that come on here where people either claim they have a Railcard when they don't (ie lie when their ticket is checked having bought a discounted ticket to which they are not entitled) or have a Railcard but forget to renew it and it turns out to be expired when the inspector asks to see it. Obv neither of these apply to you but you will want to make sure the 2nd of these does not happen by accident in due course so best to set a renewal reminder as the railway (or whoever you bought it off) do not have a good track record of sending out reminders to people whose railcards are about to expire.

Head back here if you need more advice in due course!

 

[some bloke]

I think what would make prosecution unacceptable to a magistrate or judge, at least with a 16-25 Railcard, is this:

"If you forget your Railcard you will either be required to buy a new ticket or you may on certain services be liable for a Penalty Fare"

https://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/refunds-replacements/

The passage in the Conditions of Travel is about refunds, and only applies to someone who has paid an extra/higher/penalty fare. It doesn't bar prosecution.

In any case, the company would be self-harming if they tried to prosecute, given the inevitable backlash from various consumer and travel organisations and the public if you told them.

If you're worried, you could send the proof now in case that speeds things up. You could ask Customer Services where to send it.