Closed ticket office and Annual purchase

[bengley]

Quick question

Tomorrow morning I wish to purchase a £4432 annual season.

The ticket office will not be open at the time I an travelling (0510)

Can I purchase a single to my destination from the ticket vending machine, then have the cost of this ticket deducted from the annual season when I purchase it at my destination?

 

[westv]

When I had an annual season I always renewed at the weekend but I'm assuming that isn't available to you.

 

[bengley]

When I had an annual season I always renewed at the weekend but I'm assuming that isn't available to you.

Nope, I get paid tonight and sadly don't have £4432 lying around to purchase the ticket until that happens!

 

[185143]

Yes that should be OK. However when my local ticket office closed for refurbishment, we were told to buy passes at destination, usually Manchester.

 

[westv]

Nope, I get paid tonight and sadly don't have £4432 lying around to purchase the ticket until that happens!

No company season ticket loan! How awful!
Anyway, moving on, I'm sure someone will come along with an answer.

 

[bengley]

No company season ticket loan! How awful!
Anyway, moving on, I'm sure someone will come along with an answer.

The loan comes into my account at midnight

 

[185143]

Have you tried tweeting the TOC?

 

[CyrusWuff]

Short Answer: Depends if you're in a Penalty Fare area or not and, if you are, whether the Ticket Office at your destination is run by the same TOC as your origin.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

The official line is that if a passenger boards at an unstaffed station and wishes to purchase a Monthly or longer season ticket then they should purchase a single ticket for the journey they are completing, then the cost of this single ticket will be deducted from the cost of the season ticket when that is purchased at the destination. It always used to be in the fares manual, or whatever it is now called, but since that became a system which you can only access via certain computers, then I have not been able to access it unless I can get access to the training / learning room at work.

 

[Merseysider]

If the ticket you wish to purchase is unavailable at your boarding station, a ticket should be purchased that allows you to complete part of the journey and pay the rest at the next opportunity. See NRCoC 3.

Obviously, the guard on board isn't going to sell an annual.

So purchasing a single to your destination and having them deduct the fare paid from your annual season is probably the best way to do this. Whether staff at the destination station know how to or will be happy to do this is a different matter.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

There is an element of what each TOC would want, what a staff member on the train might do, and what the clerk at the destination ticket office would say.

If you are in a Penalty Fare Scheme area, you must buy a ticket for all (or part) of the journey, or get a Permit to Travel, to avoid a Penalty Fare (unless, for some reason, they are not available).

 

[Wolfie]

Too late for the OP now but an earlier credit card purchase could still have solved the problem (pushing up his/her credit limit first if necessary)... The gap between signing off the debt and paying it is the key....

 

[westv]

Too late for the OP now but an earlier credit card purchase could still have solved the problem (pushing up his/her credit limit first if necessary)... The gap between signing off the debt and paying it is the key....

Or asking for the company loan earlier.

 

[reb0118]

If the ticket you wish to purchase is unavailable at your boarding station, a ticket should be purchased that allows you to complete part of the journey and pay the rest at the next opportunity. See NRCoC 3.

This is a very common occurrence on the trains that I work. In days gone by we used to issue part exchange tickets. Which brings be on to..........

Obviously, the guard on board isn't going to sell an annual.

........Once upon a time a passenger presented a pre written company cheque, made out to purchase an annual ticket, when asked for their fare. the passenger had boarded at an unstaffed station, pre TVMs. The guard, thinking on his feet (or rather thinking about his commission), issued a part exchange single for the full amount. Job done - well not quite. At that time my TOC did not have its own pay in facilities at the depot but contracted them out to another TOC who ran the booking office. They kicked up a right stink about the loss of their 9% retail commission (that said I'm sure they would have got something for handling the guards pay in?) - and we were told not to issue part exchanges for more than the single fare. That said the guard did get the commission as at the time there was no instruction not to do so. In fact lots of us used to round up part exchanges to the nearest £5 or £10 to preserve our float as required.

 

[bb21]

The official line is that if a passenger boards at an unstaffed station and wishes to purchase a Monthly or longer season ticket then they should purchase a single ticket for the journey they are completing, then the cost of this single ticket will be deducted from the cost of the season ticket when that is purchased at the destination. It always used to be in the fares manual, or whatever it is now called, but since that became a system which you can only access via certain computers, then I have not been able to access it unless I can get access to the training / learning room at work.

This was still the case before it was converted to the iKB. The relevant section is attached below.

The information is contained on pages 6 and 7.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Or asking for the company loan earlier.

Or it is paid with your wages therefore can only be received on one day. Earlier would have to be a month earlier which isn't possible as your previous loan hadn't expired?

 

[westv]

Or it is paid with your wages therefore can only be received on one day. Earlier would have to be a month earlier which isn't possible as your previous loan hadn't expired?

Yes, that does make sense. When I had a season ticket loan the company issued a cheque payable to the TOC.

 

[reb0118]

Yes, that does make sense. When I had a season ticket loan the company issued a cheque payable to the TOC.

Yes, that is correct. I think these were the only cheques that we could accept pre signed, and of course presented by a third party.

 

[bengley]

For the record,

I work for LUL so I know about penalty fares - I bought a ticket and had it deducted from the price of the season upon arrival at Victoria with no issues.

The loan coming earlier wasn't an option and yes it came with my pay.

Thanks for the answers guys!