Elstree to St Albans with a Freedom Pass (Boundary Extension?)

[Mawkie]

Evening all.

I was with a friend today at Elstree & Borehamwood. She needed an off peak day return to St Albans. She holds a London Freedom Pass and a Senior Railcard. The ticket office was closed. On initial inspection, the full price was £8.60. The gate line assistant came to the ticket machine to assist and said because the ticket office is closed they would check the price of both a ticket with a Senior Railcard discount and the price with a Freedom Pass (and issue the cheapest). The gate line assistant then issued a child ticket at £4.30 (for a 72yr old). This seemed odd to me. So I wondered:

Is there some 'local Thameslink agreement' to sell tickets to Freedom Pass holders for half fares?

What is the correct price for an Elstree & Borehamwood to St Albans off peak same day return under the above circumstances?

Thanks in advance all.

 

[High Dyke]

BR Fares would suggest the price for the ticket you mentioned as £8.60, using a Freedom Pass.

or £5.70 using a Senior Railcard.

 

[CyrusWuff]

As @High Dyke says, the fare should have been £5.70 with the Railcard discount applied.

In this particular case, the fare from Elstree & Borehamwood is the same as that from Boundary Zone 6, so you don't lose out by the Ticket Office being closed.

That's not always the case, however, such as if you're travelling to Cambridge and want to use GTR services in one direction and Greater Anglia services for the other, where you have to have the Boundary Zone 6 ticket rather than one from a named station (Hadley Wood, Crews Hill, Turkey Street or Enfield Lock).

 

[Hadders]

I suspect the gate line assistant was getting confused with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Council Concessionary Scheme which gives a 50% discount on off peak fares to concessionary bus pass holders issued in Bedfordshire or Hertfordshire for journeys wholly within these counties. A child ticket can be used if purchased from a TVM. A London Freedom Pass doesn't qualify for this offer.

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Council Concessionary Scheme | National Rail

Special offer: Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Council Concessionary Scheme. The portal into UK rail travel, including information on ticket purchase and promotions, train times and delays, and more.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

1. Holders of Concessionary Bus Permits issued by any Local Authority in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire can obtain a 50% discount on the following rail fares (Off-Peak Day Single; Anytime Day Single & Off-Peak Day Return) for journeys between any of the stations shown below, after 1000 Mondays to Fridays and all day Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

2. Tickets with this discount may be purchased from any staffed ticket office (or from ticket vending machines by purchasing a CHILD ticket).

 

[Mawkie]

I suspect the gate line assistant was getting confused with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Council Concessionary Scheme which gives a 50% discount on off peak fares to concessionary bus pass holders issued in Bedfordshire or Hertfordshire for journeys wholly within these counties. A child ticket can be used if purchased from a TVM. A London Freedom Pass doesn't qualify for this offer.

Thank you for this. Elderly friend lives in Streatham, so definitely didn't qualify. I shall remember for next time.

(Coincidentally, there were Revenue Inspectors upon my exit at Elstree yesterday, but elderly friend remained on the train to Streatham, so avoided any questioning.)

 

[strawbrick]

I got very interested when I read about "a 50% discount on off peak fares to concessionary bus pass holders issued in Bedfordshire or Hertfordshire for journeys wholly within these counties" because I live in Hertfordshire, have a Hertfordshire bus pass and frequently travel by train between two towns in Hertfordshire.
However, on following the National Rail link I find that it only applies to one TOC in Herts & Beds and it is not mine!
Anyone know why this is so?

 

[Hadders]

I got very interested when I read about "a 50% discount on off peak fares to concessionary bus pass holders issued in Bedfordshire or Hertfordshire for journeys wholly within these counties" because I live in Hertfordshire, have a Hertfordshire bus pass and frequently travel by train between two towns in Hertfordshire.
However, on following the National Rail link I find that it only applies to one TOC in Herts & Beds and it is not mine!
Anyone know why this is so?

I suspect GTR came to a deal with the relevant councils but West Midlands Trains, Greater Anglia, TfL and Chiltern weren’t interested.

 

[FatContr0ller]

The 50% bus pass scheme is a holdover from the FCC days and was just brought over legacy to GTR

I suspect the gate line assistant was getting confused with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Council Concessionary Scheme which gives a 50% discount on off peak fares to concessionary bus pass holders issued in Bedfordshire or Hertfordshire for journeys wholly within these counties. A child ticket can be used if purchased from a TVM. A London Freedom Pass doesn't qualify for this offer.

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Council Concessionary Scheme | National Rail

Special offer: Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Council Concessionary Scheme. The portal into UK rail travel, including information on ticket purchase and promotions, train times and delays, and more.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Yes you're spot on

 

[RJ]

Error in the customer's favour - these things cut both ways.