SWR ~ Smartcard and TOC Priv card

[EastCoastway]

Hello,

I'm in the back end of week 2 now with SWR and I was planning to make use of my TOC Priv card that they said would come in the next couple of weeks when I had my induction. Not to sound antsy but does anyone think it'll turn up in the post tomorrow or Friday or is it a bit of a longer wait?


Thanks!

 

[Aivilo]

Call and make sure they have your details

 

[Stigy]

Call Railstaff travel. I had to chase my passes up with them (I had the PRIV ones already as I came from SWR to GWR). They said when I phoned that they hadn’t been processed yet. If I hadn’t called I’d have been waiting indefinitely I’d imagine. Did you have to upload your photos on the RDG website? I did for GWR but I don’t know if SWR now do this too?

 

[Lewis H]

They take 3-4 weeks, mine came dead on a month after I started

 

[sw1ller]

Took me 8 weeks to get mine, out HR didn’t send the details off for 6 weeks even after I pestered them. Drove me nuts.

 

[EastCoastway]

Oh, well I guess I best amend my day out to somewhere on the SWR network so I can use my temp pass...

 

[Stigy]

Oh, well I guess I best amend my day out to somewhere on the SWR network so I can use my temp pass...

If you still only have a temporary card for SWR I’d chase RST about that too if I were you.

 

[EastCoastway]

If you still only have a temporary card for SWR I’d chase RST about that too if I were you.

I mean the temp passes are valid aren't they for now? Will I not just get backs up by chasing it?

 

[Stigy]

I mean the temp passes are valid aren't they for now? Will I not just get backs up by chasing it?

The temporary pass is valid for as long as it says it is, and if you haven’t received your actual ones when they expire, you can just have another temp one. They’re valid for all the same things as the permanent passes are. It’s just inconvenient to keep showing them at barriers etc I guess (the smart card will open the barriers) . They won’t mind you chasing them up. Just call Railstaff travel direct they’re usually quite good.

 

[EastCoastway]

The temporary pass is valid for as king as it says it is, and if you haven’t received your actual ones when they expire, you can just have another temp one. They’re valid for all the same things as the permanent passes are. It’s just inconvenient to keep showing them at barriers etc I guess (the smart card will open the barriers) . They won’t mind you chasing them up. Just call Railstaff travel direct they’re usually quite good.

I'll give them a call this week and see what's what. I'm just wanting to travel and get a priv ticket for something, I guess i'm just a bit eager!

 

[Cavan]

You can email rail staff travel too and they usually respond reasonably quickly!

 

[EastCoastway]

You can email rail staff travel too and they usually respond reasonably quickly!

They won't just report back to my TOC and get me in trouble?

 

[bb21]

Nothing wrong with chasing them up and they won't report you. (Why would they?)

Officially you are only eligible for the TOC priv card after one month's service but your card may arrive earlier or later than that. If you are worried, speak to them.

 

[tiptoptaff]

They won't just report back to my TOC and get me in trouble?

No, they tend to agree that TOC HR is less than useful

 

[Cavan]

They won't just report back to my TOC and get me in trouble?

Say what? No of course not as long as your email is factual and polite!

Have a look at: https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/contact/other-contacts.html#toc

It shows what RST handles for each TOC - as you can see for SWR RST handle, safeguarded, new joiners and TOC travel.

It could be they have not received the info from HR hence they may ask you to chase it up at the TOC end.

 

[EastCoastway]

Thanks all. Dropped an email to the RST kindly enquiring as to the status of what's going on and when I can expect receipt of travel facilities.

 

[sw1ller]

I chased them up every few days at one point. I was getting fed up of paying bus fares. (I was Arriva at the time). Soon as my TOC ID came it saved me £16.50 a week bus or petrol and parking. There’s nothing they can do until your HR sends over the details though.

 

[Realdeal]

Hi everyone....you're prob bored of these types of questions but i have a fairly simple question. ..i have my toc card and want to travel from kings cross to leeds and return the next day in the football season...me and my 2 boys we all have toc cards. ..do LNER let me do this and what is the best way to do it to make sure i get a seat? Btw my spouse is the employee for swr and not
me....thankyou....

 

[sw1ller]

Hi everyone....you're prob bored of these types of questions but i have a fairly simple question. ..i have my toc card and want to travel from kings cross to leeds and return the next day in the football season...me and my 2 boys we all have toc cards. ..do LNER let me do this and what is the best way to do it to make sure i get a seat? Btw my spouse is the employee for swr and not
me....thankyou....

You’re not guaranteed a seat, if you’re using a seat and there are paying passengers standing, you should give up your seat for them. If however, you’re paying the 25% fare, then you can reserve a seat when you pay for your ticket in advance. Just ask at the booking office.

 

[Realdeal]

Thanks. ..I don't mean a physical seat just a spot on the train..so if i just rock up on the day its free?

 

[Stigy]

Thanks. ..I don't mean a physical seat just a spot on the train..so if i just rock up on the day its free?

If it’s not the TOC your partner works for, or there isn’t a reciprocal agreement for free travel, you should pay the PRIV rate, which you can do on the day (however it’s often cheaper and more convenient to do this in advance and book a seat). If you speak to staff on the train they’ll often not charge you for travel, however with large London stations with barriers this generally isn’t possible.

 

[Realdeal]

Not sure. .she works for swr...london north eastern railway are the operating carrier up there