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Use of family railcard

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35B

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I hold a Family & Friends railcard, and will be making a journey with a friend and my son. This is on a route for which I hold a season ticket.

In these circumstances, am I allowed to purchase tickets with the railcard despite my own ticket not being on the railcard, or does validity depend on my ticket being purchased with the railcard?
 
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35B

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Thanks for the link, and the advice. If I read it correctly, it only applies to annual tickets (mine is for good reason only ever monthly), and doesn’t authorise the discount for the friend I’ll be travelling with.

According to VTEC, the interesting thing is that paying for 3 of us on the railcard will only cost 25p more than at full fare.
 
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35B

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GRA-KGX, on a Sunday afternoon/evening. All on AP tickets, no sign of group discounts (HT cheapest!) but would use if best value.
 
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One adult and one child undiscounted would be 1.5 x the undiscounted adult fare.
Two adults @ 34% off plus one child with 60% off child fare would be 1.52x the undiscounted fare.

I would contact VTEC and see what they say.
 
fishquinn

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What happens on weekends where the annual season ticket is a Chiltern one more than £1500? A Chiltern season ticket priced over £1500 (for example a Leamington to Birmingham one) gives unlimited travel anywhere on the Chiltern network on a weekend. The wording of the iKB (assuming it hasn't changed since the quote in the other thread) says 'if the journey is over the route covered by the Season ticket', which would surely be the entire Chiltern route on a weekend? I assume not but would this allow a child family and friends railcard discounted ticket to be used from (say) Leamington to London on a Saturday if the season is from Leamington to Birmingham?

Cheers,
FQ.
 
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yorkie

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Wallsendmag said:
Are you not seeing the Small group discount? PM me the journey details if you want and I'll take a look.
Click to expand...
There are three passengers, but one of them is covered by the Season (who is also a Family Railcard holder) and there is also one child and one adult.

It sounds like the child would get a discount for sure if it was an Annual season, but perhaps not with a monthly and the accompanying adult may have to pay full fare.

The Gold Card T&Cs are very clear; perhaps there should be a similar rule for other Railcards.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46573.aspx
Annual Gold Card holders do not need to purchase a ticket for themselves if the journey being made is covered by their Annual Season ticket...
Click to expand...
 
Haywain

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fishquinn said:
What happens on weekends where the annual season ticket is a Chiltern one more than £1500? A Chiltern season ticket priced over £1500 (for example a Leamington to Birmingham one) gives unlimited travel anywhere on the Chiltern network on a weekend. The wording of the iKB (assuming it hasn't changed since the quote in the other thread) says 'if the journey is over the route covered by the Season ticket', which would surely be the entire Chiltern route on a weekend? I assume not but would this allow a child family and friends railcard discounted ticket to be used from (say) Leamington to London on a Saturday if the season is from Leamington to Birmingham?

Cheers,
FQ.
Click to expand...
You really would have to ask Chiltern about that, as the enhanced availability of the annual season at weekends is purely their decision. It would be entirely their decision how to interpret the national rule.
Wallsendmag said:
Are you not seeing the Small group discount? PM me the journey details if you want and I'll take a look.
Click to expand...
Trouble is, the small group discount is less beneficial than the railcard discount.
yorkie said:
The Gold Card T&Cs are very clear; perhaps there should be a similar rule for other Railcards.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46573.aspx
Click to expand...
The Gold Card T&Cs reflect the fact that it is, in itself, an annual season ticket and therefore simply reflects the rule applied to annual seasons (in combination with railcards) outside of the Gold Card area.

FWIW, I agree with the OP's interpretation of the rule. I don't see an easy way round this one as I doubt it is something where VTEC would want to do something differently to the national rule. My erstwhile colleague may be able to advise one way or the other after consulting within the TOC.
 
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