Spending RTV’s with Station based ticket examiners

[B7rleThrasher]

Hi all,

It is my intention to travel from a GWR station tomorrow morning which is manned with ticket examiners during the morning peak - am I able to use RTV’s for my travel and will I receive change if the ticket costs less than the value of the RTV?


Thanks in advance!

 

[Romilly]

National Rail Enquiries says:

They can be exchanged at station booking offices or through some Telesales – if purchasing through a Telesales Department enough time must be allowed for processing, this can be up to 14 days. (Please check with the specific retailer).

They cannot be exchanged for cash.

Change cannot be given if the cost of the ticket(s) purchased is less than the value of voucher(s) tendered.

That certainly answers your question about change, and is somewhat discouraging about the chances of acceptance by your likely retailer.

 

[B7rleThrasher]

National Rail Enquiries says:



That certainly answers your question about change, and is somewhat discouraging about the chances of acceptance by your likely retailer.

Thanks!

 

[47271]

I don't know the definitive answer, but I can tell you that a couple of years ago I was in the queue at Preston ticket office and a guy with a portable machine asked if he could help.

I said yes, but I want to buy a load of unusual advance tickets with a sheaf of Delay Repay vouchers, can you do that? No problem at all he said, and 20 minutes later we were still puzzling through it with them all laid out on a window sill, and the queue got ever longer, but it worked. He thanked me for educating him on the Scotrail network.

So it's certainly possible on Virgin, whether they actually agree to do it on GWR is another matter.

 

[nickswift99]

I’ve never had a problem with GWR selling tickets to me using RTV while onboard or at a station with no permanent ticket office.

I would strongly recommend having an alternative means to pay though.

 

[221129]

I’ve never had a problem with GWR selling tickets to me using RTV while onboard or at a station with no permanent ticket office.

I would strongly recommend having an alternative means to pay though.

I wouldn't worry about alternative means to pay. If they don't accept it then you can pay at the first available opportunity.

 

[nickswift99]

I wouldn't worry about alternative means to pay. If they don't accept it then you can pay at the first available opportunity.

But that's not strictly true if you could have bought a ticket from a station with a ticket vending machine using another form of payment as the National Rail terms for an RTV make it clear you should use a ticket office.

 

[Bletchleyite]

But that's not strictly true if you could have bought a ticket from a station with a ticket vending machine using another form of payment as the National Rail terms for an RTV make it clear you should use a ticket office.

FWIW I've boarded without a ticket at Bletchley when the ticket office was closed unexpectedly and purchased at Euston using a RTV. That said, I think it would be different if the station in question did not normally have a ticket office.

TBH I don't see why they don't abolish RTVs, they are a nuisance now.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

the National Rail terms for an RTV make it clear you should use a ticket office.

Not the ones I've received! They have all said something along the lines of "may be used as full or part payment at any National Rail station".

 

[yorkie]

I would strongly recommend having an alternative means to pay though.

Why? The only reason I can think of is if a speedy exit at the destination is essential!

 

[cactustwirly]

FWIW I've boarded without a ticket at Bletchley when the ticket office was closed unexpectedly and purchased at Euston using a RTV. That said, I think it would be different if the station in question did not normally have a ticket office.

TBH I don't see why they don't abolish RTVs, they are a nuisance now.

It's been a long time since I've had one

 

[Mag_seven]

TBH I don't see why they don't abolish RTVs, they are a nuisance now.

I thought they were abolishing them in favour of cash refunds?

 

[yorkie]

I thought they were abolishing them in favour of cash refunds?

Some companies may well have done this, but some certainly have not.

 

[cactustwirly]

Some companies may well have done this, but some certainly have not.

I thought all companies offered cheques/BACS making RTVs obsolete

 

[Belperpete]

I thought all companies offered cheques/BACS making RTVs obsolete

For people who would prefer not to give their bank account details to sundry TOCs, RTVs may be more convenient than cheques. All the TOCs that I have claimed from recently have still offered them as an option. However, many guards don't know how to enter them on their new ticket machines!

I have noticed that when paying out a largish sum, TOCs used to break it down into several smallish value RTVs, but now just issue one full-value RTV that may be harder to spend.

 

[yorkie]

I thought all companies offered cheques/BACS making RTVs obsolete

Many TOCs continue to choose to give out RTVs.

 

[Kite159]

For people who would prefer not to give their bank account details to sundry TOCs, RTVs may be more convenient than cheques. All the TOCs that I have claimed from recently have still offered them as an option. However, many guards don't know how to enter them on their new ticket machines!

I have noticed that when paying out a largish sum, TOCs used to break it down into several smallish value RTVs, but now just issue one full-value RTV that may be harder to spend.

It seems to depend with SWR, sometimes I get the RTVs split down into £10 amounts [i.e a refund of £25 will be 2x £10 & 1x£5], sometimes it's just the one voucher for £25. This week it was 1x £20 & 1x £5