Using a Northern Staff Railcard

Having recently been taken on as a Trainee Driver with Northern l have received a staff rail/discount card. I start my training on Monday and will travel from a station that is about an hour distant from Leeds and I will travel on TPE. My question is, can l use my discount card to purchase a ticket online in advance (can't see the staff option on drop-down menus) or is the card only be used to purchase tickets on the day of travel at a ticket office/on the train ? Just looking to be pointed in the right direction for day-to-day use of the card. TVM.

MPVSCO said:

Having recently been taken on as a Trainee Driver with Northern l have received a staff rail/discount card. I start my training on Monday and will travel from a station that is about an hour distant from Leeds and I will travel on TPE. My question is, can l use my discount card to purchase a ticket online in advance (can't see the staff option on drop-down menus) or is the card only be used to purchase tickets on the day of travel at a ticket office/on the train ? Just looking to be pointed in the right direction for day-to-day use of the card. TVM.

Click to expand...

I'm not staff, but I do know that PRIV rate tickets can only be purchased at ticket offices. I assume all staff passes are the same, if they aren't all classified as PRIV anyway

Is this your Northern Pass or your ATOC (75% off) pass? You're meant to buy a full price ticket, as the ATOC pass isn't valid for commuting.

scotsman said:

Is this your Northern Pass or your ATOC (75% off) pass? You're meant to buy a full price ticket, as the ATOC pass isn't valid for commuting.

Click to expand...

I believe it's my Northern pass/photo I.D. Checking the walk-up ticket price online @ £25 return each day, Mon-Fri for 3 months would be a bit of a stinger. Just a bit unsure of what the due process is for travelling between home and the training academy in Leeds. I'm aware there will be discounted travel, l'm just unsure that l have the correct card that will entitle me to reduced cost travel. I'm sure all will become clear on Monday when l make my 1st journey.

MPVSCO said:

I believe it's my Northern pass/photo I.D. Checking the walk-up ticket price online @ £25 return each day, Mon-Fri for 3 months would be a bit of a stinger. Just a bit unsure of what the due process is for travelling between home and the training academy in Leeds. I'm aware there will be discounted travel, l'm just unsure that l have the correct card that will entitle me to reduced cost travel. I'm sure all will become clear on Monday when l make my 1st journey.

Click to expand...

There may be a local arrangement where Northern accept TPE passes and vice versa. In practice, you're unlikely to get charged in uniform.

You will need to fill out a form and apply for a reduced rate season ticket, either that or pay full whack unless there is a mutual agreement for you to travel for free (which I doubt there is, officially! In the flesh, your mileage may vary and you may get all the guards saying "go on, hop on for free" but that is not official advice )

Here is the form that you will probably need to fill out:

http://www.atoc.org/download/clientfiles/files/RSTDocuments/NewForms2016/Form_1601_Resi_010116.docx

MPVSCO said:

Having recently been taken on as a Trainee Driver with Northern l have received a staff rail/discount card. I start my training on Monday and will travel from a station that is about an hour distant from Leeds and I will travel on TPE. My question is, can l use my discount card to purchase a ticket online in advance (can't see the staff option on drop-down menus) or is the card only be used to purchase tickets on the day of travel at a ticket office/on the train ? Just looking to be pointed in the right direction for day-to-day use of the card. TVM.

Click to expand...

Apply for a reduced rate season ticket, 75% off. Speak to your HR about it.

Firstly, there are 3 types of staff travel:
Residential - travelling to and from work.
Duty - travelling as part of your work whilst on duty
Leisure - off duty travel not related to work at all.

Generally speaking all discounted staff travel tickets are only valid for Leisure travel although you can buy a staff rate season ticket. This needs to be applied for.

In terms of travelling to or from work, this is an odd one.

TPE staff do get free residential travel on Northern services, it is printed on their staff travel cards.

The Old Northern used to issue about 25 different styles of staff travel cards, some of which weren't issued to staff but to all sorts of clingers on. Some were valid on TPE, some were not. The ones which were valid on TPE had it noted thereon. However generally the passes did not have a mention of TPE travel, which is somewhat odd seeing as TPE has it printed in theirs as being valid on Northern.

If you are in uniform it shouldn't be a problem travelling for free to and from work, like TPE do on Northern. Quite why Northern made their passes so complicated is quite beyond me.