Glasgow SPT Daytripper ticket validity

VT 390 · 29 May 2019

I am looking at getting this ticket for a trip to Scotland I am planning:
https://zonecard.online/shop/daytripper
I am a little confused as to how it works as it does not give an option for selecting the date I wish to use it so is it a bit like a Rover that I would need to fill in the date I want to travel and if so if I buy it now can I keep it until I want to use it at the start of August?

Also am I reading this map correct, that it is valid on all ScotRail services within the orange outline?
http://www.spt.co.uk/images/daytripper_map_web.pdf
The reason I ask is if this is correct it seams very good value for just £12.70 so just want to check that it is actually valid on everything that it shows in that area.

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hexagon789 · 29 May 2019

VT 390 said:
I am a little confused as to how it works as it does not give an option for selecting the date I wish to use it so is it a bit like a Rover that I would need to fill in the date I want to travel and if so if I buy it now can I keep it until I want to use it at the start of Augus

From SPT's website:

How to use: Daytripper tickets can be bought in advance or on the day. Simply rub off the year, month, date and day when you start your first journey. Remember to seal down the plastic cover or your ticket will not be valid! Tickets must be redeemed within the valid ticket period – no refunds or replacements will be given once expired.

VT 390 said:
Also am I reading this map correct, that it is valid on all ScotRail services within the orange outline?
http://www.spt.co.uk/images/daytripper_map_web.pdf
The reason I ask is if this is correct it seams very good value for just £12.70 so just want to check that it is actually valid on everything that it shows in that area

Yes, all railway stations in that area. I believe certain bus companies might not accept it, SPT has a list on their website, but part from that it has pretty extensive validity.

VT 390 · 29 May 2019

hexagon789 said:
From SPT's website:

Yes, all railway stations in that area. I believe certain bus companies might not accept it, SPT has a list on their website, but part from that it has pretty extensive validity.

Thanks for the quick response.
Do you know how long the valid ticket period is as it does not appear to say on their website?

IslandDweller · 29 May 2019

It is remarkably good value. Yes, it is valid over the whole area shown on that map, the key extra point to note is "on the participating operators". All Scotrail services in the area are covered - but not all buses. I tripped myself up recently by just sticking my hand out for the first bus approaching: turned out to be a McGills service (not accepted) and I needed to wait for a Stagecoach service. (I was using the bus to connect between the rail line at Largs and the line at Wemyss Bay)
Date validity? It depends on what ticket stock you get. It's not a conventional orange card rail ticket. It's a bespoke ticket product for SPT, larger than a conventional ticket The station ticket office keeps the blank stock in a box and pulls one of them out as and when needed - it's not printed by the usual rail ticket printer. The ticket office gives you the base ticket - they don't select any dates - you do that when you decide to use it (which might be right then and there, or at a future date)
As you've guessed, days / months are pre printed and you scratch off the date / day you are using. You then seal the card (to prevent subsequent alteration) using the attached plastic seal - a much easier process to do than to explain. The one I had last month was pre printed with 2019 and 2020 as options - but the available year dates no doubt 'moves' every time they reprint the base stock. I would have no worries about buying now and using in August - it will definitely be valid throughout the rest of 2019.

VT 390 · 29 May 2019

IslandDweller said:
It is remarkably good value. Yes, it is valid over the whole area shown on that map, the key extra point to note is "on the participating operators". All Scotrail services in the area are covered - but not all buses. I tripped myself up recently by just sticking my hand out for the first bus approaching: turned out to be a McGills service (not accepted) and I needed to wait for a Stagecoach service. (I was using the bus to connect between the rail line at Largs and the line at Wemyss Bay)
Date validity? It depends on what ticket stock you get. It's not a conventional orange card rail ticket. It's a bespoke ticket product for SPT, larger than a conventional ticket The station ticket office keeps the blank stock in a box and pulls one of them out as and when needed - it's not printed by the usual rail ticket printer. The ticket office gives you the base ticket - they don't select any dates - you do that when you decide to use it (which might be right then and there, or at a future date)
As you've guessed, days / months are pre printed and you scratch off the date / day you are using. You then seal the card (to prevent subsequent alteration) using the attached plastic seal - a much easier process to do than to explain. The one I had last month was pre printed with 2019 and 2020 as options - but the available year dates no doubt 'moves' every time they reprint the base stock. I would have no worries about buying now and using in August - it will definitely be valid throughout the rest of 2019.

Thanks for this, it is really helpful information.

hexagon789 · 29 May 2019

VT 390 said:
Thanks for the quick response.
Do you know how long the valid ticket period is as it does not appear to say on their website?

National Rail say: "it's valid for the remaining years indicated."

Are they stamped with a year perhaps? I'd maybe tweet, phone or e-mail SPT for clarification on that one.

hexagon789 · 29 May 2019

I think I've figured it out - you have to mark off a year as part of the date, the remaining validity is until the end of the year you mark off.

VT 390 · 29 May 2019

hexagon789 said:
I think I've figured it out - you have to mark off a year as part of the date, the remaining validity is until the end of the year you mark off.

Thanks, that would seam to make sense.

IslandDweller · 29 May 2019

When purchased, it is potentially valid until the last day of the highest year on the pre printed date range, so at least 31 Dec 2019. The one I purchased would have lasted to 31 Dec 2020.
As soon as you scratch off the date to activate the ticket (and seal the plastic seal), the remaining validity is the end of that day.

paddington · 29 May 2019

Google Image search:

Don't buy it online, you have to pay postage!

If you can't get it at a ticket office beforehand, you can buy it on the train, where it will be issued as a normal rail ticket called a Daytripper Exchange. You are meant to swap it to this scratchcard at a ticket office, but I don't see why guards would care if you didn't... and it would be less hassle at ticket barriers! Maybe some bus drivers wouldn't accept the ticket in rail format.

Kite159 · 29 May 2019

It is great value for the area it covers and certainly gets used by families at weekends.

The last one I purchased in April has 2019-2020-2021 for the year options, if you buy it from a busy station (Glasgow Central/Queen Street) then it shouldn't be an issue, just be careful if buying from a quieter station ticket office as they might have older stock (i.e 2017-2018-2019), although if you plan to use it the same day then it shouldn't be an issue as long as it's for the current year.

APT618S · 29 May 2019

The one I bought from the Queen St ticket office in Mar was a 2019-2020-2021 one.
If you are using buses as well as trains, a good thing with these tickets is that they list on the back of the ticket the Bus Operators they are valid on which is useful with drivers who are unfamiliar with them.

route101 · 30 May 2019

IslandDweller said:
It is remarkably good value. Yes, it is valid over the whole area shown on that map, the key extra point to note is "on the participating operators". All Scotrail services in the area are covered - but not all buses. I tripped myself up recently by just sticking my hand out for the first bus approaching: turned out to be a McGills service (not accepted) and I needed to wait for a Stagecoach service. (I was using the bus to connect between the rail line at Largs and the line at Wemyss Bay)
Date validity? It depends on what ticket stock you get. It's not a conventional orange card rail ticket. It's a bespoke ticket product for SPT, larger than a conventional ticket The station ticket office keeps the blank stock in a box and pulls one of them out as and when needed - it's not printed by the usual rail ticket printer. The ticket office gives you the base ticket - they don't select any dates - you do that when you decide to use it (which might be right then and there, or at a future date)
As you've guessed, days / months are pre printed and you scratch off the date / day you are using. You then seal the card (to prevent subsequent alteration) using the attached plastic seal - a much easier process to do than to explain. The one I had last month was pre printed with 2019 and 2020 as options - but the available year dates no doubt 'moves' every time they reprint the base stock. I would have no worries about buying now and using in August - it will definitely be valid throughout the rest of 2019.

Yeah that caught me out with McGills , McGills really ought to accept it. Did arriva west of Scotland accept them?

Used one recently , outdated product , should be a ticket for gateline as i had to wait at Glasgow Central for barriers.

I think the roundabout ticket should be inner zone and include buses and he daytripper outer zone .On normal ticket stock.

The list of buses operators could be more extensive.

Peter Mugridge · 30 May 2019

I bought one of these in April at Glasgow Central and it was issued on the normal credit card sized stock... and yes, it did work all the barriers.

TUC · 31 May 2019

According to the SPT website, Daytripper is also valid on any SPT-supported services. Therefore it would be valid on SPT supported journeys operated by McGills. Is there any way to identify which these are?

route101 · 31 May 2019

Peter Mugridge said:
I bought one of these in April at Glasgow Central and it was issued on the normal credit card sized stock... and yes, it did work all the barriers.

Interesting , not heard of them on ticket stock unless it was a roundabout you were on .

route101 · 31 May 2019

TUC said:
According to the SPT website, Daytripper is also valid on any SPT-supported services. Therefore it would be valid on SPT supported journeys operated by McGills. Is there any way to identify which these are?

I wondered if they were valid on them services , not sure , ones listed with timetables on SPT website?

Peter Mugridge · 31 May 2019

route101 said:
Interesting , not heard of them on ticket stock unless it was a roundabout you were on .

Ahh... possibly; I did specifically ask for the local area trains only after being on the Mk5 Sleeper launch train. This was when I was chasing 380s for haulage so only needed Paisley and the inner area.

hexagon789 · 31 May 2019

route101 said:
Did arriva west of Scotland accept them?

Yes they did.

paddington · 31 May 2019

TUC said:
According to the SPT website, Daytripper is also valid on any SPT-supported services. Therefore it would be valid on SPT supported journeys operated by McGills. Is there any way to identify which these are?

http://www.spt.co.uk/bus/timetables/ shows a list of "Subsidised bus services" and their timetables. Some are a bit odd as they only operate on weekends and/or late at night, I am not sure if the same services run M-F daytime without subsidy and thus the daytripper would not be valid.

route101 · 31 May 2019

hexagon789 said:
Yes they did.

Is there a reason McGills dont accept them ? I assume they accept the zonecards?

hexagon789 · 31 May 2019

route101 said:
Is there a reason McGills dont accept them ? I assume they accept the zonecards?

No idea on either count I'm afraid. Perhaps they don't consider it worth their while financially?

APT618S · 31 May 2019

I have used the Daytripper on the SPT service 121 run by McGills out of Govan Bus Stn a couple of times without incident.
The only times I have had the ticket initially questioned is on the long distance services which originate outside the SPT area such as First Midland Bluebird and Stagecoach East Scotland when travelling on the Buchanan Bus Stn to Cumbernauld corridor.

Glasgow SPT Daytripper ticket validity

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