Annual Gold Card Ts & Cs

[SandsofEss]

I’d be grateful for some advice on Gold Card rules please, as the Ts & Cs don’t explicitly cover this scenario.

When buying a ticket with the discount for an accompanying passenger, I understand they must travel with me for the duration of their journey. But must they also have an identical ticket type?

For example, I want to buy the following tickets:

Me:
Return ticket from Marden to London International with Gold Card discount

My son:
Single ticket from Marden to London International with Gold Card discount
+
Single ticket from London to Marden (Southeastern Kid for a Quid fare).

Is this a permitted use of the Gold Card discount? My son will travel with me throughout, but I will be buying two different ticket types – single and return.

 

[Hadders]

This sort of situation isn't defined in the terms and conditions, so it's possible you could encounter difficulties.

I've used combinations in the past with Gold Card discount where the ticket types were different. I think the biggest issue you'll have is getting a ticket office to sell the tickets you want.

 

[SandsofEss]

Thank you Hadders.

Sounds like a case of "try at my own risk". If you see me pop up on the "Disputes" sub-forum, you'll know it's gone horribly wrong...

 

[Haywain]

Is it worth the risk of hassle for a saving of £1.25?

 

[SandsofEss]

A fair question. Potentially a case of penny wise, pound foolish.

I suppose the principle of the thing is that it should be appropriate to buy the cheapest possible valid ticket for the journey, and the Ts and Cs don't appear to make this combo invalid.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is it worth the risk of hassle for a saving of £1.25?

Only the most "desperate gripper" would hassle over this, if you can get it sold. Surely accompanying someone one way (e.g. to an airport) and returning alone is a very common use case for a Network Railcard or Gold Card? This is just a version of that.

Buying a standalone child Network Railcard ticket may prove impossible, though. (A standalone adult one is easy enough).

 

[Haywain]

Only the most "desperate gripper" would hassle over this, if you can get it sold.

I was meaning more the hassle of trying to buy the tickets, which the OP has already experienced (although that's on their other thread).