Whilst I'll miss the East Coast Trains Rewards scheme which offers great value, at least I'll finally be able to spend, for the first time, the ten and a half thousand Nectar points I've been accumulating since the scheme began.
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
East Coast rewards after February 2015?
- Thread starter andrewkeith5
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
At the same initial rate as Pizza Express vouchers. Dropping to 2/3 that rate.
Hi,
I've registered on this forum today just to have a rant about the new East Coast rewards scheme with Nectar.
If my maths are correct then the new arrangement seem to be incredibly poor value. Correct me if I'm wrong but:
Under the old scheme, spending £250 would get me 250 Rewards points, which was enough for a standard class single from, say, Newcastle to London (my commute) - let's say £40. Pretty good really, esp for a weekly commuter like me.
Under the new scheme, spending £250 gets me 500 Nectar points (£1 = 2 points) which equals a rail voucher for ... drum roll please ... £2.50. Not even enough for a lukewarm bacon sarnie in the buffet car.
Is the new scheme really that poor value??
I know I can get more Nectar points by purchasing tickets using a Nectar-affiliated credit card, but that's only going to help marginally.
I've registered on this forum today just to have a rant about the new East Coast rewards scheme with Nectar.
If my maths are correct then the new arrangement seem to be incredibly poor value. Correct me if I'm wrong but:
Under the old scheme, spending £250 would get me 250 Rewards points, which was enough for a standard class single from, say, Newcastle to London (my commute) - let's say £40. Pretty good really, esp for a weekly commuter like me.
Under the new scheme, spending £250 gets me 500 Nectar points (£1 = 2 points) which equals a rail voucher for ... drum roll please ... £2.50. Not even enough for a lukewarm bacon sarnie in the buffet car.
Is the new scheme really that poor value??
I know I can get more Nectar points by purchasing tickets using a Nectar-affiliated credit card, but that's only going to help marginally.
Yes, but the Nectar scheme as a whole is pretty poor value. Probably why I have yet to redeem any of my points since the scheme was started in 2002.
Indeed, and there are many credit or charge cards that offer much better rewards.
Yep, but there are much better ways of getting money off at Pizza Express that are not compatible with Nectar vouchers.Deerfold said:
This is true. But it you want to go to Pizza Express anyway you can probably use the nectar point vouchers for things you couldn't use the free ones for e.g. money off drinks or use at barred times.
Anyway regarding the scheme it's pathetic. You can only use it on EC Advances? What if there's no advances on the train you want to use... If they're going to offer a cash value then they're obviously going to offer less than if they're offering actual travel. So why not allow the cash value to be redeemed against any ticket? They're imposing the same restriction twice, in effect. If they get to keep all the money from your points-spending anyway, why not offer a reasonably generous rate? What a load of nonsense. It would take tens of thousands of nectar points to buy some advances!
Last edited:
I was more thinking of buying gift cards at a reduced rate for which there are no time restrictions or restrictions on use in conjunction with other offers.
I have a question regarding e-vouchers. I currently have £30+ worth bought from East coast.
Are they usable on the new Virgin website, or will I have to use them on the old East Coast site(are they usable on any other TOC's website?). I've never had/used e-Vouchers before, so I'm a little un-sure how they work.
I also have 114 rewards points pending, which I believe will be converted/claimed on March 1st, which should give me 684 nectar points if converted.
Is it worth buying another e-Voucher for £140 (which I would use for a trip in July), so that I could at least be able to claim 1 free single.
Are they usable on the new Virgin website, or will I have to use them on the old East Coast site(are they usable on any other TOC's website?). I've never had/used e-Vouchers before, so I'm a little un-sure how they work.
I also have 114 rewards points pending, which I believe will be converted/claimed on March 1st, which should give me 684 nectar points if converted.
Is it worth buying another e-Voucher for £140 (which I would use for a trip in July), so that I could at least be able to claim 1 free single.
Thanks for that, I'm not on twitter. Are e-Vouchers TOC specific or can they be used on other TOC's site?
An email I had last week (I was going to post but couldn't find this thread) alluded to the current site staying, albeit being more red than the current purple
Likewise. The rate may be crapola, but it will be a use for them at least. Built up quite a few points from fuel over the years
Think some of the vouchers expire in year 9999
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
eVouchers bought on EC site can be only redeemed on their site but can be redeemed against any ticket available through their site
Last edited:
Believe it is this that you're referring to: http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/news/upcoming-changes-to-east-coast/
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
As I've said elsewhere, I'm going to buy all my tickets from First TransPennine now- they give 1% on Quidco together with £1=2 Nectar points on all purchases, not just purchases for their trains*. That's getting towards where EC Rewards used to be. (*actually, I'll probably use the link that gives the forum the money, but you get my point...)
This scheme will be better for infrequent travellers- it was a constant source of frustration for my father that he didn't travel enough to get the decent rewards, so his points were useless- but worse for frequent travellers. Presumably Stagecoach think frequent travellers will still buy with them and travel with them regardless. They probably have a point.
This scheme will be better for infrequent travellers- it was a constant source of frustration for my father that he didn't travel enough to get the decent rewards, so his points were useless- but worse for frequent travellers. Presumably Stagecoach think frequent travellers will still buy with them and travel with them regardless. They probably have a point.
Last edited:
crispy1978
Member
I've been out of action for 10 days with being in hospital so not really kept up to date on this.
I've got around 850 points - if I got a 1st and a standard rewards ticket before the end of Feb, I'll have until the end of September to use them - is that correct?
I've got around 850 points - if I got a 1st and a standard rewards ticket before the end of Feb, I'll have until the end of September to use them - is that correct?
Oh woe. Instead of the Annual Lounge Pass I've just got, I could have had £90 worth of train travel. How will I cope.
You'd rather have a box of Kitkats from Sainsbury's, right?
trainophile
Established Member
I'm seriously considering buying an eVoucher that will cover almost all my regular travel up to the end of August. Money is making nothing in the bank so better off getting more free tickets while the option exists. Need to do some sums.
Have got four 1st tickets York to Dundee and back at the end of April, and it was nearly impossible to find any availability for anywhere - this was a couple of weeks ago. It's a case of booking what you can get rather than where you want to go... I'm looking forward to Dundee though!
Have got four 1st tickets York to Dundee and back at the end of April, and it was nearly impossible to find any availability for anywhere - this was a couple of weeks ago. It's a case of booking what you can get rather than where you want to go... I'm looking forward to Dundee though!
Last edited:
cf111
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,348
Just redeemed the last of my points for 1st class tickets, first trip will be INV-KGX on the 16th of April, still more than 9 tickets left on that train!
Yep. If your points don't expire until September you can actually convert them to tickets until then (after Virgin launch) and travel on a rewards ticket into 2016.
Last edited:
trainophile
Established Member
Not everyone can start from Inverness though!
Do we know what happens to pending points? Do they still 'mature' into fully redeemable points even after 28th Feb? I've got enough actual points and pending points to get another 1st class rewards ticket without having to faff with vouchers but I'm not sure what'll happen to my pending points.
I thought it was stated that pending points convert to actual points on or on shortly after 28th February - I haven't got the precise reference to hand at the moment, though. [Just checked: it's on the main Rewards Changes page on the EC website, although that refers to shortly after 1st march]
Last edited:
adrock1976
Established Member
This is what I would like to know, as I have 82 points pending at the moment.
When those points clear, I will have 1465 points - the exact amount for 4 x First Class journeys.
In peace
Adam
When those points clear, I will have 1465 points - the exact amount for 4 x First Class journeys.
In peace
Adam
trainophile
Established Member
Sorry to disappoint you, but it's 1565 points for 4 x 1st tickets. Perhaps that's what you meant, and made a typo?
adrock1976
Established Member
It is a typo. I'm presently at 1483 points, so with the 82 pending, it will be 1565.
In peace
Adam
From East Coast's website about the closure of the Rewards scheme.
http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/rewards/rewards-news/
Ah good so I'll be able to get one more ticket out of them without having to mess around with vouchers. Thanks
cf111
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,348
This is very true and to be the honest it's the first time it's been a convenience
CallySleeper
Established Member
I was fairly sure that free tickets bought with points only had a limited time (3 months?) before they had to be booked - though I can't find anything about this. Is this the case?
Once points have been converted you've got 6 months to 'spend' them on tickets. You can book up to 12 weeks ahead so you could be travelling well into 2016 with a Rewards ticket, unless VTEC impose a cut off.
Tickets will need to be booked by 30th September - 12 weeks from then doesn't take you into 2016.
- Status