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Rail Travel Vouchers

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rishtonlad

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I have some Rail travel voucher's due to expire soon but give the issues at the moment would I be able to get these extended. They are from Northern and Virgin before the change of operator.
 
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221129

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I have some Rail travel voucher's due to expire soon but give the issues at the moment would I be able to get these extended. They are from Northern and Virgin before the change of operator.
Maybe, Maybe not, all you can do is ask.
 

beeza1

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Been checking if I had any unused RTV's acquired through delay repay, I have around £25 worth which expire next February, so all being well I should be able to use them no problem, however my friend has some which expire in August and it is looking increasingly unlikely she will be able to use them before the expiry date.
Has there been any decision regarding extending the expiry date, (as Tesco have done with their clubcard vouchers)?
If this is not the case is there any way of "cashing them in".
Any advice greatly appreciated, Thanks.
 

yorkie

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I've never had any issues using RTVs a few weeks/months beyond their expiry date so I doubt train companies are going to start rejecting them now.
 

beeza1

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I've never had any issues using RTVs a few weeks/months beyond their expiry date so I doubt train companies are going to start rejecting them now.
That really surprises me, a while ago I had one refused at Huddersfield station that was one day out of date, (if you want to nit pick it was around 10 hours), can't remember what the amount was, but I know I wasn't too happy about it.
 

beeza1

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Did you get it accepted anywhere else?
No, I was told it was no longer valid, so I more than likely asked them to put it in the bin.
If my memory is correct I think it was around £5, I can't remember which TOC issued it.
It was quite a while ago, probably around 3 or 4 years, maybe even longer.
I was not as clued up with railway matters as I am now (thanks in no small part to this forum), and just believed everything I was told.
 

Wallsendmag

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No, I was told it was no longer valid, so I more than likely asked them to put it in the bin.
If my memory is correct I think it was around £5, I can't remember which TOC issued it.
It was quite a while ago, probably around 3 or 4 years, maybe even longer.
I was not as clued up with railway matters as I am now (thanks in no small part to this forum), and just believed everything I was told.
In normal times the end date is the end date don’t know why anyone else would expect something different .
 

yorkie

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Northern have said the policy is to return the vouchers to the issuer (which could be any train company) for replacements to be issued.

Apart from the faff of doing that, I'd imagine you will benefit from a years validity from the time of reissue onwards.
 

janb

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RDG have said that rail vouchers with an expiry date between 17th March and 16th September will be accepted up to 6 months after their expiry date.
 

robbeech

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Spoken to (well, and e-mail) 2 operators in the last week or so. Both have said, absolutely not, tough luck, one of them was polite about it, the other pretty much used those words. Getting some ticket offices to process valid ones is bad enough.
 

Fawkes Cat

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This appears to be down to each TOC. As already referenced, GA say
If you have a Rail Travel Voucher that has an expiry date between 17 March 2020 and 16 September 2020, this may be accepted for a maximum of 6 months after the original expiry date e.g. an RTV that expires on 10 June 2020, may continue to be accepted up to and including 09 December 2020. Where a voucher states that it can be exchanged for cash, this can also be done with expired vouchers.
But C2C at https://www.c2c-online.co.uk/media-centre/latest-news/coronavirus/ offer
What should I do if I have a National Rail Travel Voucher that expired since 17 March or is nearing its expiry date?
products-faq-angle-arrow.svg
products-faq-angle-arrow-purple.svg

If you were unable to use a National Rail Travel Voucher that expired after 17th March, please post the voucher to our Customer Relations team who will be able to reissue the voucher for you.
c2c Customer Relations
Freepost ADM 3968
Southend-on-Sea
SS1 1ZS
and LNER (https://www.lner.co.uk/faq/coronavi...faqs/rail-travel-vouchers-during-coronavirus/) say
RAIL TRAVEL VOUCHERS DURING CORONAVIRUS
If you have a rail travel voucher and this is due to expire during Coronavirus please email us, [email protected].We will handle all cases on individual merit, re-issuing or extending vouchers where appropriate.

And a quick Google fails to come up with anything at all on Southeastern (I would be happy to be proved wrong on this point).

It would be good if there was a common policy, but as of now there doesn't seem to be one.
 
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rishtonlad

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Northern have come back and said no, but Virgin have asked for a picture of the vouchers cut up and they have confirmed that they have revived this and will send me a cheque once the restrictions are lifted.
 

district

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And a quick Google fails to come up with anything at all on Southeastern (I would be happy to be proved wrong on this point).
SE staff have been instructed internally to accept RTVs up to 6 months after expiry date, including for cashable RTVs exchanged for cash.
 

yorkie

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Is it up to the issuing TOC to decide, or the retailer who is being offered the voucher?

Is an out of date voucher, which the issuer says can still be used, a valid payment method at all retailers?

The fact there is no common policy is a farce, but of course is absolutely to be expected.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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Does one have to accept e-vouchers for a trip cancelled because of C19. I am sure I heard that one can request a refund by cash/cheque/refund to payment card?
 

Hadders

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I believe that due to the Emergency Measures Agreement that TOCs are operating under at present that the decision on whether to extend the validity of RTVs has to be agreed by the DfT....
 

RJ

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I have vouchers for freebies from various airlines and hotel chains and they've all been extended without quibble due to Covid19, some as a matter of policy without me contacting them first. The railways really should be doing the same.
 

Haywain

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Is it up to the issuing TOC to decide, or the retailer who is being offered the voucher?

Is an out of date voucher, which the issuer says can still be used, a valid payment method at all retailers?

The fact there is no common policy is a farce, but of course is absolutely to be expected.
It is an RDG brief and therefore represents a common policy, and refers to retailers accepting vouchers up to 6 months past their expiry date (for both RTVs and eVouchers).
the decision on whether to extend the validity of RTVs has to be agreed by the DfT....
From the brief: "There has been agreement from the Department for Transport...".
 

Fawkes Cat

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It is an RDG brief and therefore represents a common policy, and refers to retailers accepting vouchers up to 6 months past their expiry date (for both RTVs and eVouchers).

This is good news, except:

Staff brief from RDG, sent out 5th June

That is, staff have been told about the policy (which is good, because they will have to deal with customers with RTVs) but customers - the people who hold RTVs - haven't (or if they have, it's because some TOCs (e.g. GA) have chosen to do so, while others (e.g. Southeastern) have chosen not to, while still others (e.g. LNER) have chosen to put something other than the RDG policy on their website).

I don't really see that there can be said to be a common policy if what those impacted by the policy find out depends on where they happen to look.*

*For total clarity, where they happen to look out of places that might be expected to tell them authoritatively. If customers rely on the views of a man in a pub, then that really is their own risk.
 
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