Rail Vouchers.

[Dai.]

Hey Guys!

I've got some rail vouchers for use on the national rail network. my question is, do you use this like real money IE. get any ticket worth the money or over the money and hand the voucher over like a say note?

and do I need to fill out anything on the voucher?
on the back it has to and from do I need to fill that out or leave it to the conductor?

 

[ChrisTheRef]

A conductor wouldn't accept them I don't think.

At a ticket office, fill in the back of the voucher and hand it to the clerk as payment or part payment (remember, you don't get any change)

 

[Dai.]

A conductor wouldn't accept them I don't think.

At a ticket office, fill in the back of the voucher and hand it to the clerk as payment or part payment (remember, you don't get any change)

I see, so what's a 'rail appointed travel agent'

I thought that'd be a conductor..

 

[ChrisTheRef]

I think that's a travel agent who happens to sell train stuff as well as holidays?

Stick with the ticket office and you'll be fine

 

[Big Chris]

A Guard accepted rail vouchers from me when I got on at an unstaffed station. I believe they have to as they are an accepted form of payment for rail travel just like cash or cards.

 

[yorkie]

A conductor wouldn't accept them I don't think.

I don't think there would be any problem paying a conductor with vouchers. How is someone whose local station is unstaffed meant to use them?

 

[Matt Taylor]

For accountancy purposes they are treated the same as warrants and are accepted by all ticket offices and commercial guards. Fill in the back with the details of your journey and the conductor/guard will do the rest.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Sorry, I meant at staffed stations.

I know guards near me have problems using money, let alone vouchers

 

[Dai.]

Right, so now im confused..


Do they or do they not?!

lol!


Also, personally, I thought a rail appointed travel agent would be the conductor..

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Some might, some might not. Every ticket office will and that's your safest bet.

 

[Jordy]

Its not really just a case of "Some might, some might not" - its the same principle as buying before you board. If you are boarding at a staffed station (where the ticket office is open) you should buy your ticket before you board the train. If the ticket office is closed, or the station is unstaffed, you can use the vouchers to pay the guard onboard.

 

[Mojo]

A 'Rail Appointed Travel Agent' is basically anyone who is authorised to sell train tickets but is not the railway. A number of high street travel agencies retail train tickets as well as other organisations such as ferry companies at their ports.

Guards and booking offices should accept them but some may decline, in which case just offer to pay at the nearest staffed booking office

 

[First class]

All will do - except Merseyrail guards. Simply because they don't sell tickets...

They are processed as Traders Warrants and hence by the price of your ticket, you should see £0.00W . However, experience tells me that most offices/conductors treat them as cash...

 

[Sleepy]

just remember that in the case of high value voucher/ low cost ticket no change is given on vouchers (but nothing to stop you buying multiple tickets) on board buffets will often take them as well.

 

[Matt Taylor]

There is no reason for any ticket staff (office bound or on board) to refuse a voucher although some may try as they are time consuming to process.

I took one this morning and it is processed just like a warrant hence the 'W' next to the method of payment.

 

[janb]

They are processed as Traders Warrants and hence by the price of your ticket, you should see £0.00W . However, experience tells me that most offices/conductors treat them as cash...

Sometimes its easier for speed purposes just to put them through as cash.

Also if they are being used towards multiple tickets, STAR (don't know about other TISs) will only put one voucher against one ticket (and generate an unwanted voucher surplus) which means sometimes it has to be put through as cash.

 

[Matt Taylor]

On SWT we can put multiple vouchers towards singular tickets on STAR. Other operators may do things differently.

 

[martyn29]

we are getting star soon is it better than tribute?

 

[janb]

On SWT we can put multiple vouchers towards singular tickets on STAR. Other operators may do things differently.

Yeah can do that. What I was referring to was putting singular voucher against multiple tickets. Ie customer has £25 voucher and buys two tickets at £15 each.
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we are getting star soon is it better than tribute?

Not used Tribute, but I do love STAR, very easy to use. (although not sure all excess fare procedures are programmed right)

 

[Matt Taylor]

I don't recall the way to do it but we can do that, if someone wants a period return using a warrant we issue two singles and use the one warrant as payment.

Obviously different TOCs have different variations of STAR.