SWR not calculating Network Railcard discount correctly when more than one adult?

[sushiuk]

I've just tried booking a return from Weybridge to London Waterloo for tomorrow (Saturday 16/7) leaving 1330 & returning 1730 for 2 adults.
Fare is £15.10 without railcard & £9.95 with railcard.
When trying this on the SWR website with 2 adults and 1 railcard (Network railcard) it shows as £25.05 so is only discounting 1 adult.
When trying the same on LNER it charges £19.90.
One railcard should cover the two adults?

I haven't reported this to SWR yet but wanted to check if this is the same issue for everyone and I'm not missing something obvious.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What railcard(s) are held? Is it a Network Railcard, which should also cover another three adults?

 

[sushiuk]

Network railcard

 

[JonathanH]

When trying this on the SWR website with 2 adults and 1 railcard (Network railcard) it shows as £25.05 so is only discounting 1 adult.

You need to select two passengers travelling with the railcard.

 

[sushiuk]

You need to select two passengers travelling with the railcard.

You're asked the number of passengers and number of railcards. 2 passengers 1 railcard.

 

[James H]

Within the railcard options, there's another selector to choose how many adults are covered by the railcard. Change that to 2

 

[kristiang85]

Within the railcard options, there's another selector to choose how many adults are covered by the railcard. Change that to 2

Shouldn't it know that automatically?

 

[ThisIsSurbiton]

Shouldn't it know that automatically?

Yes, it should, as other retailers do. It shouldn't be necessary to know the rules.

 

[sushiuk]

Shouldn't it know that automatically?

I agree. LNER seem to work it out automatically so why can't SWR?

 

[IanD]

With this booking site you can add many different types of railcard so you have to specify how many are covered by each.

When buying 2 tickets with a Network card, it allows you to buy 1 without the discount and one with which means that the 2 passengers don't have to travel together eg if the one without the railcard wants to return at a different time. Obviously, if they both want to travel together you then specify that.

 

[ThisIsSurbiton]

With this booking site you can add many different types of railcard so you have to specify how many are covered by each.

I think that's a useful feature, but the passenger needs to know the rules for their card. Wouldn't it be better to ask "Are you all travelling together?"

 

[IanD]

Personally, I wouldn't use this website as the interface is terrible but that seems to apply to a lot of booking sites these days. Bring back the mixing deck I say

 

[Hadders]

SWR Mixing Deck is available here:

MixingDeck

 

[IanD]

SWR Mixing Deck is available here:

MixingDeck

Thanks. I have a link to the GWR one too although as I haven't bought a ticket in about 2 years now, I've no idea if it still works.

 

[Hadders]

Thanks. I have a link to the GWR one too although as I haven't bought a ticket in about 2 years now, I've no idea if it still works.

Yes it will do.

 

[JonathanH]

I think that's a useful feature, but the passenger needs to know the rules for their card. Wouldn't it be better to ask "Are you all travelling together?"

The passenger signs an agreement that they know the terms and conditions for their card when they buy it. (I appreciate that not everyone reads all the terms and conditions but it isn't unreasonable to know the key ones.)

 

[sushiuk]

I only realised there was an issue as I know the correct fare. How many passengers who don't know are being overcharged?

 

[IanD]

Overcharged or paying the correct fare for the combination of tickets requested?

 

[JonathanH]

I only realised there was an issue as I know the correct fare. How many passengers who don't know are being overcharged?

Probably none. Who holds a Network Railcard and doesn't understand how it is meant to work?

 

[bakerstreet]

I think that some of the replies on here are rather harsh.

Correct me if I’m wrong but to take the website at its face value, the screenshots show the customer being asked how many railcards there are.

Surely the correct answer is 1, if 1 is held. Otherwise if you write 2, you would get a discount for up to 8 passengers as each railcard gives discounts to 4 people.

Writing a greater number of railcards than actually held would provide you with a greater number of discount fares to which you are entitled.

Of course this would unaffect the total paid for just two people.

Imagine you were booking for 5 people.

Which number should you then write in the box? 4? 1? Something else?

I can imagine a scenario in disputes and prosecutions where someone selected 2 railcards when they only had 1. I doubt there would be much sympathy in these circumstances.

Why are some posters suggesting the OP should write 2 railcards held when they only had 1. This would be false.

 

[James H]

The OP’s screenshot doesn’t tell the full story as it doesn’t show the further options that appear at the point you select a railcard.

 

[IanD]

The OP’s screenshot doesn’t tell the full story as it doesn’t show the further options that appear at the point you select a railcard.

Extra boxes appear asking how many people are using the railcard if you select a railcard that allows discounts for multiple passengers

 

[Watershed]

The issue here is that the website should ask whether all of the passengers are travelling together, when selecting a Railcard such as the Network Railcard which provides a discount for multiple passengers if they are travelling with the cardholder. Failing to do so will always lead to ambiguity and possible overcharging.

 

[pelli]

Extra boxes appear asking how many people are using the railcard if you select a railcard that allows discounts for multiple passengers

Indeed, you're asked how many railcards, and how many adults and children to claim the railcard discount for (and if you put down too many people then it complains) - see attached screenshot. It is left up to the railcard holder to know that the discounted people must travel together with the holder.

 

[bakerstreet]

Indeed, you're asked how many railcards, and how many adults and children to claim the railcard discount for (and if you put down too many people then it complains) - see attached screenshot. It is left up to the railcard holder to know that the discounted people must travel together with the holder.

View attachment 117727

Ah it would have been useful to see that screenshot, thanks for posting - this makes sense now although I don’t think I’ve ever used a booking engine which works in that way. I assume at least GWR and some others must do too.
Or maybe they all do and I e just not noticed !

 

[pelli]

Ah it would have been useful to see that screenshot, thanks for posting - this makes sense now although I don’t think I’ve ever used a booking engine which works in that way. I assume at least GWR and some others must do too.
Or maybe they all do and I e just not noticed !

I didn't know about it either, but since it was mentioned in the thread I figured I'd go look. GWR (which is FirstGroup like SWR) does it doo, but not for example National Rail Enquiries, Northern, or Great Northern, so the complaints in this thread would still apply to those.

 

[43096]

It is left up to the railcard holder to know that the discounted people must travel together with the holder.

Well if the railcard holder knows that more than one person can use the railcard discount, then it's not unreasonable that they should know that they must travel together. The card holder signs up to the T&Cs when they get the card, after all.

 

[Watershed]

Well if the railcard holder knows that more than one person can use the railcard discount, then it's not unreasonable that they should know that they must travel together. The card holder signs up to the T&Cs when they get the card, after all.

The problem is in the ambiguity of whether you are buying for a group travelling together, or just a collection of passengers who might travel at completely separate times.

 

[sushiuk]

Thanks for the info everyone. I now know how to book my tickets correctly in this situation - but it really wasn't obvious until it was pointed out here... something like 'how many are using this railcard' when booking would have been helped me.