Annual Gold Card

[Vauban]

Something a little bit different for the train experts this time - at least not a fare evasion, at any rate.

 

I have an annual Gold Card season ticket that allows me to travel from a station about 80 miles from London into London terminals every day. It costs about four and half grand - and runs from spring 2014 to 2015. Changes in my personal circumstances mean I am unlikely to need this card soon.

 

Though I can "cash it in", the rail company only count the first ten months of validity to work out a pro-rata refund. However, I am permitted apparently to change the "origin" station - where my train journey begins - for free, and the difference in fare is refunded on a 12 month pro rata basis. Still with me?

 

I have established that changing the validity of my gold card for a station much closer to London saves me more money than if I was to ask for a simple refund. There's nothing in the National Rail conditions of carriage or train company's T&Cs that stop me from doing this, so far as I can tell. So my question is: am I overlooking something?

 

Thanks for any insights!

[BazzaS]

Something a little bit different for the train experts this time - at least not a fare evasion, at any rate.

 

I have an annual Gold Card season ticket that allows me to travel from a station about 80 miles from London into London terminals every day. It costs about four and half grand - and runs from spring 2014 to 2015. Changes in my personal circumstances mean I am unlikely to need this card soon.

 

Though I can "cash it in", the rail company only count the first ten months of validity to work out a pro-rata refund. However, I am permitted apparently to change the "origin" station - where my train journey begins - for free, and the difference in fare is refunded on a 12 month pro rata basis. Still with me?

 

I have established that changing the validity of my gold card for a station much closer to London saves me more money than if I was to ask for a simple refund. There's nothing in the National Rail conditions of carriage or train company's T&Cs that stop me from doing this, so far as I can tell. So my question is: am I overlooking something?

 

Thanks for any insights!

 

I don't know.

 

However, it looks to me that you have found a "loophole" / anomaly in the system. If those are the TOC's rules, and your intent is not to evade a fare : go for it!

 

I'd wait until the industry experts comment, first, though.

[The Urbanite]

It's a loophole the industry is well aware of, but there is nothing to prevent people from doing this. Ryde, Newhaven and Pevensey season tickets are more popular than they ought to be.

[Vauban]

Thanks for confirming that. Glad it's not an illegitimate ruse ...