railcard + excess ticket charge- will i get my money back?

eskimo26

Hi,

I bought a railcard three days before traveling to Cardiff, the ticket staff gave me my photocard and a piece of cardboard that looked like a ticket receipt, with the date and cost etc.

I have never bought a railcard before and I was not told by this staff member the 'railcard' [plural] is in fact BOTH the photocard and piece of cardboard.

Long story short I got hit for excess on the return trip from Cardiff.

I have terrible short term memory because of my disability and
I thought I'd left the "receipt" portion at home where I leave all my receipts but when I got home I found it in one of the bags I was traveling with, so it was with me the whole time.

They said I have to contact customer services and tell them the situation but I get the feeling they will say tough?

I don't understand why when every other major company gives you a real plastic card the rail company can get away with two pieces of cardboard. These are barely fit for purpose, they are a flimsy joke and i'm suppose to keep them a whole year or longer undamaged?

Will I get my money back? What are my chances?

The Government cut my ESA benefits when I joined college, I literally have nothing, I am leeching of my Parents and I feel terrible. I can't afford to lose £15.

tomtontom

Did you read the second card? It's a while since I've had one but it used to be pretty clear that it was needed for travel.

If you put them in a wallet they should be fine for a year, mine lasted three years with no problems.

As for your chances of a refund, write to them and see what they say.

eskimo26

tomtontom wrote: »

Did you read the second card? It's a while since I've had one but it used to be pretty clear that it was needed for travel.

If you put them in a wallet they should be fine for a year, mine lasted three years with no problems.

As for your chances of a refund, write to them and see what they say.

It says in tiny print needed on all journeys but it looks EXACTLY like a receipt, there's even a bit for my signature but he never told me to sign it.

The point is it's not normal is it? 'A railcard' is plural he should have told me it was two part. They don't even look like cards, it's exactly the same paper they print all their ticket and ticket receipts on.

Why can't they give you a single card, preferably not a flimsy piece of cardboard. Almost every other company manages it.

Only time I ever got a card like this was from my councils disability register when they decided to switch from plastic to save money. That wasn't an important card either.

This is very important. A cynical person might say it's a great way for them to make extra money. Their is literally no other conceivable or practical reason they would issue two cards, and not even proper ones but pieces of cardboard.

I'm just gutted tbh.

JezR

They usually put railcards into a plastic wallet for you to protect them. Go and ask for one at the station.

If you buy online you do get a plastic all-in-one card so if you'd prefer one like that go online next time.

You may get some kind of refund from the Customer Services of the train company you travelled on since you can produce a railcard dated prior to your journey. This is ex gratia as showing a valid railcard is required at the time of travel so may well be vouchers etc, if anything.

If doing this my advice is just to concentrate on not being aware that you needed both parts.

notakid

It is clear. One part of the railcard is your photo id, the other part is the railcard with the date in large when its expires. It does not look like a normal ticket, it is a completely different colour.

It is clear that both pieces are needed to travel.

You are also given a receipt explaining the terms and conditions of use. It is two pieces of the leaflet you filled in to obtain the railcard.

The train stations do not have the technology to print a piece of plastic with your picture on.

Maybe take a little responsibility to understand what you are buying next time instead of trying to offload your mistake on others.

eskimo26

JezR wrote: »

They usually put railcards into a plastic wallet for you to protect them. Go and ask for one at the station.

If you buy online you do get a plastic all-in-one card so if you'd prefer one like that go online next time.

You may get some kind of refund from the Customer Services of the train company you travelled on since you can produce a railcard dated prior to your journey. This is ex gratia as showing a valid railcard is required at the time of travel so may well be vouchers etc, if anything.

If doing this my advice is just to concentrate on not being aware that you needed both parts.

i.e the wallet.

He went away at the end to 'get you your wallet' and came back with nothing and seemed surprise I was still there. Gave me this 'we're done what are you still doing here wierdo' look.

I think the guys was just having an off day and i've lost £15 because of it.

wealdroam

eskimo26 wrote: »

I think the guys was just having an off day and i've lost £15 because of it.

No. You lost £15 because you were having an off day. I.e. you didn't bother to read read what you had bought.

I can only guess you didn't see this large banner across the top of your railcard:

eskimo26

notakid wrote: »

It is clear. One part of the railcard is your photo id, the other part is the railcard with the date in large when its expires. It does not look like a normal ticket, it is a completely different colour.

It is clear that both pieces are needed to travel.

You are also given a receipt explaining the terms and conditions of use. It is two pieces of the leaflet you filled in to obtain the railcard.

The train stations do not have the technology to print a piece of plastic with your picture on.

Maybe take a little responsibility to understand what you are buying next time instead of trying to offload your mistake on others.

You are WRONG it is confusing to someone who has never bought one before, especially with my disability.

You should be able to trust the staff to do their jobs. He didn't. Where is my plastic wallet?

The card is referred to as 'a card' plural except in the tiny print at the back of the form which is NOT part of the receipt. The reciept section on the form clearly has a dotted line with a scissors symbol indicating to cut it away from the rest of the form which contains the t+ cs. So actually no the receipt dones NOT have the t+cs on it at all.


I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you work for them?

eskimo26

wealdroam wrote: »

No. You lost £15 because you were having an off day. I.e. you didn't bother to read read what you had bought.

I can only guess you didn't see this large banner across the top of your railcard:

Yes i did I also saw the massive writing that says the date and cost which makes it look a receipt and I didn't see the tiny print that says you need to carry it with you.

It looks just like a receipt. It is very confusing. Where is my wallet if he did his job so well?

The train stations do not have the technology to print a piece of plastic with your picture on.

They can issue a temporary paper one and send you the real one in the post, every other big company does that. They will give you paper one temporarily only.

wealdroam

eskimo26 wrote: »

Yes i did I also saw the massive writing that says the date and cost which makes it look a receipt and I didn't see the tiny print that says you need to carry it with you.

It looks just like a receipt. It is very confusing. Where is my wallet if he did his job so well?

When he returned without a wallet, why on earth didn't you remind him why you were still there?

That was another mistake, wasn't it?

notakid

It looks just like a receipt. It is very confusing. Where is my wallet if he did his job so well?

What stopped you saying anything? You were going to get me a wallet? It's not hard.

They can issue a temporary paper one and send you the real one in the post, every other big company does that. They will give you paper one temporarily only.

No they can't. The stations and the online are totally different. They have no links or communication. You either do it online or at the station and never the twain shall meet. The stations don't do the 3 year card either.