Young persons railcard

JanCee

:mad:

My student daughter recently bought a young persons railcard. She went to V festival last week and now can't find it. She booked a return trip to Watford last week and travelled this weekend. As she didn't have the railcard she took the receipt with her to prove that she had paid for it. On the way down this was ok but on the way back the ticket collector wouldn't accept it and made her pay an extra £86 :eek:

Does anyone know if we have the right to claim a refund or will she(that means me of course) have to bear the cost?

Any help would be appreciated.

fragster

unfortunately the railcards have a condition on the back that the tickets are only valid if they railcard is present, afraid you dont really have any recourse, you could try writing a letter, they might at least give you a new railcard, but you dont actually have any right to anything im afraid

saintstreaky

To get a replacement railcard I believe you need the 'receipt' from when you bought it (usually the orange booklet you filled in, which they give back to you stamped). It might be worth sending this (if you have it), and writing a grovelling letter explaining the situation. But as fragster says, I don't think you have a right to anything. The terms and conditions are pretty clear.

saintstreaky

Just to clarify, I mean the receipt from when you bought the railcard, not the ticket.

elisebutt65

They gave me a new railcard when I lost mine, no cost as long as you have the receipt.

Mind you, I then found the original one - typical.

Don't think you'll get the cost of the ticket back though.

JanCee

Thanks to everyone who replied. It looks like a lost cause then. £35 for a saver return then £86 on top - not exactly money saving is it!!!

NellyLock

What rail line was it on? worth contacting them by mail/post...they may not refund it all but i've always got something back when i've contacted the railway companies...back to the question of what rail was it on...i know ive been on trains where i have bought apex/super savers and it printed on "young person" but that made no difference to the price because the journey was the 'cheapest' the trains would provide if that was the case you have even more grounds for a letter!

JanCee

I think it was Virgin. After reading your post I have decided it will probably be worth sending a letter and we will do some research first to see what the return cost would have been without the railcard.

NellyLock

I have had refunds in the past from virgin and there cust service has seemed reasonable to me in the past they have an online "comments form" i believe if not email
customer.relations@virgintrains.co.uk.

virgin i do think reduce there price more with yp railcard though

blueghost

elisebutt65 wrote:

They gave me a new railcard when I lost mine, no cost as long as you have the receipt.

There was a £5 admin fee last time i checked but that may have changed

zoogirl81

Hi there -

I travelled this last weekend and forgot my young persons railcard (idiot!)

The train staff made me pay and excess, but told me that if I toold this excess ticket, the original and my railcard to a ticket office at any station then I would eb able to get my money back, short of a lovely administration fee!

I'm yet to actually do it yet but perhaps you should follow the same course of action?