REPTA Guide to Travel Facilities

Transcription

1 This is a summary of the travel concessions for all rail staff, both active and retired. Full details, restrictions, latest information and application forms can be found at atoc.org. Click on Rail Staff Travel for comprehensive details of all entitlements and downloads for application forms, including lost or stolen documents. For any further information or clarification contact Rail Staff Travel, PO Box 70159, London WC1A 9GN. Tel: or: [email protected]. Please communicate by if possible. Abbreviations used in this section RPMI: Railway Pensions Management Investments BR: British Rail TOC: Train Operating Company TOCNE: Train Operating Company New Entrant (post 1996) FIP: Rail Staff travel in Europe (translated from French) IPTIS: International Privilege Ticket Issuing Service STC: Staff Travelcard DLR: Docklands Light Railway TfL: Transport for London (formerly London Transport) LU: London Underground ATOC: Association of Train Operating Companies REPTA Guide to Travel Facilities There are three groups of concession holders: Active safeguarded staff (generally in BR employment before 1 April 1996) Former BR active staff (safeguarded) who are now in the private sector and granted free and/ or reduced rate travel facilities on many other transport administrations. National Rail free and reduced rate travel is obtained by use of a STC. In some cases these facilities also apply to spouse, dependant children (up to 25 years) and widow/ers. In certain cases staff of other transport administrations such as National Freight Corporation, National Carriers, Stena line who were formerly BR employees retain their travel facilities. Retired safeguarded staff (generally in BR employment before 1 April 1996) National Rail free and reduced rate travel is obtained by use of a STC and generally are able to receive the same concessions as enjoyed in active service. Active non safeguarded TOCNE staff. (Generally employed after 1 April 1996) TOCNE entrants are granted, upon completion of one month s service, privilege rate travel for themselves, their spouse and dependant children on train services of all participating TOCs. Upon presentation of a valid TOC privilege card at a booking office or on the train if the booking office is closed, the holder may obtain privilege rate tickets at 75% discount of the FULL PUBLIC FARE. A TOC Privilege card must be supported by an appropriate Photo Identity Card (except for dependant children under 16) TRAVEL Note that many public fares offered by TOCs are cheaper than concessionary privilege tickets but may be more restrictive. Visit the appropriate TOC website for details.

2 Travel facilities in Great Britain. List of Train Operating Companies (TOCs) in Great Britain accurate at time of printing (Dec 2012). Arriva Trains Wales arrivatrainswales.co.uk C2c c2c-online.co.uk Cross Country crosscountrytrains.co.uk Chiltern Railways chilternrailways.co.uk East Coast eastcoast.co.uk East Midlands Trains eastmidlandstrains.co.uk First Capital Connect firstcapitalconnect.co.uk First Great Western firstgreatwestern.co.uk First Hull Trains hulltrains.co.uk First Trans Pennine Express tpexpress.co.uk Gatwick Express southernrailway.com Grand Central grandcentralrail.com No official concessions but travel is at the discretion of the Train Manager Greater Anglia greateranglia.com Heathrow Connect heathrowconnect.com Heathrow Express heathrowexpress.com Privilege tickets only Island line southwesttrains.co.uk London Midland londonmidland.com London Overground tfl.gov/overground See under London Merseyrail merseyrail.org Northern Rail northernrail.org ScotRail scotrail.co.uk South West Trains southwesttrains.co.uk Southeastern southeasternrailway.co.uk Southern southernrailway.com West Coast Main Line virgintrains.com Train information: For train times and public fares visit nationalrail.co.uk. This site will also give you live train running information and fares. Similar information is also available on the websites of most TOCs. The complete National Railway timetable can be downloaded free from nationalrail.co.uk. REPTA Tel: for train information.

3 Travelling in London On presentation of a STC at an LU booking office a privilege fare may be obtained equating to about 75% discount. This includes the DLR and London Overground. A Privilege one day Travelcard is no longer available. Oyster: By far the easiest and cheapest way to use London s transport services is to obtain an Oyster Card. This is a type of credit card and can be used on the Underground, DLR, Overground, most National Rail suburban trains in the London area and London Buses (at public fare). As an example central area privilege Oyster fares are about half of the privilege fare purchased at a booking office. Bus fares too are cheaper than when paid to the driver. The credit on an Oyster never expires and can be topped up quickly at any station so even if you only visit London occasionally it is worth getting as it avoids queues at booking offices at main stations. In addition there are often special discounts on attractions in London for Oyster users. Go to tfl.gov.uk/oyster for full details. Those wishing to obtain a privilege Pay as you go Oyster card will need to register their STC at a LU Booking Office using the appropriate form. One form is for National Rail Employees (RSTL 90051) for active staff and their dependants and the other National Rail Retired Employees (RSTL 90052) for retired staff and their dependants. Forms can be downloaded from atoc.org and must be authorised by the applicants employing company or RPMI and then taken to an LU booking office for the Oyster card to be issued. The Oyster card must be revalidated each year when a new STC is issued otherwise public fares will be charged. We recommend that booking offices at main line stations are used. REPTA Guide to Travel Facilities Croydon Tramlink (part of Tfl) Free use by all in possession of a valid STC plus photocard where appropriate. No need to date a box. UK Tram services Other than Croydon Tramlink (see under london) no concessions are offered to rail staff. Local or national bus passes my be accepted - enquire locally. Tyne & Wear Metro Free leisure travel is granted and privilege tickets are issued only to staff and their dependants who entered employment prior to 11 August To obtain free travel those eligible must use their appropriately dated STC. Only SINGLE privilege tickets are available and to obtain these, eligible staff should press the CHILD fare button on ticket issuing machines. When travelling they should carry their STC with them to support the ticket. On Tyne & Wear Metro s Heworth to Sunderland service the same ticketing arrangements apply. However, exceptionally, they apply also to retired safeguarded staff who entered employment on or after 11 August Travelling on Eurostar Special rate tickets are available on presentation of an International Reduced Rate Card (granted to TOCNE staff after 12 months employment) or STC (if used this must be carried and a box dated but may not be accepted on journeys from Europe). TOC Privilege cards are not valid for purchase of Eurostar tickets. Tickets can be booked direct with Eurostar (in person at St Pancras) or through IPTIS (Deutsche Bahn UK Booking Centre, PO Box 687A, Surbiton KT6 6UB. Tel: , [email protected]) TRAVEL using form RSTL See under Travelling within Europe for other agents who can book Eurostar.

4 Railways in Ireland: see European section. Shipping lines operating from ports in the British Isles Stena Line Irish Services STCs and TOC Privilege cards issued to active and retired safeguarded and TOCNE staff and their dependants may travel free. Port taxes must be obtained in advance from Stena Central Concessions Team on A copy of the STC and Photo Identity card must be faxed or scanned and ed and these cards carried during travel. A concession for accompanied cars is also available equating to 50% discount for return trips of 5 days or more or 25% reduction on shorter trips. Booking arrangements as above. Irish Ferries not available to TOCNE staff Free travel is available to Active full time salaried staff eligible to National Rail travel facilities and their legally married spouses and dependants on two occasions a year. Privilege tickets must be obtained from the company s offices in Dublin, Pembroke or Cork and are issued to retired staff, their legally married spouses and dependant children. Use form RSTL 1209 giving eight weeks notice. Wightlink not available to TOCNE staff Only active and retired staff who were in service before 1 April 1985 are eligible for travel facilities on Wightlink (Portsmouth Ryde and Lymington Yarmouth only). Free travel is obtainable by using a dated STC. Privilege travel may be purchased using an STC. A 50% reduction is available for private cars on Portsmouth Fishbourne route. Other passengers in the car may travel at the appropriate reduction or full fare. There are no restrictions for foot passengers but cars cannot be taken a reduced rate at peak times. Bookings and restrictions on Isle of Man Steam Packet not available to TOCNE staff Privilege tickets are issued to active and retired staff for return journeys at single fare and these must be obtained from the embarkation port. Free travel (excluding port taxes) is granted on two occasions per year to full time active salaried staff only. Apply on form RSTL 1209 giving 6 weeks notice. P&O Ferries: Dover Calais, Hull Zeebrugge/Rotterdam STC and TOC Privilege Cards are valid without the requirement to date a box. To make a booking and obtain port taxes a Concessionary Travel Application form RSTL90020 must be completed and sent together with a photocopy of the employees Photo Identity Card where appropriate and STC/TOC Privilege card to: Staff Travel Administrator, P&O Ferries, Channel House, Dover CT17 9TJ. [email protected]. Tel: P&O also offers a concession for conveyance of vehicles. The current offer is 25% discount off 5 or more days trips. Details and bookings as above. Caledonian MacBrayne not available to TOCNE staff REPTA Only available to those who entered service before For a list of routes and conditions visit atoc.org. Apply on form RSTL 1209

5 Lake Windermere Unlimited free travel is granted to all active, retired and TOCNE staff and their dependants. Before boarding these services, a Boarding Pass must be obtained by producing a valid STC at the Company s booking offices at Ambleside, Bowness or Lakeside. There is no requirement to date a box on the STC to obtain this facility. Private Tourist Railways in Great Britain The following Private Heritage Railways offer a discount to those in possession of a STC including TOCNE. Contact the railway concerned for details. Others not listed here may offer a discount - enquire locally. Bala Lake Railway bala-lake-railway.co.uk Bodmin and Wenford Railway bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk Brecon Mountain Railway breconmountainrailway.co.uk Bure Valley Railway bvrw.co.uk Colne Valley Railway colnvalleyrailway.co.uk Crich Tramway Village tramway.co.uk East Lancs Railway east-lancs-rly.co.uk Embsay Steam Railway embsayboltonabbeyrailway.co.uk Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Rly festrail.co.uk Great Central Railway gcrailway.co.uk Isle of Wight Steam railway iwsteamrailway.co.uk Kent and East Sussex Railway kesr.org.uk Lakeside and Haverthwaite Rly lakesiderailway.co.uk Llanberis Railway lake-railway.co.uk Mid-Hants Railway watercressline.co.uk North Norfolk Railway nnr.co.uk North Yorkshire Railway nymr.co.uk Paignton and Dartmouth Railway dartmouthrailriver.co.uk Peak Rail peakrail.co.uk Ravenglass and Eskdale railway ravenglass-railway.co.uk Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Rly rhdr.org.uk Severn Valley Railway svr.co.uk Snowdon Mountain Railway snowdonrailway.co.uk South Devon Railway southdevonrailway.org Strathspey Railway strathspeyrailway.co.uk Swanage Railway swanagerailway.co.uk Talyllyn Railway talyllyn.co.uk TRAVEL West Coast Railways westcoastrailways.co.uk West Somerset Railway west-somerset-railway.co.uk REPTA Guide to Travel Facilities

6 Travelling within Europe (FIP Arrangements) Everything you need to know about travelling by rail in all countries of the world is available on seat61.com. This is a public website and has no information about rail staff discounts. A useful publication is Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable showing most train times in Europe and other useful information about rail travel. Available from Thomas Cook outlets or from thomascookpublishing.com. Reduced rate travel is granted by administrations under FIP arrangements to Active and Retired Safeguarded staff and TOCNE, their bone fide partners and dependant children. An International Reduced Rate card must be obtained on form RSTL 1209 through an employees travel facilities administration centre or atoc.org for retired staff. New look FIP cards will be introduced for If you have a valid card, a new style one will be sent automatically. New applicants or those with expired cards can apply on form RSTL Full details of the changes can be found on atoc.org. Generally free travel is granted on one occasion per year to staff and in some cases to their spouse/partner and dependant children. For this concession an International Free Coupon ticket is required and can be applied for on form RSTL 1209 through an employees travel facilities administration centre or atoc.org for retired staff. Free travel coupons are in the same class as an employee is granted in the UK. However it is possible to upgrade or purchase 1 st class privilege tickets provided this is done before travel. There are many restriction and special staff fares for travel on premium trains which must be booked in advance (eg TGV, ICE). For details visit atoc.org. You may book reduced rate and full fare travel (including Eurostar) through the following agents: You may need completed form RSTL 1213 downloaded from atoc.org. IPTIS, DB-UK Booking Centre PO Box 687A, Surbiton KT6 6UB Tel: (premium rate) [email protected] Trains Europe trainseurope.co.uk 4 Station Approach, March PE15 8SJ Trains Europe also has a counter at St Pancras International in the East Midlands Trains booking office. Tel: [email protected] Rail Canterbury rail-canterbury.co.uk 39 Palace Street, Canterbury CT1 2DZ Tel: [email protected] Ffestiniog Travel ffestiniogtravel.com Ffestiniog Travel, First Floor Unit 6, Snowdonia Business Park, Penrhyndeudraeth, LL48 6LD Tel: [email protected] REPTA

7 FIP administrations The following grant free and/or reduced rate travel. operator Retired safeguarded Active safeguarded TOCNE free Reduced rate free Reduced rate free Reduced rate Attica Ferries none F none A none A Austria C F A A A A Belgium EF F AE A AE A Bern Lotschberg none F A A A A Simplon Bosnia Herzegovina none F none A none A Bulgaria none F A A A A Croatia none F D A D A Czech Republic none F D A D A Denmark none F D A D A Finland none F D A D A France none F AE A AE A Germany none F D A D A Greece F F A A A A Gyor Sopron none F D A D A Ebenfurth Hungary none F D A D A Italy F F A A A A Lake Constance none F D A D A ships Luxembourg F F A A A A Macedonia none F D A D A Montenegro none F D A D A Netherlands F F A A A A Northern Ireland F F AE A AE A Norway none F D A D A Poland none F D A D A Portugal F F A A A A Romania none F D A D A Serbia none F D A D A Slovakia none F D A D A Slovenia none F D A D A Southern Ireland f F AE A AE A Spain none F D A D A Stena line EF F A A A A Sweden none none none none none none Swiss Railways * none F D A D A Swiss Private none F D A D A Rail ways* Notes A Employee and eligible family members B Active/retired employee only C Retired employee only D Active Employee only E Two coupons per year for salaried staff TRAVEL F Retired staff and all eligible family members * For full details of Swiss Private Railways visit atoc.org REPTA Guide to Travel Facilities

8 Global fares within Europe Many principal trains in Europe require advance reservations and staff booking these will be charged a special fare even if they hold a free coupon. Almost all high-speed services, sleepers, and hotel trains fall into this category. Included are TGV, ICE, ARTESIA, AVE, TALGO, TRENOTEL, THALYS. Full details on atoc.org. Administrations outside Europe There are NO concessions to TOCNE staff. Where concessions are granted they include legally married spouses and dependant children provided they have not taken up residence in the county in which the concession is granted. Applications should be made on form RSTL 1209 from atoc.org or from employees travel facilities department (10 weeks notice required). Administration Retired safeguarded Active safeguarded Active safeguarded reduced rate free travel reduced rate Algeria 50% 2 journeys none 50% 2 journeys Australia 50% not all lines none 50% Canada none none none Egypt none employee 50% India 50% none 50% Iran none none 50% Iraq none employee 50% Israel none employee 50% Lebanon None employee 50% Morocco 50% none 50% New Zealand none none 50% South Africa 50% none 50% Syria none employee 50% Tunisia 50% none 50% Turkey none none 50% USA (AMTRAK) none none 50% Zimbabwe 50% none 50% REPTA