• New rules for Railcard users to be introduced

    From Jack Harry Teesdale@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 11:21:14
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Scott@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 11:28:06
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:21:14 +0000, Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    According to the BBC article posted in another thread: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce94k3v3rvro

    The new system for checking railcards comes in response to several
    cases where the ORR said passengers appeared to have made genuine
    mistakes when using a railcard, yet were still pursued for fare
    evasion.

    In future, railcard users will have to complete what is described as a
    "simple verification step", whether they buy their ticket online, at a
    machine or in a ticket office.

    Once verified, passengers will automatically see the correct discount
    they are entitled to. Trials are due to begin later this year, on the
    Greater Anglia and C2C networks.

    The government says the new scheme will help passengers feel confident
    they were purchasing valid tickets, as well as preventing fraudulent
    use.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Recliner@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 11:36:42
    Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?


    No. For example, you can legitimately purchase advance tickets without
    having yet bought your railcard. The tickets will be valid if you have (and
    can show) the right railcard on the day of travel. So I could buy an
    advance ticket today for travel in a month?s time, and only buy the
    railcard the day before travel.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tweed@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 11:45:01
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?


    No. For example, you can legitimately purchase advance tickets without
    having yet bought your railcard. The tickets will be valid if you have (and can show) the right railcard on the day of travel. So I could buy an
    advance ticket today for travel in a month?s time, and only buy the
    railcard the day before travel.


    It?s possible those rules might change, ie you need to have a railcard at
    the time of ticket purchase.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tweed@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 11:49:07
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?


    No. For example, you can legitimately purchase advance tickets without
    having yet bought your railcard. The tickets will be valid if you have (and >> can show) the right railcard on the day of travel. So I could buy an
    advance ticket today for travel in a month?s time, and only buy the
    railcard the day before travel.


    It?s possible those rules might change, ie you need to have a railcard at
    the time of ticket purchase.



    The source DfT press release is here, it isn?t very helpful

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/delay-repay-changes-will-make-rail-travel-easier-under-great-british-railways


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Recliner@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 11:56:46
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?


    No. For example, you can legitimately purchase advance tickets without
    having yet bought your railcard. The tickets will be valid if you have (and >> can show) the right railcard on the day of travel. So I could buy an
    advance ticket today for travel in a month?s time, and only buy the
    railcard the day before travel.


    It?s possible those rules might change, ie you need to have a railcard at
    the time of ticket purchase.


    Yes, it does look that way.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Anna Noyd-Dryver@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 11:57:15
    Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:21:14 +0000, Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    According to the BBC article posted in another thread: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce94k3v3rvro

    The new system for checking railcards comes in response to several
    cases where the ORR said passengers appeared to have made genuine
    mistakes when using a railcard, yet were still pursued for fare
    evasion.

    In future, railcard users will have to complete what is described as a "simple verification step", whether they buy their ticket online, at a machine or in a ticket office.

    Once verified, passengers will automatically see the correct discount
    they are entitled to. Trials are due to begin later this year, on the
    Greater Anglia and C2C networks.

    The government says the new scheme will help passengers feel confident
    they were purchasing valid tickets, as well as preventing fraudulent
    use.


    It's interesting to compare with the SBB app, which lets me choose at will whether or not to show (and purchase) discounted tickets.

    Which is quite useful, because I'm entitled to discounted travel on some services it can sell, but not on others.

    I wonder how easy it will be to switch on/off the discount in the UK, and
    for how many people that would be necessary.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Graeme Wall@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 12:12:46
    On 17/03/2026 11:21, Jack Harry Teesdale wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    How do you validate a railcard?
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Graeme Wall@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 12:14:33
    On 17/03/2026 11:28, Scott wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:21:14 +0000, Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    According to the BBC article posted in another thread: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce94k3v3rvro

    The new system for checking railcards comes in response to several
    cases where the ORR said passengers appeared to have made genuine
    mistakes when using a railcard, yet were still pursued for fare
    evasion.

    In future, railcard users will have to complete what is described as a "simple verification step", whether they buy their ticket online, at a machine or in a ticket office.

    Once verified, passengers will automatically see the correct discount
    they are entitled to. Trials are due to begin later this year, on the
    Greater Anglia and C2C networks.

    The government says the new scheme will help passengers feel confident
    they were purchasing valid tickets, as well as preventing fraudulent
    use.

    The ticket machines I use mostly (SWR) have a box you have to tick to
    confirm you have a railcard. They've had this as lnog as I've had a
    railcard so hardly new.
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Ulf Kutzner@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 12:17:15

    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> posted:

    On 17/03/2026 11:28, Scott wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:21:14 +0000, Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    According to the BBC article posted in another thread: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce94k3v3rvro

    The new system for checking railcards comes in response to several
    cases where the ORR said passengers appeared to have made genuine
    mistakes when using a railcard, yet were still pursued for fare
    evasion.

    In future, railcard users will have to complete what is described as a "simple verification step", whether they buy their ticket online, at a machine or in a ticket office.

    Once verified, passengers will automatically see the correct discount
    they are entitled to. Trials are due to begin later this year, on the Greater Anglia and C2C networks.

    The government says the new scheme will help passengers feel confident
    they were purchasing valid tickets, as well as preventing fraudulent
    use.

    The ticket machines I use mostly (SWR) have a box you have to tick to confirm you have a railcard. They've had this as lnog as I've had a
    railcard so hardly new.

    But maybe kind of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concessionary_fares_on_the_British_railway_network#Railcards ?

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Recliner@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 12:26:06
    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 17/03/2026 11:28, Scott wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:21:14 +0000, Jack Harry Teesdale
    <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    According to the BBC article posted in another thread:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce94k3v3rvro

    The new system for checking railcards comes in response to several
    cases where the ORR said passengers appeared to have made genuine
    mistakes when using a railcard, yet were still pursued for fare
    evasion.

    In future, railcard users will have to complete what is described as a
    "simple verification step", whether they buy their ticket online, at a
    machine or in a ticket office.

    Once verified, passengers will automatically see the correct discount
    they are entitled to. Trials are due to begin later this year, on the
    Greater Anglia and C2C networks.

    The government says the new scheme will help passengers feel confident
    they were purchasing valid tickets, as well as preventing fraudulent
    use.

    The ticket machines I use mostly (SWR) have a box you have to tick to confirm you have a railcard. They've had this as lnog as I've had a
    railcard so hardly new.

    That?s like buying online. But that doesn?t require you to validate a
    specific railcard, and doesn?t require you to even have one at the time of booking, just on the day of travel.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Bevan Price@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 15:11:16
    On 17/03/2026 11:49, Tweed wrote:
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?


    No. For example, you can legitimately purchase advance tickets without
    having yet bought your railcard. The tickets will be valid if you have (and >>> can show) the right railcard on the day of travel. So I could buy an
    advance ticket today for travel in a month?s time, and only buy the
    railcard the day before travel.


    It?s possible those rules might change, ie you need to have a railcard at
    the time of ticket purchase.



    The source DfT press release is here, it isn?t very helpful

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/delay-repay-changes-will-make-rail-travel-easier-under-great-british-railways


    It is not clear what happens if you buy your ticket on the day of travel
    - and then your train is cancelled. Will you still be able to get a refund ?




    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Peter Johnson@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 16:40:18
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:12:46 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 11:21, Jack Harry Teesdale wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    How do you validate a railcard?

    At the moment you don't.
    Presumably if you had to you'd either give its number or scan its QR
    code.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Graeme Wall@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 16:57:32
    On 17/03/2026 16:40, Peter Johnson wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:12:46 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 11:21, Jack Harry Teesdale wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    How do you validate a railcard?

    At the moment you don't.
    Presumably if you had to you'd either give its number or scan its QR
    code.

    It's a 15 digit alpha-numeric number and no QR code. Can see that
    causing problems.

    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Anna Noyd-Dryver@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 18:35:20
    Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 17/03/2026 11:49, Tweed wrote:
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?


    No. For example, you can legitimately purchase advance tickets without >>>> having yet bought your railcard. The tickets will be valid if you have (and
    can show) the right railcard on the day of travel. So I could buy an
    advance ticket today for travel in a month?s time, and only buy the
    railcard the day before travel.


    It?s possible those rules might change, ie you need to have a railcard at >>> the time of ticket purchase.



    The source DfT press release is here, it isn?t very helpful

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/delay-repay-changes-will-make-rail-travel-easier-under-great-british-railways


    It is not clear what happens if you buy your ticket on the day of travel
    - and then your train is cancelled. Will you still be able to get a refund ?





    AIUI, yes.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Coffee@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 21:20:33
    On 17/03/2026 18:35, Anna Noyd-Dryver wrote:
    Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 17/03/2026 11:49, Tweed wrote:
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?


    No. For example, you can legitimately purchase advance tickets without >>>>> having yet bought your railcard. The tickets will be valid if you have (and
    can show) the right railcard on the day of travel. So I could buy an >>>>> advance ticket today for travel in a month?s time, and only buy the
    railcard the day before travel.


    It?s possible those rules might change, ie you need to have a railcard at >>>> the time of ticket purchase.



    The source DfT press release is here, it isn?t very helpful

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/delay-repay-changes-will-make-rail-travel-easier-under-great-british- arrailways


    It is not clear what happens if you buy your ticket on the day of travel
    - and then your train is cancelled. Will you still be able to get a refund ? >>




    AIUI, yes.


    You are entitled to abandon your journey and claim a 100% refund without
    a paying a fee to do so.

    If you abandon your travel mid-journey you are entitled to use your
    tickets to return to your origin.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Roland Perry@3:633/10 to All on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 16:42:48
    In message <bs0jrktcmj5j06psnfe58a9p3n304u48ng@4ax.com>, at 16:40:18 on
    Tue, 17 Mar 2026, Peter Johnson <peter@parksidewood.nospam> remarked:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:12:46 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 11:21, Jack Harry Teesdale wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    How do you validate a railcard?

    At the moment you don't.
    Presumably if you had to you'd either give its number or scan its QR
    code.

    If you have the railcard on your phone, and you are using an app to buy
    the ticket, how do you scan the QR code. Is it some sort of trick by
    holding the phone, with two windows open, up to a mirror?
    --
    Roland Perry

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tweed@3:633/10 to All on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 17:01:57
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <bs0jrktcmj5j06psnfe58a9p3n304u48ng@4ax.com>, at 16:40:18 on
    Tue, 17 Mar 2026, Peter Johnson <peter@parksidewood.nospam> remarked:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:12:46 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 11:21, Jack Harry Teesdale wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    How do you validate a railcard?

    At the moment you don't.
    Presumably if you had to you'd either give its number or scan its QR
    code.

    If you have the railcard on your phone, and you are using an app to buy
    the ticket, how do you scan the QR code. Is it some sort of trick by
    holding the phone, with two windows open, up to a mirror?

    Give the issue a little thought?.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Peter Johnson@3:633/10 to All on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 17:03:33
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:57:32 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 16:40, Peter Johnson wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:12:46 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 11:21, Jack Harry Teesdale wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    How do you validate a railcard?

    At the moment you don't.
    Presumably if you had to you'd either give its number or scan its QR
    code.

    It's a 15 digit alpha-numeric number and no QR code. Can see that
    causing problems.

    Mine, on my phone, has a QR code. There's billions of bank
    transactions being verified daily by means of a 16 digit number so I
    din't see why a 15 digit railcard number should cause any difficulty.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tweed@3:633/10 to All on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 17:34:31
    Peter Johnson <peter@parksidewood.nospam> wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:57:32 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 16:40, Peter Johnson wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:12:46 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 11:21, Jack Harry Teesdale wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    How do you validate a railcard?

    At the moment you don't.
    Presumably if you had to you'd either give its number or scan its QR
    code.

    It's a 15 digit alpha-numeric number and no QR code. Can see that
    causing problems.

    Mine, on my phone, has a QR code. There's billions of bank
    transactions being verified daily by means of a 16 digit number so I
    din't see why a 15 digit railcard number should cause any difficulty.


    My guess is that the initial scheme will just be, at the start of the transaction, to enter the type of railcard you have and its expiry date,
    with the option to say you don?t have one yet but will have by the travel
    date. Anything beyond that is more than the current infrastructure, ie
    ticket machines, card database (which is currently incomplete) and current regulations can cope with.

    Obviously all that can be gamed, but if you get caught with an out of date
    or non existent railcard it?s going to be hard to argue that you made a
    genuine mistake.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Graeme Wall@3:633/10 to All on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 17:44:47
    On 18/03/2026 17:03, Peter Johnson wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:57:32 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 16:40, Peter Johnson wrote:
    On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:12:46 +0000, Graeme Wall
    <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

    On 17/03/2026 11:21, Jack Harry Teesdale wrote:
    Railcard users will be rquired to validate their railcards when
    purchasing tickets according to the Office of Rail Regulation.

    I thought this was already required?

    How do you validate a railcard?

    At the moment you don't.
    Presumably if you had to you'd either give its number or scan its QR
    code.

    It's a 15 digit alpha-numeric number and no QR code. Can see that
    causing problems.

    Mine, on my phone, has a QR code. There's billions of bank
    transactions being verified daily by means of a 16 digit number so I
    din't see why a 15 digit railcard number should cause any difficulty.

    Bank card numbers follow a consistent and easily recognised format of 4
    groups of 4 figures, while railcard numbers are a random collection of
    number and letters with no discernable format, much easier too
    transcribe wrongly.

    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)