RENEWAL OF PRIVILEGE RATE OYSTER CARDS 

Active and retired safeguarded staff and dependants who previously applied for an Oyster card for Privilege rate 'Pay-As-You-Go' should be aware that the current expiry date for the Privilege discount is on 30 June 2008. To continue to receive privilege discount travel until that date, cards must be renewed at any London Underground (LU) ticket office. If this is not done it will result in the full public rate Oyster fare being deducted for each journey made. 

When renewing, Oyster card holders will need to present both their current Oyster card and the relevant RSTL Staff Travel Card as the latter's number is recorded on the Oyster system.    

It has been reported that there have been instances of staff attempting to renew their Oyster cards who have encountered problems at some LU ticket offices and it is suggested that those who have not yet renewed their card take with them a screen dump of the extract below (which is taken from LU Traffic Circular No. 22 - issued recently to all that Company's ticket offices).  

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EXTRACT FROM LONDON UNDERGROUND TRAFFIC CIRCULAR NO. 22 

RENEWAL OF PRIVILEGE DISCOUNT ON AN OYSTER CARD                                

Ticket Sellers are reminded that when a customer has their PTAC, or NR Staff Card renewed, they will be required to present their PTAC and Oyster card at a ticket office to have their Privilege discount entitlement updated.  There is no need to complete a further application form. 

Provided the Oyster card already has a Privilege discount on it, the Ticket Seller must;

• check the PTAC, or NR Staff Card and the expiry date printed on the front of the card

• update the photocard number on the Oyster card to match the new PTAC, or NR Staff Card number (if appropriate)

• update the Privilege discount to match the expiry date of the new PTAC, or NR Staff Card.

 TOC only Staff cards, which are red, are not eligible to Privilege Rate travel, or PAYG on LU services

Updated May 2008

ADDITIONAL EUROSTAR BOOKING OUTLET

Staff will be pleased to learn that bookings on Eurostar services can be made from Eurostar's Ashford Contact Centre, who have offered to deal with both telephone and email booking requests. 

Those making telephone applications should have either their International Reduced Rate Card number or Staff Travel Card number (as appropriate) near at hand to quote, together with their credit card details, and, of course, this same information should also be included with all email requests submitted. 

The Ashford Contact Centre is open between 09.00 and 17.00 Monday – Friday and the contact details are: 

Telephone number    08457 660421

Email address           beyond.eurostar@eurostar.co.uk 

Please note that Ashford Contact Centre is able to deal with Eurostar bookings only i.e. London/Brussels/Paris/Marne-La-Vallee/Avignon/Ski trains (and intermediate stations). Also it can deal only with credit card transactions.

Updated May 2008

NON-AVAILABILITY OF STAFF TRAVEL FACILITIES ON “GRAND CENTRAL RAILWAY” AND "WREXHAM, SHROPSHIRE & MARYLEBONE RAILWAY"

All staff travel facilities holders should note that staff travel facilities documents issued to active and retired safeguarded staff, and to active TOC New Entrants, are not available for use on either of the above services.   This applies equally to any privilege/reduced rate tickets purchased using any of these documents.

The reason for this is that these railways are not eligible to participate in the ATOC Staff Travel Scheme, and have not entered into an exchange of staff travel facilities arrangement with the Franchised TOCs.

AVAILABILITY OF FIP TRAVEL FACILITIES ON FORMER YUGOSLAV RAILWAYS

Staff will no doubt be aware that there are now 6 different railways on which FIP facilities can be enjoyed, replacing the former Yugoslavian State Railways (JZ).

The replacements are:

BOSNIA-HERZAGOVINA RAILWAYS (ZFBH/ZRS)

CROATIAN RAILWAYS (HZ)

MACEDONIAN  RAILWAYS (CFARYM)

MONTENEGRAN RAILWAY (ZCG)

SERBIAN RAILWAY (ZS)

SLOVENIAN  RAILWAYS (SZ)

With the exception of the Bosnia-Herzagovina Railways, all the Railways mentioned grant one free coupon ticket per annum to active staff for themselves only. They can also purchase fares discounted by 50% by using their International Reduced Rate Card. The latter is also available to  dependants of active staff and to retired safeguarded staff (and their dependants)

The Bosnia-Herzagovina Railways offer no free travel to any FIP travellers but all International Reduced Rate Card holders can purchase fares discounted by 50%

.26 March 2008

TRAVEL FACILITIES: TYNE & WEAR METRO

Following changes to fares structures and travel concessions to children and adults over 60 years of age in Tyne and Wear, it has been necessary to change the buttons on the ticket issuing machines and, as a result, it will no longer be able for former BR employees entitled to concessionary travel on Tyne and Wear Metro to obtain a return privilege ticket from the lowest adult fare button. 

In future any former BR employees entitled to concessionary travel on Metro wishing to obtain a privilege ticket should press the CHILD fare button (40p with effect from 2 April 2006) and this will enable them to obtain a SINGLE ticket for the journey.  These revised arrangements apply from 2 April 2006.

GRANTING OF TRAVEL FACILITIES TO THE CIVIL PARTNERS OF STAFF

In line with legislation, the rules which govern the granting of travel facilities to staff were amended from December 2005 to enable staff who have entered into a formal partnership to be granted facilities for their partner.

To obtain these facilities staff should make application to their travel facilities contact point, providing a copy of their Civil Partnership Certificate. They will then be granted domestic and FIP travel facilities for their partner on the same terms as is granted to staff for a legally married spouse.

23 December 2005

USE OF TRAVEL FACILITIES BETWEEN PADDINGTON AND HEATHROW

There are two rail services operating between Paddington and Heathrow Airport, Heathrow Express (non stop) and Heathrow Connect (stops at intermediate stations between Paddington and Hayes).

There is no free travel on Heathrow Express services. All staff travel facilities holders wishing to use this service must purchase a privilege ticket which can be obtain from booking offices at Heathrow and Paddington.

The situation for Heathrow Connect services is different in that these services may be used by staff travel facilities holders between Paddington and Hayes in the same way as they currently use their facilities on other National Rail services. However, if they wish to travel onto or from Heathrow it is necessary to purchase a Hayes to Heathrow privilege ticket (obtainable at any National Rail ticket office and at Heathrow). If the entire journey is to be undertaken using a privilege ticket the Hayes to Heathrow portion would obviously be included in the ticket they purchase.

20 June 2005

COMPULSORY RESERVATIONS ON CERTAIN ITALIAN RAILWAY SERVICES

Advice has been received from the Italian Railways (FS) of the need for staff travellers to ensure they obtain reservations in advance when intending to use the following services:

• Trains between Italy and Austria via Tarvisio which are classified 'Allegro'
• Trains between Italy and France via Ventimiglia which are classified as 'Riveria'
• The following trains between Italy and Austria/Germany via Brenner:

  Train Number	Route
  EN 286	Naples - Munich
  EN 287	Munich – Naples
  EN 288/358	Florence/Venice – Munich
  EN 289/363	Munich - Florence/Venice
  EC 80	Verona – Munich
  EC 81	Munich – Verona
  EC 82	Verona – Munich
  EC 83	Munich – Verona
  EC 84	Rome – Munich
  EC 85	Munich – Rome
  EC 86	Venice – Munich
  EC 87	Munich – Venice
  EC 89/92	Munich – Milan
  EC 93/88	Milan – Munich
  EC188	Bolzano – Munich
  EC 189	Munich – Bolzano

The on train staff will impose fairly hefty surcharges on any traveller who joins these services without previously having made a reservation.

4 March 2005

CONCESSIONS FOR STAFF ON ATTICA FERRIES

Attica Ferries have agreed to provide a 50% reduction in fares for foot passengers on their ferries. This is available to all holders of FIP International Reduced Rate Cards. FIP cards for those staff wishing to travel on these services must be updated to include this title.

The routes available are:-

• Rosyth – Zeebrugge *
• Rostock – Hanko (Finland) *
• Bari/Ancona – Patras **

Reductions are available in all cabins no matter which class of rail travel is held.

Booking agents in the United Kingdom are:-

In London:

In Rosyth:

* Attica subsiduary Superfast Ferries

** Attica subsidiaries Superfast Ferries & Blue Star Ferries

4 February 2005