To think this is just a but unfair?

[Arraminta]

DD is currently on a long train journey, her ticket was £100 and she has a student railcard. Unfortunately she left the physical railcard at home, but has a close up photo of it on her phone. She also has her driving licence with her as proof of ID and her online banking shows her purchase of the ticket.

But the conductor has ignored all of the above and has charged her the full £175 for her ticket. So she's now £275 out of pocket and really upset. I guess it's a salutary lesson for her and she'll never forget her railcard again, but wondering if there's anyway she can appeal? Even if she just recoups the original £100 she spent?

It does seem nonsensical and very much dependent on what flipping mood the conductor is in!

More power to your elbow with the letter writing! Go girl!

Thank you. She's downloading the App now, I think.

My railcard is on my phone, what a tosser that guy was

My DD has the digital version on her phone on the app as she knows she would forget a hard version. And she always has her phone with her. She says it is rare they ask for it though!

I hope your DD manages to get it lowered - that is a big increase.

There seems little difference between a photo and a digital copy?

I’ve done this once before and was very apologetic with the conductor and they let me off. It’s easily done, the cards should really be digital by now, I have an HM Forces one and it’s made from a physical passport photo and stamp!!

Surely he should have just charged the difference in fair too, not a whole new ticket!?

I've been let off before after getting on the wrong train and going down the opposite side of the country, the woman was lovely and could see I'd just made a daft mistake. Things happen.

Hope the digital one can be downloaded now and she is refunded!

Not helpful but I live in Ireland and I’m astonished at how expensive rail travel is in the UK. I live in the west of Ireland and if I buy on online train ticket to Dublin (the other side of the country) it costs €32 return.

The digital version on the app has a moving qr code to ensure authenticity of the railcard.

a photo of the card - anyone with basic IT skills could put their photo into someone else’s card - hence why they often won’t accept a photo Of a physical card as they are too easily faked.

Sad but true. And DD is not remotely feisty or confrontational, she would have just meekly paid.

Sadly it hasn't worked. Something to do with her buying the physical one and having it in the App isn't an option until she repurchases it?

Where is she heading? Is there any way to speak to someone at a ticket office the other end? Absolutely appeal, she has been targeted by a jobsworth. Unfortunately there are a lot of them on the railways.

Sadly I think when you apply for the railcard, you have to choose digital or physical version, and that’s what you get until it’s time to renew.

They could surely have just told her to download the app whilst they were with her?!

Yes I have a senior rail card. It's either/or you can't have both.

Worth appealing - there was a lot of publicity about unfair penalties a few weeks ago.

Last train trip, I realised on the train that my railcard had expired, Renewed it online during the journey but the ticket inspection person didn't ask to see it anyway.

Tell her to keep all receipts, paperwork, take screenshots of these in case lost, she can describe everything as factually as possible with timings etc. nothing will be lost by appealing and I think she has good cause, personally. She does have a railcard, she has made an oversight in not having it with her. They will see it’s a one off mistake.

That’s annoying, I am sure I have a physical card somewhere as well as my virtual card (although I bought a 3 year option maybe it’s changed)

Shame she didn’t get her charm from you, she might have been able to talk herself out of a ticket

This is to stop fraud.
Lesson learned. I hope!

I guess it's a harsh lesson learned. I can see why they refused. It's open to fraud if it's just a photo of it and not officially on the app. I would try appealing though. Upsetting though, I hope she's ok.

Perhaps you're not the best judge of what constitutes charm?

Thank you, yes she's definitely going to appeal because it seems so arbitrary, too? As a matter of rite, she has a record of everything luckily. Once she gets her Chartership she intends to specialise as a forensic accountant, so loves a paper trail!

Thank you. I definitely understand about the potential for fraud aspect, but it very much seems dependant on the personality of the conductor. Other DD also has a Railcard but can't remember the last time she was asked to produce it!

Sadly she can't because she originally only applied for the physical version and can't change it until she renews!