How to Get Nearly Free Travel from Scotrail

by TheGeek

Hello 2600 readers.

I fully imagine this to be a niche article, and for that I apologize.  However, I rarely see U.K. "hacks" here, so I thought it may be refreshing.

Now, the usual disclaimer applies.  I don't condone defrauding the rail company, yadda yadda, but in my personal opinion, if your policy is broken then ho hum.  Incidentally, I found this by accident.

So the aim of the game is to get almost free rail travel from Scotrail.  Scotrail is the main provider of rail transit in Scotland, and the contract goes out to tender every decade or so, I believe.  Currently, the contract is held by Abellio.

By virtue of luck, I work for one of many companies who provide a tax-free loan to obtain an annual rail season ticket.  In my case, this amounts to around £3k.  Not a small amount of cash.  And all they require as proof is a receipt.

So, one day I got to the station and realized I didn't have my card.  Certain that I had left it on my desk, I wandered back to the office and, fruitless in my endeavor, I returned to the station.

Now the young guy at the ticket office made me buy a ticket, but told me to keep it for a refund.  There's £10 right off.

So I traveled home and on Saturday remembered I had no ticket for Monday.  So I phoned Scotrail customer service.

I proceeded to put forward my tale of woe about the loss of my precious lady on the other end could not have been more helpful.  A £10 admin charge and five minutes later a new card would be with me in ten days.

But, I wondered, having shelled out almost £3k plus a tenner, how was I to get to work?  Simple, she said.  Print my booking confirmation and use it for travel.

OK, I said.  She advised that if they made me buy a ticket to just do it and they would refund the cost.

So I got on the train prepared to give it a go, fully expecting a long check etc., etc., followed by a purchase.

No...  I gave a quick explanation to the conductor.  He nodded and walked off.  The same at the automated gates, and the same on my return journey...

So I obviously had to play this game until my card came.  And on every journey it was the same deal.

Then the fateful day came...  A new card.  I thought, what should I do?  The answer was obvious.  Carry on.  So I did.  This went a couple of weeks before I gave up.

Now, I hear you ask, where is the hack?  Well, I lost my card, however, still had my booking email.  The same booking email one would have if one were to, say, cancel their card and be refunded the remainder of the ticket.

This may seem like a stretch, but not once was I asked to prove who I was or that I actually had a card and, despite the ability to do so, no one checked up on me.

There is clearly some risk here, but when you're gaming the system, there's always a risk.

Stay lucky.