Free HEX/GEX 1st Class Upgrade
 

Completed a questionaire and was awarded as such - seems a generic code:

T&C's

I like the fact that my annual travelcard (i.e. Network Gold Card) gets me the HEX for £10.90 and one card gets the discount for up to 4 people. The Heathrow Connect is £4.55 with this discount (less if you buy the ticket starting from the zone boundary of your travelcard).

Only drawback I believe is the discount doesn't apply to early trains (before 10am) but I usually get a hotel for a morning departure so I can get more sleep :)

If you don't have an annual travelcard then a Network Railcard can give you the same discount.

I find this worth mentioning as the Heathrow Express don't like to advertise this fact, they don't even sell them through their machines you have to buy them at the counter.

Time for a headshunt to GB & Ireland.

Oxon Flyer
bmi mod team

How does one get this Network Gold Card?

I've just spent just over £181 on HEX carnet which represents under 10% saving on the fare (although there is a convenience factor of having a prepaid ticket with me at all times) and I wouldn't mind finding a cheaper way of riding on HEX (which happens around 4-8 times per month).

You have to purchase an annual season ticket I understand. More information is at - http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_.../goldcard.html

Thanks Markie, it looks like it's not an option for me (I have no need for any annual season ticket in the UK).

You can buy a Network Card for £20 a year (or befriend a Gold Card holder, who can buy you one for £1!) which gives you some of the same benefits: 33% discount within the Network area (South-East plus the Cotswold and Wessex Mainlines) and kids for £1.

However... There is a £10 minimum on weekdays, which doesn't exist with the Gold Card (and you can't use the £5 day upgrade either). Which still makes it worthwhile for the HEX, but not the HEC.

Aha! That sounds like an excellent option for me. Thank you Stut!

That will be very helpful for HEX.

If 62 or over, consider a Senior Railcard, which is even a better deal in most cases.

I never knew that you could get friends network railcards for just a pound if you have a gold card. That's quite useful to know.

It knocks the price of the Heathrow Expensive down to a decent level.

One thing to note: as far as I know railcards are not valid on the Gatwick Expensive but then again there's a lot more options to get back from Gatwick and all the other trains offer the railcard discounts.

I think it also worth mentioning that with the exception of the GEX you'll get discounts on all other rail journeys within the former Network South East Area.

Of course as RichardInSF says if you qualify for any other railcard (senior, young persons, disabled, etc) then that's a better deal as they offer discounts throughout the UK, the senior railcard also includes discounts in first class.

The long term unemployed can get a New Deal card that gives them 50% off rail journeys.

UPDATE: I can't see it documented anywhere official about the benefit of £1 Network Railcards and other places that mention this benefit seem to be outdated. Does this still exist, I'd not want to ask for it unless I had something official printed out.