Getting the Student Travelcard on campus

Sad Professor

I hate these bloody things, they are the biggest scam, but I'm gonna have to get one.

According to the site, it's €12 if you post it in, or €15 if you get it from one their "express" services.

If you are getting it directly on campus, does anyone know if you can provide your own passport photos? Therefore saving yourself the €3 they want to take your photo. It's a big enough rip-off as it is.

alan4cult

Sad Professor wrote: »

I hate these bloody things, they are the biggest scam, but I'm gonna have to get one.

According to the site, it's €12 if you post it in, or €15 if you get it from one their "express" services.

If you are getting it directly on campus, does anyone know if you can provide your own passport photos? Therefore saving yourself the €3 they want to take your photo. It's a big enough rip-off as it is.

I think the reason they're €15 at the express service is because the passport photo is included in the price i.e. 12 + 3.

stop

Sad Professor wrote: »

I hate these bloody things, they are the biggest scam, but I'm gonna have to get one.

According to the site, it's €12 if you post it in, or €15 if you get it from one their "express" services.

If you are getting it directly on campus, does anyone know if you can provide your own passport photos? Therefore saving yourself the €3 they want to take your photo. It's a big enough rip-off as it is.

It's hardly a rip-off in fairness. You'll save the cost of the card on one long distance train journey.

IrishKnight

+1 to that, after about two/three trips down home I get the cost of the card back...

Sad Professor

alan4cult wrote: »

I think the reason they're €15 at the express service is because the passport photo is included in the price i.e. 12 + 3.

Yeah I know. But I'm wondering if they'll let you provide your own photos?

stop wrote: »

It's hardly a rip-off in fairness. You'll save the cost of the card on one long distance train journey.

Rip-off was perhaps too strong a word. I just think they are unnecessary.

While I understand the need for standardisation, a UCD student card should be enough proof that you are a student. These travelcards also expire in December, which seems like an attempt to milk a bit extra from students. And they probably take the photos using a webcam which hardly costs €3 per shot.

IrishKnight

The UCDSU were campaining for the travel card to be no more and our student cards to be enough...

I wonder what ever happened to that...

Raphael

The UCDSU campaign for a lot of things. It's amazing how many of them actually come to anything.

Feral Mutant

Sad Professor wrote: »

These travelcards also expire in December, which seems like an attempt to milk a bit extra from students.

They don't expire until December of the next year though.

Sad Professor

Feral Mutant wrote: »

They don't expire until December of the next year though.

Didn't realise this. That's not so bad then I suppose.

Infernon

Feral Mutant wrote: »

They don't expire until December of the next year though.

This year,in fact, as printed on my one. And I think 15 euro is fair enough.You pay it once a year anyway,and you get the cost of it back when buying your first 30 day rambler.

KeiraG

If you're a Fresher you can open a Student Bank Account with AIB I think you can claim a "free" Travelcard; you still have to pay the €3 photo charge though.
That's what I did last year anyway and I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that they're offering it again this year.

Hoku

KeiraG wrote: »

If you're a Fresher you can open a Student Bank Account with AIB I think you can claim a "free" Travelcard; you still have to pay the €3 photo charge though.
That's what I did last year anyway and I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that they're offering it again this year.

Correct - got a letter from the bank yesterday, containing a "free travelcard" voucher. You need to bring that to the Express Service desk along with the €3 and you're sorted.

[off-topic]
What's the story with these ISIC/IYC cards? What's the difference between the two? Is it just like the TravelCard, only it's also accepted abroad?
[/off-topic]

stop

Infernon wrote: »

This year,in fact, as printed on my one. And I think 15 euro is fair enough.You pay it once a year anyway,and you get the cost of it back when buying your first 30 day rambler.

People getting new cards in September 09 will get a card which is valid to December 2010.
Thus whenever you graduate you'll still have Student prices until the following New Year.

_JOE_

Sad Professor wrote: »

I hate these bloody things, they are the biggest scam, but I'm gonna have to get one.

According to the site, it's €12 if you post it in, or €15 if you get it from one their "express" services.

If you are getting it directly on campus, does anyone know if you can provide your own passport photos? Therefore saving yourself the €3 they want to take your photo. It's a big enough rip-off as it is.

No because the photo is taken by a web cam of sorts whilst you sit in a chair and then uploaded and printed out immediately on one of those card printers...

lemur option

Sad Professor wrote: »

a UCD student card should be enough proof that you are a student.

The problem here is that secondary level students don't have student cards, and also that the transport authority don't have access to UCD student card number databases, add to all this that not all colleges use your CAO number as your student number (AFAIK).

A standard card is a good idea, you get charged €15 every 1 and a half years. so roughly €10 per year.

let's do some quick maths.

say we're doing a return train journey from the northside every day, and we're getting a 10/46A bus to/from town each day as well. A very average days travel for many of us.

5 x (4.70+1.70) = €32 per week

This could go up or down depending on weekend travel, nights out or whatever.

We'll say there are 4 weeks in a month, just for ease. that's €128 per month on travel. The travel card let's me do this for €93 that's a saving of €35 in the first month. Add to this that a monthly ticket allows me to jump on the 3 to save me a walk from sydney parade, allows me to get busses to town whenever I feel like it. €15 well spent.

In answer to your question, I'm pretty sure their machines can't take passport photos, you'll have to send away if you want that.

bebeebutterfly

Last year, during the first few weeks of College,
I got my picture taken and card made right there,
they gave me a voucher so it only cost 3euro in total!

WolfForager

Got me free voucher from AIB today