No penalty for cashing in CalMac multi journey tickets

With Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) being rolled out across the CalMac ferry network the company are discontinuing multi journey tickets to simplify fares.

Customers will be able to use their current book of multi journey tickets up until October 26 or October 1 in the case of the Rothesay - Wemyss Bay route. Any remaining tickets after these dates will be refunded at no charge to the customer.

Bute, Mull and Cumbrae will retain the option of season tickets and 50 journey tickets will also still be available on the two crossings to Bute.

"The ethos behind RET was that no customer would be disadvantaged by the changes and the current 50 journey ticket Bute is better value than the equivalent RET fare, so will remain in place," said CalMac's Head of Ticketing and Reservations, Alan Hood.

"Although we normally charge a £10 administration fee for anyone looking to cash in unused multi journey tickets this will not apply."

The Scottish Government's RET initiative aims to match ferry fares with cost of a road journey for the equivalent distance travelled.

In real terms this will, for example, mean vehicles crossing from Oban to Mull paying £16.45 rather than £56.65 and the cost of taking a car from Mallaig to Armadale on Skye falling from £29.05 to just £12.20.

CalMac operates 31 vessels across 49 routes serving communities up and down the west coast and is the UK's largest ferry operator.

Passengers can compare how much they will save when the new fares come into force at www.calmac.co.uk