[Hans Rancke-Madsen]

(This is a summation; there's a JTAS Online article called Starship Passage Vouchers that covers passage vouchers in much greater detail.)

Passage vouchers.

Passage vouchers issued by various Imperial organizations to cover the cost of starship passage. The holder presents the voucher; the details, such as name, date, origin and destination world, and cost of the passage is filled in, and the holder given passage. The voucher is subsequently presented to an agent of the organization or someone authorized to redeem its vouchers, who will reimburse the shipping company.

Passage vouchers come in three standard types: A Standard Passage Voucher, or "Mid Passage" as it's usually known, must be accepted by any ship carrying passengers within the length and breadth of the Imperium as full and fair payment for one standard passage of any lentgh in a single stateroom. Standard vouchers were originally intended for low-ranking Imperial civil servants and military personnel. Originally issued only by Imperial ministries and organizations, the enabling Imperial Edict 318 has been amended on several occasions to allow a few civilian organizations, such as the various megacorporations and the Travellers' Aid Society, to issue their own vouchers.

A Priority Passage Voucher, or "High Passage" as it's usually known, must be accepted by any ship carrying passengers within the length and breadth of the Imperium as full and fair payment for one standard passage of any lentgh in a single stateroom at the highest available standard, including cargo space for up to one dT of baggage. Should the ship be fully booked, a passenger not himself holding a Priority Passage Voucher must be asked to leave the ship in order to provide room for the holder of the voucher. Priority vouchers were originally intended for high Imperial officials traveling on official business. Over time this purpose has become somewhat diluted, and by the Classic Era they are issued to people quite far down the organisatorial 'food chains' and freely traded outside the organizations. People who are planning to use them to pay for a jump-1 or jump-2 ticket will often try to sell them to someone planning to make a jump-3 or higher trip. This is technically illegal, but that rule hasn't been enforced for many centuries. The going rate tends to be around CrImp7200 for a standard voucher, CrImp9000 for a priority voucher, and CrImp900 for a low passage voucher.

A Low Passage Voucher must be accepted by any ship carrying low passengers within the length and breadth of the Imperium as full and fair payment for one standard passage of any lentgh in a low berth. Such vouchers usually add a disclaimer to the effect that the use of this voucher is entirely at the discretion of the holder and that the issuing organization is in no way liable for damages of any kind resulting from such use. Although travel in low berth is nowhere near as dangerous as numerous urban legends would have it, detrimental effects have been known to occur.

Many starships offer passage in shared (double occupancy) staterooms, usually known as "Economy Passage", but no organization issues Economy Passage vouchers.

EDIT: Almost forgot: Retiring members of Imperial services are given enough passage vouchers to get back to their homeworld (or world of enlistment).


Hans