Booking reference now required on Southern ticket machines

[talldave]

As of last week, I'm being asked for my booking reference when I collect my Southern-booked tickets from a Southern ticket machine.

For years, I've walked up to the machine, hit "Collect", put my credit card in and had my tickets printed. All of 15 seconds effort.

Now, I'm forced to log into my email, find the reference and struggle to enter it on the machine's lousy touchscreen.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Is it as a result of the software update that was being discussed for the end of April?

 

[yorkie]

The same change occurred with other operators, including East Coast, quite some time ago.

 

[talldave]

Thanks yorkie. No doubt it's an improvement under the guise of "security" or "Health and Safety".

The sooner I can start using my smartcard the better - forget paper altogether. Ironically, smartcard day returns Gatwick to London are available for sale on the Southern website, but I'm not meant to buy them apparently - they're just testing things out - on the live system!!!

 

[telstarbox]

Previously if you had more than one order ready for collection, was there the option to only print one order when you inserted the card?

If so, perhaps it's to avoid people printing off the "wrong" tickets for their journey.

 

[Clip]

Thanks yorkie. No doubt it's an improvement under the guise of "security" or "Health and Safety".

You know you kind of raise a good point of the change of collection from TODs which Southern obviously havent shouted enough about but then ruin what you say by writing tosh like this.

 

[bb21]

In fact it does offer an additional layer of security.

 

[Clip]

I am aware of that but the poster is being very sarcastic with said post and why they mentioend health and safety I do not know if not to have another dig at the railway(which they seem to a lot_)

 

[bb21]

That wasn't aimed at you actually.

 

[yorkie]

Previously if you had more than one order ready for collection, was there the option to only print one order when you inserted the card?.

On some types of machines, I believe so.

However on the machines used by East Coast, they would only automatically issue tickets if there was only one booking associated with your card. If you had more than one booking, you had to enter the code.

 

[talldave]

I agree it adds more security - but I never felt the previous setup was insecure. If someone stole my credit card, I'd have a lot more to worry about than them swanning off to London at my expense.

Sorry if my sense of humour wrankles, and yes I do regularly have a dig at train companies when they're crap - which, in the case of Southern, is sadly is more often than I'd like. The "Health and Safety" jibe is indirectly relevant since I can't think of any other industry that thinks that I got to middle age without realising that wet surfaces can be slippery.

 

[maniacmartin]

It'd be at the TOC's expense though, as if the transaction was fraudulent, the bank would most likely reverse the charge.

 

[Emyr]

The "Health and Safety" jibe is indirectly relevant since I can't think of any other industry that thinks that I got to middle age without realising that wet surfaces can be slippery.

We don't have enough staff to go round erecting yellow plastic "caution, wet floor!" signs every time it rains, which every other industry is obliged to do.

 

[bb21]

The "Health and Safety" jibe is indirectly relevant since I can't think of any other industry that thinks that I got to middle age without realising that wet surfaces can be slippery.

It is not just that railway companies that take extra steps to remind people of this fact. How many times have you seen yellow "Slippery Floor" hazard signs in a building when it is a blatantly obvious fact? You should be blaming the compensation culture we seem to have these days rather than the railway companies for taking steps to avoid the possibility of being sued in an unfortunate accident.

 

[talldave]

True, it was never the case until President Blair came to power - but I'm sure this isn't the forum to discuss politics!


Back on topic, the increase in security will be ineffective for me, because every time I go to the station now there will be a post-it note stuck to my credit card with my booking reference on it.

 

[northernman]

Evening,

It has changed for two reasons:

1. The industry has changed the national database for storing 'ticket on departure' bookings a few weeks ago. Previously provided by Fujitsu, it is now provided by Smart421;
2. The industry is moving towards compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCIDSS) and this change allows a security check without the need to hold full card data, something that is frowned upon under PCISSS standards.

Regards

Ian

 

[yorkie]

Thanks Ian - that's most helpful to know.

I believe only the last 4 (?) digits are checked these days, so that makes sense.

I have a credit & debit card, and wish they ended with the same numbers, as then I wouldn't have to remember which one I used to book!