Collecting from a TVM without the same card used to pay for ticket

[gray1404]

This is because which booking engines don't care which card you insert into a TVM to collect a prebooked ticket.

A friend of mine is amendment that he wants to treat me to a return ticket from Liverpool to London as late birthday present. He lives in London.

Which train operating company booking engine would he need to book it on whereby he could book the ticket from his end and I would just be able to collect the ticket from a TVM without having to have his card on me (I'd just insert my own).

I would most likely be picking it up from the Virgin TVM at Liverpool Lime Street.

 

[34D]

Surely it's best to post it out?

 

[reb0118]

amendment

?

I had a little chuckle at that - do you mean adamant?

With regard to your query I know that if the booking is made through a business account then ticket collection is generally set to allow "any card" to be used. It may also be the case that tickets purchased with rail warrants or RTVs for collection may also be collected via "any card" - you would have to purchase via telesales in that case I think.

 

[ASharpe]

Tickets bought on the East Coast website can be collected with any card.

But not all websites allow it.

 

[wibble]

Tickets bought on the East Coast website can be collected with any card.

But not all websites allow it.

VTEC info on TOD website says:

Please remember to take the same credit or debit card used to make the booking as you will need this to collect your tickets. Failure to do so may result in being asked to buy a new set of tickets in order to travel.

 

[gray1404]

Sorry about my spelling mistakes earlier!

This is for personal travel (not business) and he'll be booking the ticket online rather then through telesales. Also, its likely to be known only a few days before travel when we'll actually be able to meet - so posting tickets out not really possible. Although, what is the very latest they'll post tickets out before travel?

I have this morning been to Liverpool Lime Street to collect a ticket I booked on East Midlands Trains. I inserted a different card to the one I brought it with (knowing that if it rejected it I had the correct card on my person) and the ticket came out no problem with the different card. However, the name printed on the card would have been the same, does that make any difference?

I am therefore wondering if any of thetrainline.com supported sites e.g. Virgin Trains West Coast, East Midlands Trains etc... will accept any card?

 

[dave87016]

Virgintrains.co.uk always allow me to use any card to pick my tickets up

 

[Hadders]

The most straightforward way is to use a webtis site (eg. VTEC) and purchase an evoucher for the exact amount of the fare. Pay with this evoucher and the tickets can be collected using any card.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

This is an interesting one and it does seem rather unclear. My girlfriend had to take a rare train trip for work today. Her boss had booked the tickets and given her the reference number to put in the machines at Wolverhampton station. She was stressing out over it - why would it take her card for the reservation when she hadn't booked it - but it did indeed take her card, and printed her name on the ticket.

Do they have to be booked a particular way, then? Or do the machines just take the card to identify who has picked them up, as opposed to checking you're the person who bought them? Or is it more complicated than that.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Virgintrains.co.uk always allow me to use any card to pick my tickets up

This was a Virgin Trains machine and station, so is it that their FastTicket machines work differently to other operators?

 

[ASharpe]

Virgintrains.co.uk always allow me to use any card to pick my tickets up

I used the wrong card a couple of weeks ago by accident and it worked fine. I'll try again some time this week and report back.

To be safe it might be worth going with the evoucher option, that will definitely work.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

This is an interesting one and it does seem rather unclear. My girlfriend had to take a rare train trip for work today. Her boss had booked the tickets and given her the reference number to put in the machines at Wolverhampton station. She was stressing out over it - why would it take her card for the reservation when she hadn't booked it - but it did indeed take her card, and printed her name on the ticket.

Do they have to be booked a particular way, then? Or do the machines just take the card to identify who has picked them up, as opposed to checking you're the person who bought them? Or is it more complicated than that.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


This was a Virgin Trains machine and station, so is it that their FastTicket machines work differently to other operators?

That sounds like it might have been made using the corporate version of the Trainline website.

 

[louis97]

East Midlands Trains let you pick up a ticket without the card used to book.

 

[John @ home]

Some ticket retailers allow collection by any card. Some others require the card used to purchase the tickets. Then there is a third category: some allow collection by any card for some purchases but not for others. This last category may allow any card for business accounts, or for individuals who have set up an account on their site, or for those who have a history of successful purchases with the retailer, or some combination of these factors.

Which train operating company booking engine would he need to book it on whereby he could book the ticket from his end and I would just be able to collect the ticket from a TVM without having to have his card on me (I'd just insert my own).

The most reliable way for the OP's friend to ensure that the purchase may be collected by any valid card is

• Set up an account on the Virgin Trains East Coast site.
• Log in to that account and purchase an e-voucher for the cost of the ticket.
• Buy the ticket, pay for it with the e-voucher, and tell the OP (and no-one else) the 8-digit code.

 

[swt_passenger]

SWT's emails and TVMs are not in sync on this matter:

The email you get includes:

Getting your tickets: Self-Service Ticket Machine

Collection reference: NXXXXNXX

Tickets will be available to pick-up from a self-service ticket machine at any one of 1000 UK stations 15 minute(s) after booking.

When you go to collect your tickets you will need:

Your collection reference: NXXXXNXX
Any debit or credit card in order to activate the machine. This card will not be charged.
You must have both of the above to be able to collect your tickets.

The TVM itself then says 'insert the debit or credit card used to purchase the tickets' (Or words to that effect)...

 

[dmncf]

Can anyone here name a ticket retailer who does require the same card to be used for collection as was used for purchase?

I've bought tickets online from FGW, RedSpottedHanky, Southern and VT East Coast, and I've never used the same card to collect the tickets (not deliberately because of any principle, but simply because I buy with my personal credit card but collect with my work credit card because it's easier to get out at the ticket machine).

I really don't understand why one must present any card at all - why isn't having the alphanumeric collection code enough? The situation has changed a lot from a few years ago, when in my experience one did need to present the correct card, and the tickets would be printed without any need for the alphanumeric collection code.

 

[ASharpe]

Can anyone here name a ticket retailer who does require the same card to be used for collection as was used for purchase?

The Trainline, I used them a few weeks ago via topcashback and it didn't work when I put in the wrong card.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

Some ticket retailers allow collection by any card. Some others require the card used to purchase the tickets. Then there is a third category: some allow collection by any card for some purchases but not for others. This last category may allow any card for business accounts, or for individuals who have set up an account on their site, or for those who have a history of successful purchases with the retailer, or some combination of these factors.

This is pretty much what I thought was going on. Typical of this industry - far more complicated than it needs to be!

 

[trevmonk]

The Caledonian Sleeper site also sells tickets which can be collected with any card.

On a different tack: The advantage of using the same card used to be that some machines would print tickets immediately without the need to enter the reference code (as long as you only had one booking). I haven't had that happen for some time now.

 

[yorkie]

There appear to be issues with some Parkeon machines enforcing 'same card' collection but nearly all other types of machines will allow collection with any card.

However, to be 100% safe, as mentioned in our Fares Guide and detailed above by John @ Home, buy a VTEC e-voucher and pay with that!

 

[Mojo]

There appear to be issues with some Parkeon machines enforcing 'same card' collection but nearly all other types of machines will allow collection with any card.

Yes, I was about to say this. I have noticed that Parkeon machines (including ToDlers) have been requiring the correct card to be inserted and have had first-hand experience of this.

 

[talldave]

Southern website purchase, collect from Southern machine - machine asks for any card.
Southern website purchase, collect from Southeastern machine - machine asks for card used for payment.

I've not yet been brave enough to try the wrong card in a Southeastern machine - they are nerve rackingly lethargic when everything's going ok. Are they the slowest?

 

[hluraven]

Southern website purchase, collect from Southern machine - machine asks for any card.
Southern website purchase, collect from Southeastern machine - machine asks for card used for payment.

I've not yet been brave enough to try the wrong card in a Southeastern machine - they are nerve rackingly lethargic when everything's going ok. Are they the slowest?

I always pick up from Southeastern with the wrong card, never had a problem. I did it last week after booking with a work credit card (from a different TOC's website) and picking up from Southeastern with my own.

 

[Alan White]

SWT's emails...

The email you get includes:

Getting your tickets: Self-Service Ticket Machine

Collection reference: NXXXXNXX

Tickets will be available to pick-up from a self-service ticket machine at any one of 1000 UK stations 15 minute(s) after booking.

When you go to collect your tickets you will need:

Your collection reference: NXXXXNXX
Any debit or credit card in order to activate the machine. This card will not be charged.
You must have both of the above to be able to collect your tickets.

That's not the email I get when booking on SWT's website.

Getting your tickets: Self-Service Ticket Machine
Collection reference: xxxxxxxx

Tickets will be available to pick-up from a self-service ticket machine at any one of 1000 UK stations 2 hours after booking.

When you go to collect your tickets you will need:

Your collection reference: xxxxxxxx
The payment card you used to purchase the ticket (number ending xxxx).

You must have both of the above to be able to collect your tickets.

Note that the collection time I'm given is > 2 hours and the card must be the one used for the purchase.

On the general point, I'm surprised and concerned that any TVM permits collection of a prepaid ticket without the right card. As the collection references are sent by email - an insecure medium - then anyone could collect any ticket. What is the point of inserting a card if it's not required for validation?

Also, SWT's website requires selection of a station at which to collect the ticket. What's the point of that if the ticket can be collected at any station? This is also a security risk: tickets should be available only at the nominated station.

In short, while it doesn't help the OP, I believe for optimal security while not hindering most customers tickets purchased online should be available only:
- at the nominated station
- on presentation of the card used for the purchase

I've said previously that the collection references are a pain because they're long, complex, difficult to enter, and cause delays at TVMs. Now I see why the industry uses them because they're the only security there is .

 

[DeeGee]

Just out of interest, do the railways issue a lot of SILK, do we know? Is it a nice little money-spinner?

(You may be able to anticipate my line of thought...)

 

[transmanche]

What is the point of inserting a card if it's not required for validation?

So if there's any dispute later on, a record has been kept that the holder of card x was the one who collected the tickets.

Also, SWT's website requires selection of a station at which to collect the ticket. What's the point of that if the ticket can be collected at any station?

It's a simple way of ensuring that the station you want to collect the tickets from actually has a ToD ticket machine.

 

[kieron]

Another option gray1404's friend could consider is to buy the ticket through telesales, and explain his requirements to the person on the line.

Incidentally, the time limit for posting tickets on the VT site (for one example) is 7 days, or 2 days for "next day delivery".

 

[34D]

This is totally bizarre. Around 10 years ago when I worked in card processing, there was a requirement that if you met a CNP cardholder then the sale became CP and you had to swipe the card - which is what TVM's used to do.

Anyone who is having a friend book tickets, can I urge them to be careful, and definitely don't leave it until the last minute to collect them.

 

[PermitToTravel]

Virgin Trains (West Coast) allow any-card collection for people who frequently book tickets through them (no idea quite how they define that).

 

[causton]

From a station perspective:

The system has recently changed from our end.

Before, we could not search tickets by card (the option always said nothing was found), and partially successfully (it requires a lot of patience to search the database) by postcode, and all collection references immediately printed.

A couple of weeks ago, they changed it so bookings that are not set as "Any Card" require us to insert the card and use the search by credit card details.

Searching by credit card details involves entering the card (type, swipe, or chip and pin, same as a purchase) but also entering the surname the booking was made with. This is due to data protection (so you can't just pick up a card off the floor and pick up all the tickets). However... a lot of websites have the surname incorrectly, such as "FULL SURNAME REQUIRED" and "CUSTOMER" (or the customer has spelt their own name wrong!) - luckily there is a way to override it with a supervisor's password and issue the tickets without all this faff!

The system has good intentions, but like a lot of things it doesn't work cause the data fed into it is crap.

 

[maniacmartin]

Isn't the surname embossed on the card anyway in most cases?

 

[reb0118]

Isn't the surname embossed on the card anyway in most cases?

Very true. It may not help, however, when the person has misspelled their own name (most probably a typo?) during the booking process.