Season Ticket Purchase

[dcd]

Last Saturday my partner went to Southampton Central to purchase a one week season ticket to London starting on the Sunday.

She was told this was not possible, she had to buy it on the first day unless it was a renewal- which it was not.

Is this correct and if so can anyone explain why? I can see little difference except the price between that and the ticket I bought a few weeks ago that would do exactly the same job.

I bought an All Line Rover weeks before the start and did not need a photocard as she does.

Seems mad to me.

 

[bb21]

Hmm, I think the clerk is correct looking at this page.

 

[GoByThameslink]

.... if so can anyone explain why? I can see little difference except the price between that and the ticket I bought a few weeks ago that would do exactly the same job.

I think they are worried that the ticket will be used for a free day's travel before it is valid. I've just looked at my last season ticket and it does have a start date on it, but this is in small print, so might be overlooked.

 

[iphone76]

I was told about this rule when I attempted to purchase a weekly season for the first time from a Greater Anglia station a day in advance. I accepted what I was told, then ordered it from the c2c website on my phone and picked it up from the ticket machine at the same station a few minutes later. (I specified the station I wanted to pick up from at the purchase stage.)

Saved me a return trip to the station and meant I could order it a few days in advance with no issues.

http://tickets.c2c-online.co.uk/c2c/en/JourneyPlanning/SeasonMixingDeck

I hope this is of some use for the future.

 

[dcd]

I was told about this rule when I attempted to purchase a weekly season for the first time from a Greater Anglia station a day in advance. I accepted what I was told, then ordered it from the c2c website on my phone and picked it up from the ticket machine at the same station a few minutes later. (I specified the station I wanted to pick up from at the purchase stage.)

Saved me a return trip to the station and meant I could order it a few days in advance with no issues.

http://tickets.c2c-online.co.uk/c2c/en/JourneyPlanning/SeasonMixingDeck

I hope this is of some use for the future.

Thanks very much for this tip, we have tried this for next week's season ticket - purchased in advance online and picked up (from a different station than specified as we were passing another station today) and all went well.

Seems one rule for ticket office staff and one for machines.

I have found the same when trying to buy 2 senior tickets for travel on a later day from the ticket office, not allowed without 2 senior railcards present. Online ticket machine next to ticket office does not care. Only online does not accept delay repay travel vouchers, soon won't be a problem when they send cash.

Maybe they are trying like the Underground to get rid of ticket offices by making it harder than online.

 

[talldave]

How many other businesses actively turn away customers offering money? The rules (probably written in the last century) are just not relevant in today's environment.

It's bonkers that you can do more online than at a TVM and more at a TVM than at the ticket office. As dcd says, it like there's a subliminal attempt to kill off ticket offices altogether which, for the record, I don't agree with.

So, a plea to the idiots who proliferate these petty rules: If a customer turns up with money - ffs sell them the ticket they want!!!

 

[clagmonster]

So, a plea to the idiots who proliferate these petty rules: If a customer turns up with money - ffs sell them the ticket they want!!!

I agree with you in theory, but the trouble they have is that if an audit is done on their machine, or somebody uses the ticket before it is valid, then it could quite easily come back to bite them.

 

[maniacmartin]

I believe that it used to be the case that the start date of a season ticket was not encoded on the magnetic stripe of season tickets. This meant that there ws nothing stopping you from using them in the ticket gates before the start of their validity, and thus they could not be sold in advance unless it was a renewal. I'm not sure if this is still the case

 

[bb21]

I believe that it used to be the case that the start date of a season ticket was not encoded on the magnetic stripe of season tickets. This meant that there ws nothing stopping you from using them in the ticket gates before the start of their validity, and thus they could not be sold in advance unless it was a renewal. I'm not sure if this is still the case

I don't think anything has changed in that respect.

The start date is certainly printed on the ticket if bought in advance so visual inspection should be able to pick that up, but not quite so with gates.

So, a plea to the idiots who proliferate these petty rules: If a customer turns up with money - ffs sell them the ticket they want!!!

I don't think it is fair to criticise staff who are merely following instructions and can find themselves in trouble otherwise. Your anger would be much better directed at those from "higher up".

 

[talldave]

I don't think anything has changed in that respect.

The start date is certainly printed on the ticket if bought in advance so visual inspection should be able to pick that up, but not quite so with gates.



I don't think it is fair to criticise staff who are merely following instructions and can find themselves in trouble otherwise. Your anger would be much better directed at those from "higher up".

Sorry, it was meant to be. The ticket seller can't delete that rule; but the management could if they put down their free travel passes for a few days and experienced what it's like to be a customer.

As for the issue of misuse, their inability to police correct tickect usage (either crappy equipment or paranoia) shouldn't be used as an excuse to inconvenience all customers. This is the mentality of pre-privatisation Britain. Shareholders in the TOCs should be asking management why cash is being turned away from the tills.

 

[iphone76]

Thanks very much for this tip, we have tried this for next week's season ticket - purchased in advance online and picked up (from a different station than specified as we were passing another station today) and all went well.

Seems one rule for ticket office staff and one for machines.

I have found the same when trying to buy 2 senior tickets for travel on a later day from the ticket office, not allowed without 2 senior railcards present. Online ticket machine next to ticket office does not care. Only online does not accept delay repay travel vouchers, soon won't be a problem when they send cash.

Maybe they are trying like the Underground to get rid of ticket offices by making it harder than online.

It's my pleasure - I'm glad you were able to get your tickets.

 

[CyrusWuff]

I believe that it used to be the case that the start date of a season ticket was not encoded on the magnetic stripe of season tickets. This meant that there ws nothing stopping you from using them in the ticket gates before the start of their validity, and thus they could not be sold in advance unless it was a renewal. I'm not sure if this is still the case

The start date is encoded on the magstripe, though isn't printed on the ticket if it's issued as a renewal (it prints RENEWAL instead). If you try to use it before the start date, however, it effectively cancels the ticket and you'll need to get a replacement.

 

[TUC]

I think they are worried that the ticket will be used for a free day's travel before it is valid. I've just looked at my last season ticket and it does have a start date on it, but this is in small print, so might be overlooked.

So the start date should be made as big as the end date. It's really not rocket science National Rail!