Merseyrail now doing Ticket On Departure

[M28361M]

It seems Merseyrail have quietly updated their website to state that it is now possible to collect tickets booked online from their stations. (source: Merseyrail.org)

It is also now possible to collect train tickets purchased through other online retailers at any staffed Merseyrail station. If you selected 'Ticket on Departure' as the delivery method when purchasing train tickets online, visit a Merseyrail station ticket office before boarding a train and staff can print out your tickets.

To collect your tickets at a staffed station you must provide your booking reference and a credit or debit card, this does not have to be the card that you purchased the ticket with originally. Both of these things are required for ticket office staff to be able to print off your tickets.

A full list of locations where you can collect your tickets is available from the retailer you bought them from, and you should contact them directly if you have any questions or comments. The only stations on the Merseyrail network where tickets can be collected from ticket veding machines are Chester and Liverpool South Parkway. Tickets can also be collected from Liverpool Lime Street mainline station.

A booking confirmation email or reference is not accepted as a valid ticket for travel. You must be in possession of a valid ticket or pass before you board a Merseyrail service, if you don’t you are liable to receive a penalty fare.

A reaction to recent bad press (or the multiple threads on this forum? )

Shame I don’t have any trips planned at the moment, or I’d pop round to my local station to try collecting the tickets

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thank goodness for that. How long has that taken?

Just needs Trainline to sort e-tickets out now, given that it seems they incorrectly won't fulfil them for journeys involving Merseyrail, and Northern to get rid of their m-ticket only flows which block e.g. the purchase of an Aughton Park to Preston through ticket on your phone.

I'm not convinced that information is entirely correct, though; you presumably do need the actual card in most places?

 

[mikeg]

About time but they really should do it from machines too.

 

[Merseysider]

That is fantastic news! It’s been missing for so long I’ve literally grown grey hairs waiting for it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

About time but they really should do it from machines too.

As they are standard S&B TVMs it is odd that they aren't setting them up for ToD. There aren't however very many of them, most stations don't have one.

 

[Class800]

Mixed news - as they make no provision for when the ticket office is closed

 

[alistairlees]

Just as we are phasing out ToD…

I expect that doing the machines as well was too expensive.

 

[nedchester]

Just as we are phasing out ToD…

I expect that doing the machines as well was too expensive.

I doubt it's that difficult and just a minor software change but they'll claim it is protecting ticket offices.

ME just need to bite the bullet and accept it's 2021 and allow mobile tickets.

 

[Haywain]

I doubt it's that difficult and just a minor software change but they'll claim it is protecting ticket offices

Just because doing something may appear to be simple doesn't mean it is cheap. And knowing a bit about the supplier in question...

 

[M28361M]

I'm not convinced that information is entirely correct, though; you presumably do need the actual card in most places?

Presumably it depends on whether the booking is set to “any card” collection, just as if you were collecting at a machine. But yes, that seems like it needs re-wording.

I doubt it's that difficult and just a minor software change but they'll claim it is protecting ticket offices.

I did wonder if it was to allay any concerns from the ticket office staff that they were about to be replaced. On the other hand, it might simply be easier and/or cheaper to enable TOD on the ticket office systems compared to the machines.

 

[Kilopylae]

I'm not convinced that information is entirely correct, though; you presumably do need the actual card in most places?

At least in GWR-land any card is fine (from experience).

 

[Bletchleyite]

I doubt it's that difficult and just a minor software change but they'll claim it is protecting ticket offices.

ME just need to bite the bullet and accept it's 2021 and allow mobile tickets.

They do allow e-tickets, but Trainline for some reason incorrectly won't issue them. LNER's site and app will and is correct to do so - there was a recent thread on this.

They don't allow m-tickets, but those just need to go away.

 

[Wallsendmag]

At least in GWR-land any card is fine (from experience).

Nothing to do with the TVM owner, the flag is set by the retailer

 

[Kilopylae]

Nothing to do with the TVM owner, the flag is set by the retailer

Ah! I had no idea that was how it worked. That's interesting.

 

[gray1404]

Has anyone tried to getting a merseyrail station to print off a ticket this way yet.

 

[yorkie]

They do allow e-tickets, but Trainline for some reason incorrectly won't issue them. LNER's site and app will and is correct to do so - there was a recent thread on this.

They don't allow m-tickets, but those just need to go away.

Indeed.

m-tickets are absolutely awful and should be banned.

e-tickets are the way to go.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Has anyone tried to getting a merseyrail station to print off a ticket this way yet.

I'm just waiting for a report of "you'll have to go to Lime St for that, mate", the well-rehearsed excuse of the lazier Merseyrail booking office staff.

 

[miklcct]

Thank goodness for that. How long has that taken?

Just needs Trainline to sort e-tickets out now, given that it seems they incorrectly won't fulfil them for journeys involving Merseyrail, and Northern to get rid of their m-ticket only flows which block e.g. the purchase of an Aughton Park to Preston through ticket on your phone.

I'm not convinced that information is entirely correct, though; you presumably do need the actual card in most places?

Any card will do at a staffed ticket office. I've used them when I don't have the original card at hand.

 

[Foxcover]

Re the LNER website, if I book Heswall to Lime St, it only offers me collection or (if a few days away) by chargeable post. No e-ticket option though. Same for Spital to Lime St, collection only, can’t see any e-ticket offering…

 

[py_megapixel]

m-tickets are absolutely awful and should be banned.

I don't understand why RDG doesn't just put its foot down and discontinue m-tickets as a valid format. There's no advantage to anyone of m-tickets over e-tickets.

 

[janb]

Any card will do at a staffed ticket office. I've used them when I don't have the original card at hand.

The flag on the booking (same card or any card) is the same whether you collect at the TVM or ticket office. The only difference is that staff can have the ability to override the "this isn't the correct card" message and issue anyway but that should be for rare circumstances and ID is provided (if the booking has a name) etc.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Re the LNER website, if I book Heswall to Lime St, it only offers me collection or (if a few days away) by chargeable post. No e-ticket option though. Same for Spital to Lime St, collection only, can’t see any e-ticket offering…

They aren't available for intra-Merseyrail journeys. This makes a level of sense, as at most times of the day the cheapest ticket will be one of the day tickets or a Saveaway, which as they are non-standard can't easily be sold by "generic" retail sites. You can buy the former from Merseyrail's own website, that said.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

About time! This took way too long!

Why couldn’t this have been a thing when I was really into my ‘bashing’ and train journeys? Many an extra journey to Chester/Liverpool to pick up TOD tickets.

It often amazed me how this was never a thing on the Merseyrail network despite having the same TVM’s as most others and full facilities at staffed stations. Stations like Liverpool South Parkway etc. with a variety of TOC’s calling there.

 

[robbeech]

Was looking for this thread and here it is near the top.

Is someone who’s casually watching this thread from Merseyrail going to try and get Nerseyrwil to train their staff on e-tickets then as they’re still rejecting them (as of 29/12/21).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Issuing remains inconsistent - no site will issue Aughton Park to Burscough Jn as an eticket, but Ormskirk to Burscough Junction is (as I bought one).

 

[trainophile]

I just bought some tickets on Trainsplit and was surprised to see Southport (my departure point) as the default station for collection. Thought it must be a mistake. Seems they have at last dragged themselves into the 21st century!

 

[Skie]

Was looking for this thread and here it is near the top.

Is someone who’s casually watching this thread from Merseyrail going to try and get Nerseyrwil to train their staff on e-tickets then as they’re still rejecting them (as of 29/12/21).

Might help them if you provide specifics of how/where they were rejected!

 

[nedchester]

Just tried LNER for tickets from my local station (Capenhurst) to various places and loads of inconsistencies. Capenhurst to Manchester Day Return does a e-ticket but not an off-peak return. Same with Shrewsbury and Crewe. Capenhurst to Alsager won’t do any sort of e-ticket!

 

[Wallsendmag]

Just tried LNER for tickets from my local station (Capenhurst) to various places and loads of inconsistencies. Capenhurst to Manchester Day Return does a e-ticket but not an off-peak return. Same with Shrewsbury and Crewe. Capenhurst to Alsager won’t do any sort of e-ticket!

We just read the RCS data which is maintained by the fare setter. I have the wonderful job of trying to keep on top of ours and it's never enidng.