Great Northern Ticket Check - Trainline App Failure

[An_Engineer]

So this mornings travel brought a whole new problem, that I could do with advice for.

I have a monthly season ticket from London Terminals to Cambridge, valid from 18-Nov to 17-Dec (today), which I purchased as an e-ticket via the trainline app. Unlike traditional tickets this is accessed exclusively via the trainline app, there is no option to download to wallet or pdf. Everyday it regenerates a new unique "day-ticket" for that specific day of travel.

Today I was on the 07:39 from KgX to Cambridge and revenue inspectors came round and the day ticket failed to generate in the app. This left me and the ticket inspector in a bit of a quandry. I had a valid ticket, but obviously I could not display it. The fault appears to be with the app, as my phone was otherwise functioning, it had power, it had internet etc (and a few power cycles did not resolve the ticket).

Obviously the inspector took my details (in a very apologetic manner), but also took screenshot of the issue. Now by the letter of the law I'm wrong, as I could not display, but this does not seem my fault? (I've raised the issue to trainline)

 

[Lewisham2221]

Odd, it clearly shows that the expiry date is today, so therefore still valid - assuming this is indeed a full monthly season as opposed to a flexi-season?

It's a shame the inspector didn't exercise some discretion here, although I understand that revenue inspectors do tend to more strictly treat things as black or white as opposed to using discretion in the manner that guards may.

Obviously wait and see what both Trainline and GTR respond with, but I personally think this one should end up in the bin.

 

[BlueLeanie]

So it generated ok when you went through the gateline? Just whilst on board?

All very irritating, hopefully a fix will be active by the time you head home this evening.

You've got the evidence of the issue, and you'll have a "ticket" number from Trainline to evidence when you raised the issue. Watch and wait for any correspondence from the operator.

 

[An_Engineer]

It is a full monthly season.

Unfortunately at the Kings Cross gateline I was with a bike and staff just waived me through. Which again is an interesting dilemma of what is the valid part of that season ticket. (I have definitely walked through the gateline before if it is opened without checking that the dayticket would generate correctly)

 

[AlterEgo]

Nothing inherently wrong with filling in a Travel Irregularity - they don’t always end in a nasty letter, but it will depend on what the staff member has said and what the back office do. I’d hope no further action and a note to Trainline that this error has occurred.

 

[CyrusWuff]

I thought the sTicket format was supposed to have a fallback "ticket" that could be displayed if an app can't communicate with the relevant server within a certain period (e.g. if the train's going through a long tunnel), specifically to avoid this issue?

Though I appreciate that doesn't help if the app itself breaks, of course.

 

[An_Engineer]

It definitely works when you're in a no signal zone, I've encountered that before.

I wonder as it's the last day of validity if it's an infamous off-by-one bug? Though given the error I suspect it's probably just coincidence.

 

[CyrusWuff]

It definitely works when you're in a no signal zone, I've encountered that before.

I wonder as it's the last day of validity if it's an infamous off-by-one bug? Though given the error I suspect it's probably just coincidence.

That's entirely possible, especially given 2024 is a leap year.

 

[RailAleFan]

Does force stop / clear data / log back in and try again make any difference?

 

[An_Engineer]

Nope. I forced stopped, cleared cache, and even did a full log out of app and log back in and still got the same error.

I would sympathise if it's a leap year error . Getting dates right in software is a pain.

Trainline have got back to me to say they're looking into to it, but also they'll refund me any extra tickets I needed to buy (I will definitely buy a ticket for the way home and they can refund me that)

 

[gray1404]

How about buying a London Terminals to Cambridge anytime day return ticket for today that would have also been valid on the train you travelled on this morning, rather then just a single and insist trainline refund that. That way if the train company write to you, you are able to demonstrate you paid for this mornings journey too.

 

[Joe Paxton]

How about buying a London Terminals to Cambridge anytime day return ticket for today that would have also been valid on the train you travelled on this morning, rather then just a single and insist trainline refund that. That way if the train company write to you, you are able to demonstrate you paid for this mornings journey too.

I don't think that's necessary, or indeed even a particularly good idea - rather it might just end up muddying the issue.

The OP did pay for this morning's train by virtue of the season ticket purchase, which because of some sort of issue they were unable to show to the RPI. A ticket purchased this evening for a journey made this morning could be misconstrued as admitting fault, and the OP was not at fault.

Ultimately this will get resolved, though it might take the Trainline having to liase the TOC in order to verify that the OP had indeed purchased a valid season to sort matters.

All the OP needs to do is look out for any correspondence from the TOC about this - though it may well be that no such letter is sent, if the TOC is satisfied that there was no wrongdoing by the OP. (Indeed the TOC might contact the Trainline on their own instigation when they look into it.)

The OP might wish to consider a smartcard or even old-school printed ticket for their next season ticket...