Thameslink Advance Single - what might happen if I take the next train?

[Deerfold]

If we want to increase the % of passengers who get to and from commercial airports by rail, it's incredibly silly not to allow passengers to buy the cheapest train tickets. Yet that's the effect. Advance tickets and unreliable flights are a bad fit, and this definitely blunts the policy goal of shifting airport access onto rail.

Why isn't Manchester's Airport Advance scheme universal practice at all airport stations?

It'd be a good start to extend it to all operators who offer Advances from Manchester Airport.

 

[Connacht]

We arrived in Farringdon.

The gates have contactless readers, but no obvious barcode readers.

An employee on the gateline opened the gates, he didn't check the barcodes, although I had it open.

 

[redreni]

We arrived in Farringdon.

The gates have contactless readers, but no obvious barcode readers.

An employee on the gateline opened the gates, he didn't check the barcodes, although I had it open.

It is, simply, crazy that they don't have barcode readers at Farringdon but they issue e-tickets and PRTs to "London Thameslink".

Just one of the many ticketing issues that were kind of bodged when the Elizabeth Line was born. Barcode scanners were obviously needed, but didn't go in the specs. I thought the staff there had handheld readers, but if they do, they'd get RSI if they used them every time a barcode ticket was presented to them.

You and your mate obviously have honest-looking faces!

 

[MrJeeves]

It is, simply, crazy that they don't have barcode readers at Farringdon but they issue e-tickets and PRTs to "London Thameslink".
[...]
I thought the staff there had handheld readers, but if they do, they'd get RSI if they used them every time a barcode ticket was presented to them.

Farringdon has handheld barcode scanners for TfL staff, but tend not to bother using them based on my experience.

 

[SeanG]

One good thing for you is that low cost airlines tend to be more punctual, as do morning flights so you may well make your train.

However I wouldn't have took the gamble for the sake of £3.50....

It always helps to look at the overall trip cost rather than the individual elements. Would you have took the flight if it was £3.50 more? Likely I would guess.

 

[Connacht]

Something else that I didn't expect.

As far as I know, the Luton airport DART is nothing to do with TFL.

I expected to be charged £4.90 for using the DART, and that would be completely separate from the journeys around London later that day.

At the entry to the DART, there aren't any obvious gates to tap in. A staff member did point to a ticket machine, but said we could simply tap out on exit, and pay that way.

So we just tapped out at the exit from the DART.

Later, I was surprised to see the DART journey on my TFL account, listed as an Incomplete Journey.

 

[bcarmicle]

As far as I know, the Luton airport DART is nothing to do with TFL.

TfL do the contactless processing for Luton DART - previous discussion at https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/luton-airport-dart-ticketing-discussion.245920/page-5.

 

[MikeWh]

Something else that I didn't expect.

As far as I know, the Luton airport DART is nothing to do with TFL.

I expected to be charged £4.90 for using the DART, and that would be completely separate from the journeys around London later that day.

At the entry to the DART, there aren't any obvious gates to tap in. A staff member did point to a ticket machine, but said we could simply tap out on exit, and pay that way.

So we just tapped out at the exit from the DART.

Later, I was surprised to see the DART journey on my TFL account, listed as an Incomplete Journey.



View attachment 196160

The gates at the terminal end of the DART were removed because they caused congestion. The fare is a flat one for the dart so someone decided just to let that get charged at the Parkway station end. Unfortunately they didn't alter the journey history calculations. You're not being overcharged, but it is confusing.