Getting a CCST ticket instead of PRT ticket for Rover?

[HarryF]

Recently I bought a West Midlands Day Ranger from the Avanti West Coast ticket office at Manchester Piccadilly. The friendly and helpful person working there asked me if I’d like it on a credit card sized ticket. So it might be worth trying an Avanti ticket office and asking if it’s possible to get the ticket issued on CCST.

 

[VT 390]

Obviously it's your choice, but I'd have thought a PRT might survive better, even though it's flimsier material. When I get one, I fold it into thirds, and put it into my ticket wallet with the 2D code facing out through the transparent window. That way I can scan it on the gate reader without removing it from the wallet. There's no magstripe to worry about demagnetising either.

I do prefer CCST for keeping as a record though!

In my experience of using PRT tickets for shorter duration rovers/rangers they can get damaged more easily, partly because some staff doing on board ticket checks required it be taken out the ticket wallet for scanning whereas a CCST ticket can always be displayed without ever taking it out the ticket wallet.
I have also found many rover tickets (including the All Line Rover) do not work the barriers most of the time anyway so I have always just shown the gate line staff and have never had any issues.

 

[Hadders]

In my experience of using PRT tickets for shorter duration rovers/rangers they can get damaged more easily, partly because some staff doing on board ticket checks required it be taken out the ticket wallet for scanning whereas a CCST ticket can always be displayed without ever taking it out the ticket wallet.

PRT doesn't normally need to be removed from a ticket wallet to scan the barcode. Although a rover or ranger issued on CCST wouldn't normally need to be stamped or marked during a ticket inspection it really should be removed from a ticket wallet as a way of checking that the ticket hasn't been forged or otherwise tampered with.

I have also found many rover tickets (including the All Line Rover) do not work the barriers most of the time anyway so I have always just shown the gate line staff and have never had any issues.

Ranger and Rover tickets, whether CCST or PRT, do not have a good track record when it comes to ticket barriers, although in my experience those issued on PRT have a higher success rate.

 

[VT 390]

PRT doesn't normally need to be removed from a ticket wallet to scan the barcode. Although a rover or ranger issued on CCST wouldn't normally need to be stamped or marked during a ticket inspection it really should be removed from a ticket wallet as a way of checking that the ticket hasn't been forged or otherwise tampered with.

That is interesting about the PRT as multiple times staff have asked for PRT to be removed to scan the barcode but on the same ticket on other services there has been no issue leaving it in the wallet.
I have never been asked to remove a CCST rover/ranger from the wallet, I of course would if asked to do so.

 

[mmh]

PRT doesn't normally need to be removed from a ticket wallet to scan the barcode. Although a rover or ranger issued on CCST wouldn't normally need to be stamped or marked during a ticket inspection it really should be removed from a ticket wallet as a way of checking that the ticket hasn't been forged or otherwise tampered with.

I've used CCST season tickets for 30 years and have never been asked to remove one from the wallet.

 

[Belperpete]

I've used CCST season tickets for 30 years and have never been asked to remove one from the wallet.

Agreed for seasons and rovers. However, the opposite is true for ordinary tickets, where showing a CCST ticket in a wallet makes it look like you are trying to avoid it being "clipped" so it can be reused.

I think the issue with some staff asking for PRT tickets to be removed from wallets for scanning is likely a personal thing, based on past experience. If an examiner has had multiple occasions where scanning a ticket in a wallet has failed, they are more likely to ask for them to be removed as a matter of course. I can also well imagine some passengers getting stroppy if they are asked to remove their ticket from their wallet if other people haven't, treating everyone the same avoids such potential conflict.

 

[VT 390]

Just a quick update to say I successfully got my All Line Rover ticket as a CCST ticket earlier today.
As I was passing through the station anyway I tried the EMR Travel Centre upstairs at London St Pancras who were very helpful and confirmed they are still using CCST at the moment.
Thanks again to everyone who replied with suggestions where to buy the ticket.

 

[800002]

Just a quick update to say I successfully got my All Line Rover ticket as a CCST ticket earlier today.

Reassuring, thank you.
Tried the other day there but they were swampped with disruption so i didn't attempt to involve myself there.

Avanti at Euston ticket office were also able to issue my rovers, though. Just asked first of all and made clear i wished for a CCST.
Happy days.

 

[trainJam]

When I buy a Daytripper from WMT, it now comes on PRT.

Although, last year I bought one from Bournville and the ticket office guy inserted an old blue card one in.

 

[yorksrob]

Has Great Western gone over to bog roll recently ? I bought one at Temple Meads recently and it was (although to be fair, it was only a platform ticket).

 

[The exile]

Has Great Western gone over to bog roll recently ? I bought one at Temple Meads recently and it was (although to be fair, it was only a platform ticket).

Though the lady who served me at Temple Meads on Saturday issued CCST - she said all it required was an extra click/ button press. Currently on my first “big roll” Freedom Pass - no problem on the train / station with it folded in a wallet. The annoying thing is that it has to come out every time I board a bus as their machines can’t read the code and folding it means the printed ticket info doesn’t show. So much for ease of public transport use!

 

[yorksrob]

I see that GW have sadly succumbed to the dreaded bog roll.

 

[saismee]

I see that GW have sadly succumbed to the dreaded bog roll.

GA are doing it too, though I have asked and rovers are printed on CCST!

 

[CyrusWuff]

GA are doing it too, though I have asked and rovers are printed on CCST!

GA are currently rolling out Worldline MTiS (as used by Chiltern, Elizabeth Line, GTR, LNER, London Overground, SWR and WMT) to replace Fujitsu STAR at their Ticket Offices, so that may not be the case for much longer.

 

[yorksrob]

It's ridiculous that Worldline MTiS (whoever they are) can't produce a CCST.

 

[saismee]

GA are currently rolling out Worldline MTiS (as used by Chiltern, Elizabeth Line, GTR, LNER, London Overground, SWR and WMT) to replace Fujitsu STAR at their Ticket Offices, so that may not be the case for much longer.

Yes, that's what I was referring to. The staff at our ticket office did some testing and found that rangers and rovers can be printed on CCST.

 

[WestAnglian]

London paddington the past couple of times has issued me CCST so i’d say there’s a high chance, however note that I have been given a PRT from there before.

alternatively any LO/EL run ticket office will be guaranteed CCST still.

GA i’m pretty sure hasn’t changed over yet either.

Last May I bought a Rover at Paddington and it was PRT. There were other problems and I managed to get it replaced at Plymouth, but at that time Plymouth were on the legacy booking system and I assumed at the time that was relevant.

I think you're right about GA.

 

[saismee]

I think you're right about GA.

GA is changing now. I believe more than half of the ticket office windows are now on the new system. Some stations have some old and some new to account for staff training.

 

[CyrusWuff]

It's ridiculous that Worldline MTiS (whoever they are) can't produce a CCST.

MTiS (aka @station / TOMTIS) is Worldline's Ticket Office system.

If a ticket is configured to allow it to be issued as a Paper Roll Ticket, MTiS will do so if PRT is set as the default and the member of staff can't override that.

 

[LA50041]

I bought a Devon Day Ranger at Paddington in March and it was issued on CCST

 

[trainJam]

One ticket office clerk had the solution to turn off the PRT machine to fulfill to CCST.

 

[mmh]

It's all complete nonsense as all these ticket offices that can no longer print a ticket on a CCST can print a railcard on one.

 

[transportphoto]

It's all complete nonsense as all these ticket offices that can no longer print a ticket on a CCST can print a railcard on one.

I’d challenge the claim of it being “nonsense” as being somewhat sensational. For most railway users, this change makes next to no difference.

You’ll find all ticket offices retains a CCST printer but their use will reduce as the default becomes paper roll ticket.

 

[saismee]

One ticket office clerk had the solution to turn off the PRT machine to fulfill to CCST.

This has unintended consequences from what I was told, requiring a reboot of the TIS.

 

[yorksrob]

I’d challenge the claim of it being “nonsense” as being somewhat sensational. For most railway users, this change makes next to no difference.

You’ll find all ticket offices retains a CCST printer but their use will reduce as the default becomes paper roll ticket.

I would challenge the claim of it not being nonsense - only today I was stood behind a lad who asked for his plus bus to be on CCST, rather than paper.

Personally, I didn't push the issue. I'll use the machine next time.

 

[Haywain]

I would challenge the claim of it not being nonsense - only today I was stood behind a lad who asked for his plus bus to be on CCST, rather than paper.

That very unusual. To be stood behind someone buying a PlusBus.

 

[yorksrob]

That very unusual. To be stood behind someone buying a PlusBus.

Indeed. He was only a young chap as well.

 

[Bungle965]

That very unusual. To be stood behind someone buying a PlusBus.

Indeed. He was only a young chap as well.

Probably a member of the forum!

 

[Mainline421]

GA are currently rolling out Worldline MTiS (as used by Chiltern, Elizabeth Line, GTR, LNER, London Overground, SWR and WMT) to replace Fujitsu STAR at their Ticket Offices, so that may not be the case for much longer.

Wonder how long TfW have left...

 

[yorksrob]

Probably a member of the forum!

You never know !