Do you need to scan your physical ticket if the barriers are open?

[modern]

I take the train really early in the morning, and the barriers are open, my ticket after being put into the machine shows as assistance needed, but no one is around, so I just walk through. It is very obviously the correct ticket and the correct station exact to the ticket description.

Wondering if this is I'm approaching it correctly.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No need to scan an e-ticket if the gateline is open. Nor to insert a paper ticket.

The only time you do need to validate in such circumstances is if you are using pay as you go with Oyster or contactless, or any similar scheme.

 

[Mike395]

Absolutely fine, there's no requirement to 'validate' a ticket by putting it through a barrier in the UK.

 

[bkhtele]

Probably only when asked by staff

 

[Bletchleyite]

It would be unusual for staff to be at a gateline and it be open. Though sometimes (particularly on Northern) they may ask you to scan it on a separate device that will give them more information on it than a gateline scan.

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

I always make a point for two reasons:

1) To prove I was delayed / or the approximate time I arrived - in case of any dispute around compensation, especially if not scanned on the train. I strongly suspect, but have never conclusively proved that some automatic delay repay systems take these scans into account, especially with Avanti.

2) To avoid the kind of issues you sometimes see on the forum around investigations into journeys that always have an entry but never an exit despite the presence of barriers etc. No skin of my nose to just scan a barcode on the way out.

Some barcodes need to be scanned out always - but these are related to pay as you go or account based ticketing type schemes which I think are trialled only in some areas, and some non standard tickets not generally available to the public.

 

[The exile]

I always make a point for two reasons:

1) To prove I was delayed / or the approximate time I arrived - in case of any dispute around compensation, especially if not scanned on the train. I strongly suspect, but have never conclusively proved that some automatic delay repay systems take these scans into account, especially with Avanti.

2) To avoid the kind of issues you sometimes see on the forum around investigations into journeys that always have an entry but never an exit despite the presence of barriers etc. No skin of my nose to just scan a barcode on the way out.

Some barcodes need to be scanned out always - but these are related to pay as you go or account based ticketing type schemes which I think are trialled only in some areas, and some non standard tickets not generally available to the public.

No point with CCSTs.

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

No point with CCSTs.

I don't think I have seen such a ticket with a modern railway barcode (Aztec?)

 

[MrJeeves]

Some barcodes need to be scanned out always - but these are related to pay as you go or account based ticketing type schemes which I think are trialled only in some areas, and some non standard tickets not generally available to the public.

PAYG barcodes do not need to be scanned out. The fare is calculated using GPS information from the device being used. The barcodes are simply gate passes which should open all relevant barriers.

 

[TUC]

I do find it puzzling, and a bit frustrating, when arriving at Kings Cross and the barriers have been opened to enable a large number of passengers to exit, and some still stand and hesitate/stop and scan their tickets.