[Gatwick] Express: You must now buy tickets before boarding.

[pF]

"Ticket gates are being introduced at Gatwick Airport and London Victoria railway stations. From Monday 12th December you will not be able to buy your ticket on the train."

Passengers will find the "Express" slower than usual when they have to queue for tickets before they can even get on.

 

[ushawk]

I dont think the barriers are delibrately for the Gatwick Express as there wasnt any chance of travelling without a ticket anyway and its general practice to buy a ticket before boarding for the majority of services anyway.

Last few times ive been to Gatwick there has always been staff at the entrance/exit checking tickets anyway (mostly FGW staff too, which is unusual).

 

[sonic2009]

I recently had an interview for the RPIs job.@ Worcester, the person interviewing me was the on board manager for First Great Western's East Region, which Gatwick includes and he did mention on a profile about First Group, that FGW had signed a deal with the DFT to employ more revenue protection inspectors, and also mentioned working in alliance with Southern at Gatwick was a recent project. He did go on to explain FGW are trying to get out of fare dodgers minds that Driver Only trains are not free trains.

Anyway that's a shock about Gatwick Express operated by Southern (some people will understand what I'm getting at) .

Where are the ticket Barriers going then? I always thought they would leave Gatwick Express as buy on board especially with the Hurrendous Queues at Gatwick Sometimes.

 

[island]

I'm quite unsure about the logic behind gating the Gatwick Express platforms at Victoria.

 

[NSE]

I've arrived on the Gatwick platforms on 442's that formed a Brighton express, that are returrning as a GatExs. My journey was from an ungated station within London, so all I have to is remember times and get that journey for free (not that I would but you get my jist)

 

[lookingforit35]

How long can the Gatwick Express continue as a "dedicated" express rail service? There doesnt seem to be a single good reason to use it any more.

SN is cheaper and pretty much just as quick. And now no purchasing a ticket on board the express.

 

[ivanhoe]

Most people who land at Gatwick and expect to get the train to London would expect to buy a ticket before boarding. I expected that at Rome, Berlin and other European airports that I have arrived at over the past few years. I don't see any issue here

 

[Urban Gateline]

I very much support barriering Gatwick, it is all too easy to travel there without a ticket from an ungated station, and even some people slip through gated stations unchallenged so it is an extra revenue safeguard. I feel it will make airline staff pay for a valid ticket too, as some may simply use an "Anytime return", return portion several times if it hasn't been marked. (of course this doesn't apply to all of them!)

Disadvantages I can see is that it may be offputting for tourists coming into our country, who are not used to it, also mentioned above by someone else, that when ticket office queues are very long, it can lead to inconvenience if passengers are unable to buy onboard.

 

[Matt Taylor]

Any time that I have landed overseas and got a train from the airport I have always purchased before boarding, I don't why it should be different in this country.

 

[tsr]

Whilst I fully support both automatic ticket barriers and on-board ticket checks, this will have to be rolled out quite carefully and perhaps should be reconsidered, because many of the Express services are almost exclusively used by airport travellers with large luggage. As we know, there is a surprisingly large number of pax who seem (in some cases understandably) unable to pass through a barrier without getting their luggage stuck. I have a feeling that these barriers could be more frustrating and require more manual support than the current option, in which largely vigilant and polite staff sell and advise on tickets at the applicable stations.

There are some stations where "wheelchair-friendly" automatic gates are used. Perhaps they should have a row of these at each station where services stop, with clear signage in multiple languages (you can never be too helpful) indicating their location.

 

[yorkie]

How long can the Gatwick Express continue as a "dedicated" express rail service? There doesnt seem to be a single good reason to use it any more.

I agree, although it already isn't a dedicated service at 'peak' times!

SN is cheaper and pretty much just as quick. And now no purchasing a ticket on board the express.

Well, Gatwick Express is Southern (SN), but I know what you mean

Southern Only tickets are valid on the Gatwick Express route operated by Southern (source: NRCoC & DfT), and now there's no on board checks, there will be no-one to charge an excess if the person checking the tickets doesn't agree (forum members have had a mixed reaction to using Southern Only tickets: some were charged, and later refunded in full & compensated, while others were not charged).

 

[Deerfold]

There are some stations where "wheelchair-friendly" automatic gates are used. Perhaps they should have a row of these at each station where services stop, with clear signage in multiple languages (you can never be too helpful) indicating their location.

I thought Kings Cross was going to be like this as the wide gates are very clearly signed. Unfortunately they frequently change which direction a gate is for - and you can't see this unless you're right up the gate or there's no-one in the way (rare at Kings X)...

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Well since Victoria has a ticket office, surely you wouldn't really be allowed to board without a ticket anyway.

As mentioned, most tourists would be expecting to buy a ticket anyway so it is hardly likely to be an issue there.

 

[Flamingo]

Disadvantages I can see is that it may be offputting for tourists coming into our country, who are not used to it,

Sorry, I don't follow the arguement. I'm sure they don't expect it to be a free shuttle. If they do, then they need offputting!

 

[thameslink2000]

The wording in the Gatwick Express improvements leaflet is comical. "We want to make travel easier for you. That's why we're introducing more ways for you to buy your ticket.
More ways to buy. . .
* Online
* Ticket vending machines
* Ticket office"

So more ways to buy includes removing the purchase ticket on the train option. And this also apparently makes my journey easier!

 

[ushawk]

Well, basically for every other train in the country you buy a ticket on boarding, Gatwick shouldn't be different. Its an important station in the south so its obvious it had to be gated, I'm surprised it wasn't done before.

But what will happen to the staff who used to sell tickets on the handheld machines ?

 

[swt_passenger]

I thought Kings Cross was going to be like this as the wide gates are very clearly signed. Unfortunately they frequently change which direction a gate is for - and you can't see this unless you're right up the gate or there's no-one in the way (rare at Kings X)...

Wide gates are usually set to 'first come first served' and bidirectional, in my experience of newer installations. Kings Cross is still a work in progress anyway, in time nearly the whole present array will be one way exit, except for a few at the east end...

 

[thameslink2000]

Well, basically for every other train in the country you buy a ticket on boarding, Gatwick shouldn't be different. Its an important station in the south so its obvious it had to be gated, I'm surprised it wasn't done before.

But what will happen to the staff who used to sell tickets on the handheld machines ?

According to the leaflet I have, it appears that the on train ticket selling staff will be redeployed to the station concourse.
"The arrival of the ticket gates will also mean additional staff at the stations themselves. We believe this is where our staff can be most of use to you, ensuring your journey is as smooth as possible.
Uniformed Gatwick Express Customer Service Hosts will be highly visible on the concourse, at the ticket machines and at the ticket gate line to assist all customers"

 

[ushawk]

Ah thats ok then so that means there will plenty of help for vistors to the country to buy tickets, if anything this makes it more a good thing as more help is provided on the main station area.

 

[Butts]

Most people who land at Gatwick and expect to get the train to London would expect to buy a ticket before boarding. I expected that at Rome, Berlin and other European airports that I have arrived at over the past few years. I don't see any issue here

Land in Geneva and it's free - pick up a ticket in the baggage hall- about the only cheap thing in Switzerland

 

[stut]

Ah thats ok then so that means there will plenty of help for vistors to the country to buy tickets, if anything this makes it more a good thing as more help is provided on the main station area.

Or, more of what you get at the moment, which is Gatwick Express hosts standing by the ticket machines, "helping" you select the expensive GEX fare. "Express to London, sir? Here we go."

 

[thameslink2000]

Or, more of what you get at the moment, which is Gatwick Express hosts standing by the ticket machines, "helping" you select the expensive GEX fare. "Express to London, sir? Here we go."

Shame there isn't a 'like' button for that post!

 

[Butts]

There are some great fares available on non-gatwick express routes. At a recent layover between Gibraltar and Edinburgh I got a travelcard zones 1-6 which includes a return journey for £9 with my railcard.(southern)

In the booking hall / TVM area you could see the confusion on a lot of foreigners faces when confronted with the myriad of services and fares available.

Incidentally the new North Terminal was very nice - I used one of those "auto passport jobbies" to jump the Q - its quite disconcerting to be faced with a huge image of yourself on the screen as it zooms in

 

[yorkie]

Well, basically for every other train in the country you buy a ticket on boarding, ...

Really?! Blimey, you can't have travelled far then!

 

[ushawk]

Really?! Blimey, you can't have travelled far then!

Well, i mean your supposed to if facilities to buy tickets exist, if not then you buy on the train, but then some people don't even do that

 

[island]

Well since Victoria has a ticket office, surely you wouldn't really be allowed to board without a ticket anyway.

Actually, since Gatwick Express-designated services were not penalty fares trains between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport, it was permissible to purchase tickets on board, although they had to be anytime tickets.

 

[penaltyfines]

Hi,

I hear there are ticket barriers being installed at Victoria/Gatwick for the Gatwick Express platforms... should I expect trouble when using my oyster travelcard season and Clapham Junction-Gatwick (RTE Not London) SDS ticket next month?

Thanks.

 

[LexyBoy]

There is already a topic for the GatEx barriers here.

I don't think you should have any more trouble than usual with that combination; there's no question as to its validity.

 

[penaltyfines]

There is already a topic for the GatEx barriers here.

I don't think you should have any more trouble than usual with that combination; there's no question as to its validity.

True - but it's easier to argue (or not argue, and ignore!) on the train, than it is with a jobsworth/undertrained member of staff on the wrong side of the barriers when you have a flight to catch....

Are the barriers gating an exclusive area for the Gatwick Express, or will they have Oyster readers as the platforms are connected to local services as well?

 

[Urban Gateline]

There are some stations where "wheelchair-friendly" automatic gates are used. Perhaps they should have a row of these at each station where services stop, with clear signage in multiple languages (you can never be too helpful) indicating their location.

I am pretty sure that this will be considered, obviously more WAG's (Wide Aisle Gates) will be needed to help passengers with luggage, depending on how large the gateline is, the ideal setup could be between 2 and 3 WAG's, depending on the peaks, one set on entry, 2 on exit "full wide", making the flow much faster, and it's so easy to change the direction if needed. First come first served is a pain (I say that because I operate a Gateline which has 2 WAG's!)