c2c App and Smartcards

[themeone]

I normally use the c2c app for buying tickets. I sometimes travel from Waddon to Epsom and, as I already have a London Freedom Pass, I just get a day return Ewell East to Epsom for the part of the journey outside Zone 6. Previously this had been straightforward on the c2c app, and I always used to get the option of having the ticket in the app, which seemed the most convenient.

Yesterday, however, I had only two options: Smartcard and Paper Ticket, which completely threw me and I ended up buying it at the ticket office.

So why the change?

I wouldn't mind using a Smartcard - I have three which have been sitting in a drawer for years. I gather that had I selected Smartcard delivery I could have loaded it to any of these cards from the c2c app.

So I have two questions: Can you use any ITSO smartcard in this scenario (none of the three cards I have is from c2c)?

On this specific journey, if I'd used a smartcard, would it have let me out at Epsom given I'd not have touched in at Ewell East (due to being already on the train).

 

[fandroid]

It's complicated (unnecessarily, I think). Others will know better than me the routine for loading a ticket onto a non c2c Smartcard having booked on that app. Whatever else, I believe that it involves loading the ticket at a station ticket machine.

The fact that you don't tap in at Ewell East will not cause any problems at Epsom. The Smartcard tickets act just like paper tickets or Aztec code tickets on a phone.

 

[KNN]

Whatever else, I believe that it involves loading the ticket at a station ticket machine.

I don't know about c2c specifically, but nowadays you can usually load them/validate through the NFC on your phone.

 

[swing]

If you want to use the C2C app, you'll need a C2C smartcard, as each TOC will only register their smartcards into your online account (used on web and app).

If you buy from a ticket machine, you can use any smartcard when purchasing.

Loading the ticket onto the smartcard via a phone still requires the ticket to have been associated with that smartcard at the time of purchase.

So, to use a non-C2C smartcard, you'll either need to use the TOC account the TOC smartcard was originally registered with, or you would need to use a ticket machine; to use the C2C app, you'll need to request a C2C smartcard.

Quite why the app didn't offer the eTicket option I'm not sure - but tests with another TOC app this morning (where I have a registered smartcard) showed that I was correctly offered both eTicket and smartcard fulfilment for Ewell East to Epsom.

I tried the C2C website and for Ewell East to Epsom, I was offered 3 fulfilment options, smartcard (allowing you to manually enter a C2C smartcard that you had been given at a C2C station, rather than ordered online where it would already be listed), eTicket, and Collect from Station.

 

[themeone]

I've just entered the journey again as an experiment, and again I'm offered only smartcard or collect at station on both c2c app and website. This seems very strange to me as I was definitely offered the third option of eTicket in the app in the past, and I thought that had mostly taken over from smartcards. It sounds like something I should take up with c2c.

 

[swing]

Still showing eTicket for me as an option just now; I'd be interested to see what additional things you have requested / selected to limit these options (eg Railcard?). Try logging out and back in again.


image shows the C2C website checkout process with smartcard, eticket, Ticket collection and delivery by Royal Mail as options on a Ewell East To Epsom Off Peak Day Single

 

[themeone]

Thanks for testing it out. Unfortunately I am still missing the eTicket option on both app and website. I have tried both with and without my railcard, but no change. I've emailed c2c customer support and will update here when I get a response.

 

[swing]

Do report back please - did you try logging out and back in before trying again?

 

[themeone]

Yes I logged in and out yesterday, made no difference. However, I just tried it yet again - same journey on both app and web - and this time eTicket is back but Smartcard is missing! It'll be interesting to see if c2c can explain it.

 

[swing]

Smartcard missing for me too (when checking out as a guest, as I don't have an account nor a smartcard), so does seem they've changed something.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Doing some checking, e-tickets are available for Singles between Ewell East and Epsom but not Returns.

It's possible it got overlooked when the ticket type changes for Project Oval were made last December.

 

[talldave]

Use the forum's site and get an E-Ticket? You can configure the Boundary Zone behaviour in the advanced options.

 

[themeone]

Just to follow up on this, I have received a reply from c2c but to be honest it was inconclusive. I can only assume it was down to either a blip in the app (which they would probably never admit to) or an error on my part. I've since booked a few more tickets on c2c without issue - all expected delivery methods coming up as expected.