Carlisle Ticket Office

[weepingwillowb]

Is it still open? I travelled from Lancaster to Carlisle yesterday morning on the 07.20 train, at which time Lancaster ticket office was open. Got to Carlisle about 8.15, and the ticket office there was closed. Back to Carlisle station later for the 17.33 train to Lancaster - Carlisle ticket office was closed at that time - and arrived at Lancaster 18.25ish, where the ticket office was still open. The previous time I'd been in Carlisle, on a Saturday afternoon a couple of weeks ago, Carlisle ticket office was closed at 3 p.m..

Staff shortages perhaps?

 

[ItsGrimUpNorth]

Regularly opened late or closed early these days. Hit and miss would be the best description!

 

[Lemmy99uk]

In an ideal world I think it’s one of the stations that would benefit from a ticket office closure.

The former information centre adjacent to the platform entrance could be reopened to provide an obvious point of contact and the booking office staff could be redeployed to floor walk and assist.

Sadly, the industry would just see it as an opportunity to reduce headcount rather than improve the passenger experience.

 

[Geeves]

If it's like Northern the hiring of new ticket office staff ended a year or so ago, so the only replacements have been folks coming off the trains for medical reasons and in the current climate many have just took early retirement. So highly likely it's running currently on overtime.

 

[weepingwillowb]

Thanks for the responses. Makes me appreciate Lancaster ticket office even more.

 

[ItsGrimUpNorth]

Sign on windows this evening saying ticket office will be closed from 16:55 from today to Saturday inclusive due to ‘staff shortage’.

As previously said, a regular occurence these days!

 

[greyman42]

Sign on windows this evening saying ticket office will be closed from 16:55 from today to Saturday inclusive due to ‘staff shortage’.

As previously said, a regular occurence these days!

Seems a random time to shut. Why not make it 1700?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Seems a random time to shut. Why not make it 1700?

1655 is just after the 1648 (Avanti) from Carlisle to London Euston and the 1649 (Avanti) from Carlisle to Glasgow Central have both departed?