How knowledgeable are ticket offices?

[Ivo]

Firstly, to add to the list of good ticket offices, there is a guy that works at Cardiff Queen Street by the name of Kim (I think!) who seems to be very knowledgeable, very fast and very supportive. I have been served by him twice now and both times have been on a time limit that my own local ticket office (i.e. Bath Spa) would almost certainly fail.

Anyway, this idea of mine. A little story, if I may. Last year, at about this time, I had to travel to Lincoln Central, Scarborough, Ormskirk and Bath Spa, all in consecutive weeks (apart from the last which was in early April). Each time I went to my then local office, Thorpe Bay (the final c2c station before Shoeburyness, the eastern terminus). The people there did not seem to be able to help much, presumably on the grounds that most traffic on the c2c route is local (or to/from London). Each time I had a Travel Warrant (or whatever they are called; issued by I assume National Rail for special use), and each time it took about five minutes for the member of staff to process! They were only Open Returns...! Still, the lady did know how to spell Ormskirk, which I did not expect. (Unlike when my mother visits my Uncle in Winnersh (between Wokingham and Reading) and has to spell it out... Of course, if it was me I would say WNS!) But on each occasion, there was only one ticket window available, so I kept delaying myself and allowing others ahead (the five minute estimates were cumulative, to be fair). I must have been there for half an hour the first time, the number of people that were travelling! And it was mid-afternoon...

Anyway, yorkie's four suggestions:

It's a good idea but rather than make it overly complex, ask for relatively simple requests, but which are sometimes denied, for example:

A ask for a ticket from a different origin station (easy to do but not always done - and a requirement for them to issue it)
B ask if there are any restrictions on a particular ticket (e.g. are there any evening peak restrictions on the return portion of a X to Y ticket?)
C ask what the cheapest ticket to do a particular journey at a particular time is (e.g. what is the cheapest ticket to do X to Y travelling at xx: xx?)
D ask for an excess fare

These should all be relatively quick, not look as if you are trying to 'catch people out' and are tickets that many people will require. Asking for obscure tickets will be more time consuming, achieve less, and not really help anyone.

So I'd say yes but it must be done sensibly, and I'd also say you should really buy some tickets.

Just to give an example, I will compare Bath Spa, Bristol TM and Cheltenham Spa from memory (as best I can), using "Poor", "Adequate" and "Good" (and "???"):

A BTH: Adequate; BRI: Good; CNM: Good
B BTH: Adequate; BRI: Good; CNM: ???
C BTH: Poor; BRI: Good; CNM: ???
D BTH: ???; BRI: ???; CNM: Good

Each time I tried these, I was either in the process of buying a ticket, or I had already bought one and "wished to clarify certain information". So yes, it can work. But to quote the London Midland timetables regarding these details: "If you're looking for expert advice, our ticket office team will be pleased to help - but please try to avoid the morning rush!"

 

[142094]

Overheard one Northern guard on a Saltburn - Darlo service spelling out Knaresborough to put into his machine. Probably didn't know if he just put in KNA it would be alright.

Also, a woman going from Hartlepool - Sherburn in Elmet on GC. The guard couldn't spell Sherburn right (sounded something like Sherbourne), so gave her a single to York and told her to get the other ticket at the station.

 

[yorkie]

Also, a woman going from Hartlepool - Sherburn in Elmet on GC. The guard couldn't spell Sherburn right (sounded something like Sherbourne), so gave her a single to York and told her to get the other ticket at the station.

Poor advice. Firstly, couldn't she have spelt it to the guard if she was going there? A CDR/CDS to York is the same price as Sherburn, but if she was doing a single then a GC ticket is cheaper to York, but not when you combine it with another single from there to Sherburn!

 

[142094]

She did try but the guard said she could only find Sherbourne. I was tempted to say what the three letter code was but couldn't remember it off the top of my head. Think it is SIE.

 

[yorkie]

it is SIE . unusual for initials to be used.

I cannot see any excuses though, typing Sher only produces 3 stations and it's obviously not Sherringham. Sherburn is just under Sherborne. not good enough.

 

[142094]

Wonder what would happen if you asked an obscure Welsh or Scottish station and didn't know the correct spelling?

 

[Ivo]

Wonder what would happen if you asked an obscure Welsh or Scottish station and didn't know the correct spelling?

Get a map or station list!