Kent rover. Is advance purchase required ?

[kentrailman]

Thinking of buying a kent rover .

On the south eastern trains website they are available but have to be purchased three days in advance as earlier dates are blacked out on booking page.

I can't see anything on validity pages on national rail website about them needing to be bought three days in advance. Does anyone know if they can be purchased on the day at a ticket office? ( if so does anyone know any hints to help the ticket office person find them on their system ?!)

 

[Snow1964]

Traditionally have always been able to buy rovers on first day of use, but need to go to an open ticket office, as ticket vending machines don’t usually sell them.

 

[Rover]

Ticket Issuing System details: name / code / group
KENT ROVER / MTR / I431 KENT ROVER
For accompanied child discount use: ACD

 

[Haywain]

Thinking of buying a kent rover .

On the south eastern trains website they are available but have to be purchased three days in advance as earlier dates are blacked out on booking page.

I can't see anything on validity pages on national rail website about them needing to be bought three days in advance. Does anyone know if they can be purchased on the day at a ticket office? ( if so does anyone know any hints to help the ticket office person find them on their system ?!)

It's 3 days in advance because they have to be posted out. Rover tickets are not available for collection from TVMs.

 

[kentrailman]

Ticket Issuing System details: name / code / group
KENT ROVER / MTR / I431 KENT ROVER
For accompanied child discount use: ACD

Great thank you

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Sep 2022 ==

It's 3 days in advance because they have to be posted out. Rover tickets are not available for collection from TVMs.

Aha thank you, problem solved ! I will buy on the day and have the info from rover to help too. Thank you

PS politicians please note ... we do need ticket offices see !

 

[Haywain]

we do need ticket offices see

Not if we can make these available as eTickets.

 

[_toommm_]

Not if we can make these available as eTickets.

How would it work for x in y days rovers? Issue a separate e-ticket for each day, and they’re activated by being scanned on board or at the barriers?

 

[Kite159]

How would it work for x in y days rovers? Issue a separate e-ticket for each day, and they’re activated by being scanned on board or at the barriers?

Sadly knowing the railways they will probably use it as an excuse to change such rovers (x in Y days) to a fixed "x days". Similar to the Central Scotland rover when it changed from '3 in 7' to 3 days straight

 

[kentrailman]

Sadly knowing the railways they will probably use it as an excuse to change such rovers (x in Y days) to a fixed "x days". Similar to the Central Scotland rover when it changed from '3 in 7' to 3 days straight

Or an excuse to abolish them completely .. I certainly hope not.

 

[Trainbike46]

Not if we can make these available as eTickets.

or, failing that make them available for ToD and for buying from ticket machines.

 

[AdamWW]

Or an excuse to abolish them completely .. I certainly hope not.

I suspect the move will be to have such things via an app, and you just have to accept the risks and limitations of such an approach.

(I can see Interrail going that way too, sadly).

How would it work for x in y days rovers? Issue a separate e-ticket for each day, and they’re activated by being scanned on board or at the barriers?

An interesting idea. I suspect it would require building (software) infrastructure specifically (i.e to reject a code on subsequent days once used once). But if there was an interest in resurrecting carnets then it could presumably use the same system which might make it more worthwhile.

But in both cases I think you'd need a way of scanning them before getting on a train, which would need code readers even at stations without barriers. Something that could be built into TVMs I suspect, but that doesn't work if we're moving to the world that some people here seem to be looking forwards to where we get rid of ticket machines completely.

or, failing that make them available for ToD and for buying from ticket machines.

Which (to me at any rate) is the obvious answer.

 

[Birmingham]

Regarding flexi-rovers, surely you'd do them however flexi-seasons are done.

 

[AdamWW]

Regarding flexi-rovers, surely you'd do them however flexi-seasons are done.

Interesting.

From: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/flexi-season.aspx

You can buy a Flexi Season ticket as a Barcode ticket (where available) via your retailer’s website or app. This will either be delivered as a pdf document attached to an email, which can be stored in your phone wallet, or it will be delivered to your app and stored there.

And

Once you’ve purchased your Flexi Season ticket you will need to activate your day pass on the day you intend to travel by ‘touching in’ on the yellow reader on the gate, on the platform validator, or in some cases the self-service ticket machine. You can also activate it via the National Rail Smartcard app. Download the National Rail Smartcard app to see, manage and activate smartcard tickets.

I had assumed they would be smartcard or app only.

If it's really correct that they can be available as pdf's, then the only way I can see that working is by waving it at a TVM to activate (which in principle could work, I'd have thought).

 

[Haywain]

or, failing that make them available for ToD and for buying from ticket machines.

Not a chance of that happening when the industry is moving away from offering ToD.

 

[busestrains]

I just thought i would add that the Kent Rover can also be purchased from London Overground TVMs. So if you are using or passing by a London Overground station this can be a useful way to purchase a Kent Rover ticket. London Overground TVMs are the only ones that will sell rover tickets and ranger tickets (they also sell All Line Rover tickets and various others like the North Downs one and the Thames Valley one).

You can indeed also purchase your Kent Rover from any ticket offices at stations (as long as they know how to which any competent clerk should) or from the Guards (or OBS or OBM etc) onboard the train. I have purchased a Kent Rover onboard the train before. So this is an option too.

 

[kentrailman]

I just thought i would add that the Kent Rover can also be purchased from London Overground TVMs. So if you are using or passing by a London Overground station this can be a useful way to purchase a Kent Rover ticket. London Overground TVMs are the only ones that will sell rover tickets and ranger tickets (they also sell All Line Rover tickets and various others like the North Downs one and the Thames Valley one).

You can indeed also purchase your Kent Rover from any ticket offices at stations (as long as they know how to which any competent clerk should) or from the Guards (or OBS or OBM etc) onboard the train. I have purchased a Kent Rover onboard the train before. So this is an option too.

Really ?! London overground tvm's ?! That's interesting thank you. If they can do it why can't the others !

 

[busestrains]

Really ?! London overground tvm's ?! That's interesting thank you. If they can do it why can't the others !

Yes the London Overground TVMs have been selling rover tickets and ranger tickets for about ten years now. They started in the early 2010s (around 2012 i think) and have sold them ever since. It is very useful. Especially as ticket offices on London Overground have very limited hours. I bought my Kent Rover from these TVMs a few times and it is very simple to do. There is a button on the TVMs that says "Rangers & Rovers" and you click that and select the one you want and pay for it. It is a brilliant feature.

There is no reason why other operators TVMs could not sell rover tickets and ranger tickets too. Many use the same exact TVMs so i can not see anything stopping other operators. I have bought this up with so many operators by email and at Meet The Manager sessions but still nobody other than London Overground will sell them from TVMs which is a shame. If these nationwide ticket office closures go ahead than other operators will have to start as otherwise it will be very difficult to buy one if you are on a DOO train with no Guard to purchase one from either.

 

[Doubleplus]

How would it work for x in y days rovers? Issue a separate e-ticket for each day, and they’re activated by being scanned on board or at the barriers?

That appears to be how Scotrail arrange things (i.e. a separate ticket for each day) if you purchase something like Spirit of Scotland as an M-Pass:

”For flexi-day passes such as Spirit of Scotland (e.g. four travel days out of eight consecutive days), you must download a separate PDF for each day you travel.”

 

[Solent&Wessex]

How would it work for x in y days rovers? Issue a separate e-ticket for each day, and they’re activated by being scanned on board or at the barriers?

That appears to be how Scotrail arrange things (i.e. a separate ticket for each day) if you purchase something like Spirit of Scotland as an M-Pass:

”For flexi-day passes such as Spirit of Scotland (e.g. four travel days out of eight consecutive days), you must download a separate PDF for each day you travel.”

The Trainline appear to have started doing something similar for ordinary (i.e. not Flexi) season tickets. It now seems to require you to download a separate code for each day you use it.

I can see Flexi Rovers being available online in the same way as these season tickets and flexi season tickets - i.e. ypu generate a separate barcode for each day you use it.

 

[Wallsendmag]

I believe ITSO based rovers may be on their way working the same way as a Flexi Season , activate it by app gate etc. we already have Smart PRT rovers

 

[XAM2175]

I believe ITSO based rovers may be on their way working the same way as a Flexi Season , activate it by app gate etc. we already have Smart PRT rovers

This is very promising news.

 

[Haywain]

I believe ITSO based rovers may be on their way working the same way as a Flexi Season , activate it by app gate etc. we already have Smart PRT rovers

All very well, but no help if they can't be bought online.

 

[Wallsendmag]

All very well, but no help if they can't be bought online.

One for next week

 

[kentrailman]

Rover purchashed successfully at Ashford ticket office this morning ..ticket man seemed to take a while but I think he didn't have trouble finding it on system. Big surprise though was that It actually works in the ticket barriers ! Was not expecting that at all ! ( various stations tried so far !) .

Also noted that the bit saying " Kent rover" is hidden by the BR sign down at the bottom left of ticket .. Was difficult for ticket inspectors to see .. " 3 day rover" is prominent though and I think, they mainly looked at that then moved on !



( off topic but noticed at Strood an odd arrangement where 6 car south eastern high speed trains stop at six car stop sign near platform entrances but 8 car thameslink trains stop not a an 8 car stop sign a couple of carriage lengths ahead but at one about 6 carriages further along the platform .. The two different trains almost treat the platform as two different platforms stopping in completely different non overlapping parts of it .. Why ?
Could not officially use Thameslink on my rover though I didn't think so had to wait a long time for hourly south eastern trains between Strood and Gravesend )

 

[_toommm_]

Rover purchashed successfully at Ashford ticket office this morning ..ticket man seemed to take a while but I think he didn't have trouble finding it on system. Big surprise though was that It actually works in the ticket barriers ! Was not expecting that at all ! ( various stations tried so far !) .

Also noted that the bit saying " Kent rover" is hidden by the BR sign down at the bottom left of ticket .. Was difficult for ticket inspectors to see .. " 3 day rover" is prominent though and I think, they mainly looked at that then moved on !

View attachment 121307

( off topic but noticed at Strood an odd arrangement where 6 car south eastern high speed trains stop at six car stop sign near platform entrances but 8 car thameslink trains stop not a an 8 car stop sign a couple of carriage lengths ahead but at one about 6 carriages further along the platform .. The two different trains almost treat the platform as two different platforms stopping in completely different non overlapping parts of it .. Why ?
Could not officially use Thameslink on my rover though I didn't think so had to wait a long time for hourly south eastern trains between Strood and Gravesend )

I'm not sure whether there's been any recent standardisation in ticket office printing (I know there used to be about three or four main types of looks for them to be printed), but I've had the same issue of the ranger/rover type at Leeds, and at Manchester Victoria too IIRC.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Rover purchashed successfully at Ashford ticket office this morning ..ticket man seemed to take a while but I think he didn't have trouble finding it on system. Big surprise though was that It actually works in the ticket barriers ! Was not expecting that at all ! ( various stations tried so far !) .

Also noted that the bit saying " Kent rover" is hidden by the BR sign down at the bottom left of ticket .. Was difficult for ticket inspectors to see .. " 3 day rover" is prominent though and I think, they mainly looked at that then moved on !

View attachment 121307

( off topic but noticed at Strood an odd arrangement where 6 car south eastern high speed trains stop at six car stop sign near platform entrances but 8 car thameslink trains stop not a an 8 car stop sign a couple of carriage lengths ahead but at one about 6 carriages further along the platform .. The two different trains almost treat the platform as two different platforms stopping in completely different non overlapping parts of it .. Why ?
Could not officially use Thameslink on my rover though I didn't think so had to wait a long time for hourly south eastern trains between Strood and Gravesend )

Printer alignment is a little out that’s all.

 

[Haywain]

Printer alignment is a little out that’s all.

The point being made is that it would be clearer if it said something like '3 Day Kent Rover' at the top, rather then hiding the 'Kent Rover' bit down the bottom.

 

[Wallsendmag]

The point being made is that it would be clearer if it said something like '3 Day Kent Rover' at the top, rather then hiding the 'Kent Rover' bit down the bottom.

Maybe I should start on the cocktails a little later