Picking up advance tickets from machine at my local stations

[theageofthetra]

Was rather chuffed with my 2 cheap singles secured over the weekend from London to York for the Johns Smiths cup in July. Cheers East Coast! As the outward and return legs were booked separately I ended up opting to collect the outbound ticket from my local station (Beckenham Junction) and the return leg from York. Can these tickets be picked up at any time, or only on the day of travel?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Mike395]

You can pick them up at any point before you wish to travel.

Also - they can be picked up from any ToD-enablerd ticket machine - it does not have to be the one you specified. As such, I would recommend collecting all the tickets at the same time, just in case your payment card is lost, stolen or reissued as that would avoid any potential issues .

 

[IanD]

Anytime and generally from any TOD enabled TVM (generally those on the list of places you can select as a collection point), not just the nominated one. I'd advise picking them up early in case there are problems on the date of travel.

 

[daniel78]

Was rather chuffed with my 2 cheap singles secured over the weekend from London to York for the Johns Smiths cup in July. Cheers East Coast! As the outward and return legs were booked separately I ended up opting to collect the outbound ticket from my local station (Beckenham Junction) and the return leg from York. Can these tickets be picked up at any time, or only on the day of travel?

Thanks for any advice.

You can certainly pick them up at any time (they may not be available for two hours after booking though). The question about where you can pick them up from gets asked from time to time and apparently you can pick them up from any station with the machines (it only asks you to confirm your preferred station has the facility). Personally I always pick them up from my local station at the first opportunity and put them away safely. If you lose the card you booked with before July, it would be a headache at the very least to make other arrangements to collect your tickets.

 

[theageofthetra]

Ah thats great, will pop down to BJ later today to try and pick them up.

 

[maniacmartin]

To clarify, you can pick up from any station that has ToD enabled ticket machines. Not all stations have ticket machines that are ToD-enabled, but all stations shown in the list where you select the station to pick up are ToD-enabled. You do not have to go to the station you "nominated" during the checkout process..

With WebTIS (MixingDeck) sites, you can collect virtually immediately. For Trainline powered sites, it can take up to two hours.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Just make sure you wait till the TVM has printed all the tickets and other vouchers and make sure you pick them all up. Don't leave without checking that you have all your tickets.

It's surprising how many people are caught out by this. It happened to me (once).

Since then I have been very careful when printing booked tickets, and have since had no more expensive surprises on the train (apart from the catering prices).

 

[cjp]

Although my local station has a TOD machine I often go to the ticket office where, handing them the credit or debit card I used for the purchase, they not only print the tickets for me but also give me a printed itinery for my journey. No question then of not having all the tickets and reservations.
Best of all I do not need the reference number just the card.
They have also done this for me at Paddington station (Tickets for future travel ticket office)

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I do not know if a ticket office can perform the same service if there is no associated TOD at the station -anyone know??

 

[maniacmartin]

I do not know if a ticket office can perform the same service if there is no associated TOD at the station -anyone know??

Only if their TIS supports it. These TIS are most likely to be found at stations that offer ToD through TVMs, but i believe there are a very small handful of stations who do not have a ToD TVM but have a TIS that can do ToD at the counter.

Don't quote me on this though.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

A full list of stations of which pre-paid tickets can be collected from is available here. (Where it says "Select a station name" just click it and a scroll down list of stations is available there.)

I am actually using the trainline for something useful!

Not all stations with TVM's let you collect pre-paid tickets, for example those on Merseyrail are not ToD enabled and you cannot collect tickets from them.

 

[bicbasher]

I am actually using the trainline for something useful!

Not all stations with TVM's let you collect pre-paid tickets, for example those on Merseyrail are not ToD enabled and you cannot collect tickets from them.

London Overground managed stations on the East London line between Dalston Junction and Surrey Quays which are TfL owned stations don't have ToD either. This also includes Whitechapel and Canada Water which are managed by London Underground.

 

[IanD]

To clarify, you can pick up from any station that has ToD enabled ticket machines. Not all stations have ticket machines that are ToD-enabled, but all stations shown in the list where you select the station to pick up are ToD-enabled. You do not have to go to the station you "nominated" during the checkout process..

With WebTIS (MixingDeck) sites, you can collect virtually immediately. For Trainline powered sites, it can take up to two hours.

Yes - that's what I meant to say on my earlier post. Have amended it to clarify.

 

[infobleep]

What are the chances of London Underground ever offering ToD. I currently travel regularly to Harrow and would love to be able to pick up my tickets at Harrow.

Whilst most trains that go to and from Harrow are run by London Underground, Trains to destinations much further than this also run, especially on sundays.

 

[IanD]

What are the chances of London Underground ever offering ToD. I currently travel regularly to Harrow and would love to be able to pick up my tickets at Harrow.

Whilst most trains that go to and from Harrow are run by London Underground, Trains to destinations much further than this also run, especially on sundays.

I think there are 8 stations which have Harrow in their name but presumably you mean Harrow-on-the-Hill or Harrow and Wealdstone. Whichever, it does seem odd that national rail served underground stations don't do TOD. If it was available at Blackhorse Road that would be fantastic for me.

 

[MKD]

Just one idea re TOD ticketing if you're not 100.00% sure you'll travel... [though of course this doesn't work for Advance tickets, other than those for Southern Railways]

If you buy your tickets through Southern Railway's website they offer a Moneyback Guarantee on "all Anytime, Anytime Day, Off-Peak, Off-Peak Day, Super Off-Peak and Southern Advance tickets"
http://www.southernrailway.com/offers/money-back-guarantee/

So if you fail to claim your TOD tickets you can apply on their website to print a form you send off to their Freepost address and eventually get 100% of your ticket cost repaid - ie no admin fee (eg no £10 deduction), or needing to do it before the tickets would have been used (have 28 days after!).

One USED to get the extra benefit of one of the most generous cashback opportunities too (eg via TopCashBack site ) but unfortunately that's currently not offered, can but hope it'll return.

 

[bicbasher]

I thought some of the LUL Met line stations which share with Chiltern have a Chiltern TVM to purchase NR tickets?

And how about the Bakerloo line LUL TVM's north of Queens Park (except Willesden Junction) which use NR stock.

 

[jon0844]

I am actually using the trainline for something useful!

And you weren't charged a usage fee?

 

[island]

Although my local station has a TOD machine I often go to the ticket office where, handing them the credit or debit card I used for the purchase, they not only print the tickets for me but also give me a printed itinery for my journey. No question then of not having all the tickets and reservations.
Best of all I do not need the reference number just the card.
They have also done this for me at Paddington station (Tickets for future travel ticket office)

----------------

I do not know if a ticket office can perform the same service if there is no associated TOD at the station -anyone know??

Some TOCs' systems don't allow collection of ToD at the desk (I think Chiltern is one). I have also heard, but have no idea if it's right, that some booking agents/websites don't allow collection of ToD at the desk because they get charged more for it than collection from a TVM.