Print at home problem

[Zombie]

Yesterday I bought tickets via the Virgin website with the print at home option. When it came to the part about entering 4 digits as proof of ID, it said it was not advisable to use the number of the card used to buy the tickets, rather to use your passport. So I put in my passport number. When the tickets arrived in my inbox, they had DCD printed next to the four digits of my passport. I assume that stands for debit card. I contacted customer services just to put my mind at ease that they would be okay to accept my passport as proof of ID when I travel and not ask to see a non-existent debit card. Shock and horror as I was told, I would need to buy new tickets as they would be invalid. Seriously? It's nothing but a scam to rip off customers. Admittedly I made the mistake by not typing 'passport' in the field, but I thought there was another step in the process. I feel sick because I hate being ripped off and feel so helpless because the customer service dept just recites answers from a training manual and don't give a sh*t about customers' hard-earned money.

 

[andykn]

Yesterday I bought tickets via the Virgin website with the print at home option. When it came to the part about entering 4 digits as proof of ID, it said it was not advisable to use the number of the card used to buy the tickets, rather to use your passport. So I put in my passport number. When the tickets arrived in my inbox, they had DCD printed next to the four digits of my passport. I assume that stands for debit card. I contacted customer services just to put my mind at ease that they would be okay to accept my passport as proof of ID when I travel and not ask to see a non-existent debit card. Shock and horror as I was told, I would need to buy new tickets as they would be invalid. Seriously? It's nothing but a scam to rip off customers. Admittedly I made the mistake by not typing 'passport' in the field, but I thought there was another step in the process. I feel sick because I hate being ripped off and feel so helpless because the customer service dept just recites answers from a training manual and don't give a sh*t about customers' hard-earned money.

I think that you must have put your passport no in the box that had "passenger name" in it. Unless you specifically selected "Debit Card" in the drop down box under "ID for passenger", that's the only way to get the extra "Last 4 characters of ID" box.

the only thing I can find about not using the card you used for payment is:

"Please ensure that if you are using a form of ID other than the card used for payment" (my emphasis)

Print@Home is best avoided. If you lose your card weeks (perhaps days) in advance, it can be sorted (with some hassle). Lose it on the day, or perhaps a day or two before and you are then down to luck as to whether or not the guard is strict or not. Who wants to be in that situation?

I got a few P@H tickets when they were new. I do not bother now, and will not. I will collect from the TVM. I do not book with XC as they charge for TVM collection.

And the (certainly Greater Anglia) print at home tickets allow no changes. I've just booked one and right under where you put your email address it says:

Travellers must carry the identification (ID) declared below with them when they travel.

Print Your Own tickets are valid on the booked train(s) only and cannot be changed under any circumstances. The ticket cannot be refunded unless the booked train is cancelled.

Multiple passengers travelling together require a single ID to be declared and carried by the lead passenger for the group. Alternatively, if the ticket terms allow for independent travel then passengers may opt to declare seperate IDs for each ticket.

Important: Please ensure that if you are using a form of ID other than the card used for payment that you enter the last 4 characters of your selected ID. For example, last 4 characters of your passport number, last 4 digits of your debit card.

 

[yorkie]

Hi Zombie, welcome to the forum.

I am sorry to hear this. My view remains that Print @ Home is best avoided.

However, perhaps I can offer some re-assurance that the vast majority (sadly not all) of guards are actually rational, sensible people who apply common sense and show discretion when appropriate. The guard may well accept the tickets without question.

As you have contacted Virgin Customer Services and they have not resolved the matter, I suggest you now take the matter forward and report it to Passenger Focus. They may be able to persuade Virgin to see sense.

 

[Ferret]

Hi Zombie, welcome to the forum.

I am sorry to hear this. My view remains that Print @ Home is best avoided.

Print at Home is a fine concept, but maybe it needs to be made a little more (with all due respect to the OP) 'user-proof'.

You'll find that some leeway is shown with print at home - especially while it's only available for Advance fares - I'd not be surprised if the Guard accepted the ticket either, but of course there's no way I can guarantee that!

 

[knight2004]

In my experience the guards are in such as rush when checking the tickets as most trains on print tickets they ten just to check the ticket is the orrect train time and day, they might want to see the debit card but i find it rare they look or ask

 

[GadgetMan]

If I've understood correctly, the ticket shows DCD but the 4 digits relate to your passport number?

If that's the case then I would go along with what Yorkie said, reading the threads on here don't seem to support this but most Guards are sensible people willing to use common sense.

I'd get on the train with both the Debit Card and Passport but don't offer an explanation until asked. Just produce the printed ticket and passport with the matching 4 digits. If the guard questions it, then be polite, honest and explain the slip up. Hopefully you won't have any more hassle with it.

 

[Zombie]

That's right ,GadgetMan — unfortunately when I bought the tickets there wasn't an actual drop down menu for type of ID, it just had 'Debit Card' by default in a grey text field, which I should have typed into but didn't because I was at work, distracted. The customer service dept has now sent me two computer-generated replies saying they usually try to respond within 20 working days, hopefully soon an actual human being will read my complaint and respond.
Thanks for the replies, everyone!

 

[bennorthyork]

I have used print at home tickets numerous times and have never been asked for the accompanying ID. Of course there's no guarantee that you won't be asked for it.

 

[John @ home]

My view remains that Print @ Home is best avoided.

I agree that the current implementation of Print @ Home transfers too much risk to the passenger.

I do not book with XC as they charge for TVM collection.

It appears that they no longer charge for all TVM collections. I booked a £34 Off-Peak Return last week and my printed itinerary confirms that I should collect the tickets from the machine at Huddersfield and that the total cost is £34.