Season Ticket Start Date

[zoneking]

I have an annual season ticket. The expiry date is shown in large bold text, but no start date is shown. The validity (12 months) is shown. Many websites state that season tickets can only be purchased in advance the previous afternoon, or Friday if due to start Monday. I am wondering why this is. Is this because season tickets work in barriers before the start date i.e. once they are printed? Obviously, a ticket is not valid for travel before the start date.

 

[robbeech]

Am i right in thinking that only the end date is encoded on the strip. As such, as you say the barrier would accept a ticket before this. I'm not sure if this is still true of 12 month tickets but would certainly be the case with a custom ticket for example 3 months.

 

[30907]

The rule predates gates by a generation. The expiry date on the traditional card season was also printed boldly (unlike the date of issue) so it safeguarded against fraud.

 

[Wallsendmag]

It's basically because unless you have an annual ticket you could quite easily use your ticket befoer the start date. Remember outside the centre of the universe very few stations have gates. Smartcards have different rules and can be issued up to 30 days in advance.

 

[island]

Yes, the start date isn't encoded so the ticket will work in barriers before its start date.

I believe the issue date is printed, albeit in very small characters, at the bottom of the ticket.