Self-Service Machine and a lost card

[ajdunlop]

I have a problem.
I lost my debit card last week and my bank are issuing me a new one. This was fine until I realised that I have 3 sets of tickets to collect from the Self-Service ticket machines.
As 2 of these orders were with theTrainLine I got in contact with them. After taking my reference numbers and going through some security questions they said that I would be able to collect them at the ticket office with my ref number and some ID. And then came the dreaded words 'at the station official's discretion'!
So later today I went up to the ticket office and explained what had happened and was told 'South West Trains' policy is not to print tickets allocated for collection at a self service machine'! No other help when I tried to plead I was told the exact same thing and blanked.
So I got on to South West Trains' customer services who said that that wasn't their policy in a lost card situation but that theTrainLine would have to contact the ticket office to allow them to issue the tickets.
I then contacted the trainline again to be told that they update the record for the purchase to show it will be collect in person and what form of ID will be used and the ticket office should be able to see this.

So I am going to try the ticket office again but any other information anyone can shed on how the system works in this situation and whether I should be able to get the tickets I have forked out for.

I have a suspicion that the ticket office person was just quoting is normal response when anyone mentions the words ticket machine as there must be lots of people who forget their cards but I'm sure when a card is properly lost this should be a different case.

 

[sheff1]

The Trainline can set the ticket so that it can be collected from the machine using ANY card. Good luck though in trying to get hold of someone there who will do it for you.

 

[ajdunlop]

The Trainline can set the ticket so that it can be collected from the machine using ANY card. Good luck though in trying to get hold of someone there who will do it for you.

I'm supprised this is not what they do by default given that they seem to know there are problems with ticket offices issuing them. Also is it possible for them to change the card to a different one, if it is then surely they should have a way of doing this on their website. This must be a problem which occurs all the time when peoples cards are lost, stolen or have simply expired.

It says on thetrainline website that you can collect tickets from any station now not just the one you specified when placing your order. Does this mean that every ticket office will be able to look up every ticket? If so it might be worth giving another ticket office a try.

 

[wibble]

The Trainline can set the ticket so that it can be collected from the machine using ANY card. Good luck though in trying to get hold of someone there who will do it for you.

That might be the case for ticket issued through www.thetrainline.com but may not happen for TOC websites using trainline's booking engine.

ajdunlop: Check with trainline.com and see if they have changed your booking to accept any credit/debit card to collect the tickets. If they have, you can collect them from any TVM and won't need to visit the ticket office.

 

[moonrakerz]

Another good reason for not using trainline.

If you use your local TOC you have a ticket office and a human being to deal with - and for less money !!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The seller of the ticket can set the system to only issue the ticket if the paying card is presented at the issueing station or for any card to be present. If it is set for only the paying card there is nothing the ticket office can do. If it is set for any card, use a self service machine.

 

[ajdunlop]

The seller of the ticket can set the system to only issue the ticket if the paying card is presented at the issueing station or for any card to be present. If it is set for only the paying card there is nothing the ticket office can do. If it is set for any card, use a self service machine.

Ok, well I have been able to collect on set of tickets with a different card, the other is saying that it has already been issues or partly issued. Does that mean theTrainlime have messed that one up or have they been able to set it differently?

 

[Mojo]

We once bought some tickets from the East Coast trains website which were due to be posted but which went missing in the post. We contacted East Coast trains who faxed a form through to our origin; Virgin Trains staff in the ticket office then manually printed the tickets and the clerk explained that the procedure was for East Coast trains to then pay Virgin Trains for the cost of the tickets.

I cannot see why a similar procedure cannot be set up in your case.

Also, by the way, never ever ever book tickets through theTrainline again. You always pay more than booking direct with the Toc you are travelling with (oversimplified to save space).

 

[ajdunlop]

Sorry all I am a bit silly. The order that the ticket machine wouldn't print out was correct. I was putting a conf code in for an old already collected journey (I think it was in fact a print at home XC ticket).
My order at thetrainline was a one off to try out their new app but normally I try and buy from the TOC websites.

 

[RJ]

The seller of the ticket can set the system to only issue the ticket if the paying card is presented at the issueing station or for any card to be present. If it is set for only the paying card there is nothing the ticket office can do. If it is set for any card, use a self service machine.

A warning will appear if this is the case but it can be overridden. I had somebody in this exact predicament today. Only issued the ticket upon production of the original booking email, seeing driving licence and the details/signatures matching.