Smartcards

[David M]

Apologies if this should be in fares and ticketing - please move if so. I have a Scotrail smartcard with the ITSO logo. Scotrail would prefer to move to a smartcard system (but won't go down the e-ticket route for whatever reason). The SmartTravel people are pushing to load bus, tram and train tickets onto the ITSO cards. So far, so good but...
When I buy train tickets, I always look at the cashback available via Quidco and Top Cashback and, generally, Chiltern Railways provides between 3.5 and 5.07% cashback so I buy my tickets from them. ScotRail and Chiltern have their own separate smartcards for their own separate networks and never the 2 shall meet it seems.
Are there any moves or proposals to reach a stage when I can load any ticket bought from any operator onto my Scotrail smartcard?

 

[StephenHunter]

Not at present, but it's really something that needs doing. If we can get a national 'Oyster' system, that would be great.

 

[DelW]

There are at least two recent threads on smartcards in the fares forum, mostly describing problems posters have had with them, (lack of) inter-availability being one recurring theme.
Several people involved with railway ticketing have been saying on those for some time that use of any TOC's smartcards on any operator is imminent, but it never seems actually to happen.
Personally I'm cynical enough to stick firmly with paper tickets, which seem to experience far fewer problems.

 

[Re 4/4]

The thing that worries me with smartcards is the law that if I'm found on a train without a valid ticket, that's a 'no excuses' offense. I can see why that's the way it is, and it makes a lot of sense with paper tickets as I have the ability to read what's on my ticket and make sure it's the right one (checking brfares for the code of really necessary). With a smartcard I lose any way to be sure if a RPI on a bad day challenges me, and that's only likely to get worse if we have a less than perfect cross-operator system. I'm sticking with paper for the foreseeable future, I build large software systems for a living and I know how often they go wrong in really unexpected ways.

 

[L401CJF]

The thing that worries me with smartcards is the law that if I'm found on a train without a valid ticket, that's a 'no excuses' offense. I can see why that's the way it is, and it makes a lot of sense with paper tickets as I have the ability to read what's on my ticket and make sure it's the right one (checking brfares for the code of really necessary). With a smartcard I lose any way to be sure if a RPI on a bad day challenges me, and that's only likely to get worse if we have a less than perfect cross-operator system. I'm sticking with paper for the foreseeable future, I build large software systems for a living and I know how often they go wrong in really unexpected ways.

Its quite pointless on Merseyside, we have the ITSO Walrus card (now being replaced with the new ITSO Metro card) and can buy Merseytravels Saveaway day tickets on them (bus train ferry), Solo (Bus only) and Stagecoach/Arriva bus weekly tickets. There are no card scanners at most Merseyrail stations. You are also told to keep your receipt incase the card stops working, and because if you use another TOC in the area (EMR, TPE, NT, TfW, LNWR) then their conductors dont have the gear to scan the card! You are also told however that if it doesn't scan on a bus, the receipt cannot be used for travel even with the card matching the number on the receipt and are liable to pay a fare.

 

[KingJ]

With a smartcard I lose any way to be sure if a RPI on a bad day challenges me

It's possible to read them with an NFC-enabled smartphone - some of the TOC apps which allow you to load tickets on to an ITSO card also allow you to read them and see what tickets are currently on there.

There are also generic apps that can read any ITSO smartcard, such as the Smart Ticket Checker by Rambus for Android. They do look to have put out one now for iOS too.

 

[StephenHunter]

Its quite pointless on Merseyside, we have the ITSO Walrus card (now being replaced with the new ITSO Metro card).

The Walrus card? Is that a deliberate reference to a certain Beatles song?

 

[MotorcycleAlan]

The Walrus card? Is that a deliberate reference to a certain Beatles song?

The "Ticket to Ride" card might be a better Beatles connection but based upon all the problems described above, "Help" would be my suggested name.
Seriously, I now have 3 different TOC smart cards plus Oyster, and think the whole roll out has been a typical fragmented railway shambles.

 

[yorkie]

Smart cards are old hat technology now, at least for point to point single use tickets.

Smart cards for PAYG have their uses (see Oyster) but for the most part it's redundant (see Contactless).

I can see why TOCs would want to use them for Seasons

But for single and return fares it's a complete waste of time. The new standard is barcode e-tickets and these are far superior to smart card tickets in every way.

Not at present, but it's really something that needs doing. If we can get a national 'Oyster' system, that would be great.

If you mean a nationwide PAYG zonal system, please read existing threads, which you will no doubt find interesting, and if you wish to make proposals for how it could work, feel free to create a new thread.

 

[smsm1]

The Chiltern website and smartcard works for Greater Anglia services and linked services.

The Greater Anglia smart card didn't work with the Scotrail ticket machines when I checked last year.

 

[Re 4/4]

The new standard is barcode e-tickets and these are far superior to smart card tickets in every way.

In most ways, but not including accessibility in my personal experience. I can think up a long list of older people in my extended family who are never going to be able to use a smartphone for various reasons. Also various disabilities.

It's not just the railways, a lot of society is a lot more accommodating to someone in a wheelchair than someone whose disability means they can't operate modern technology without help.

 

[yorkie]

In most ways, but not including accessibility in my personal experience. I can think up a long list of older people in my extended family who are never going to be able to use a smartphone for various reasons. Also various disabilities.

It's not just the railways, a lot of society is a lot more accommodating to someone in a wheelchair than someone whose disability means they can't operate modern technology without help.

No need to show them on any device; they can be printed.

 

[paul1609]

If youve stood behind the queue of people at Blackpool North using e tickets to exit through the barriers after the arrival of a 3 coach train you can see why they are never going to be in universal use in the south east where something like 75% of revenue is.