SWT Ticket Machines and Woking Issues

[embers25]

I have raised this before but it seems SWT have got rid of even more destinations from their machines and so there are now numerous stations (indeed whole routes) not on their machines. Given NXEA/Southern and fGW seem able to have most(or all) destinations on them why can't SWT. Particularly as they are shutting/reducing hours of their ticket offices. Net result was a 10 minute wait at Woking and a missed train again. Also why does Woking have ticket offices both sides of the station as the other is hardly ever open despite them spending a fortune refurbing it. Also the main one yet again only had 2 windows open (I suppose better than the 1 window it usually has with huge line). The barriers were also open so they must have been very short staffed.

 

[PhilipW]

I thought on all ticket machines there was an 'Any destination' button. from that screen you then type in any station in Britain.

My station is SWT as well (Fareham). The option is available there.

 

[Oracle]

I go to 'ANY DESTINATION' and then use the alphabetical index...Penrith (North Lakes) was on there last time I looked!

 

[PhilipW]

Perhaps this story is an interesting little microcosm of how confusing the general public find ticket machines.

If we on this forum get confused, what hope is there for the general public ?

A large part of the confusion is the complexity of the tickets, which nobody has the slightest interest in sorting out.

 

[radamfi]

I thought on all ticket machines there was an 'Any destination' button. from that screen you then type in any station in Britain.

Yes, but SWT machines have many stations missing. Southern machines, on the other hand, seem to have virtually a complete list.

It will be interesting to see how long the new stations between Airdrie and Bathgate get to be added to the list.

 

[embers25]

SWT are missing numerous destinations and yes I did use he any destination option. I didn't realise till yesterday just how many places were missing. I couldn't get most Walsall line stations (including Walsall), most Exmouth line stations aren't there, Walton-on-Naze to name but a few. It's all well and good SWT telling you that if the ticket office is closed to buy a ticket from the machine but then they need to have all tickets and destinations on there. Also I don't know if it's still the case but certainly until recently you couldn't get Groupsave tickets at all from the machines. I know people say that in this case just buy a ticket to the nearest place and get an extension on board but that (a) requires you to know stations around where you are going and (b) for them to be in the machine. Also what about my trip yesterday. A super off peak period return to Walsall from Woking. You could say buy a ticket to Brum as its the same price and extend it but I was on WSMR and they were non-stop to Tame Bridge which also isn't in the machine and is past Brum.
I just don't understand why SWT are being so lazy compared to others. I know that some other companies either don't sell or carefully hide away the cheapest operator specific tickets (like Southern and FCC) on their machines but they at least seem to have most destinations.

 

[Matt Taylor]

There are some stations that are served by hourly direct services from my local station that do not appear on the TVMs, at the very least they should offer all stations served directly plus all stations in the former NSE area. I don't know why SWT do this as it doesn't help at stations where ticket office facilities are limited.

 

[yorkie]

Also what about my trip yesterday. A super off peak period return to Walsall from Woking. You could say buy a ticket to Brum as its the same price and extend it but I was on WSMR and they were non-stop to Tame Bridge which also isn't in the machine and is past Brum.

I agree it's not ideal but you need to stand up for your rights here. You can buy the ticket to Brum and use WSMR. If you have time at Marylebone, get it excessed there, if not get it excessed on board (WSMR have a fully discounted fares policy on board so don't see how they can complain), if WSMR's ticket machine is broken, pay at TAB if there is anyone there, if not, pay on the next train to Walsall. If the guard isn't able to do it on that train, then pay at Walsall. And if there is no-one able to do it at Walsall, then you have done all you could and that isn't your fault.