Tickets failed to print - what now?

[Adam Williams]

When I was travelling abroad recently I was happy to have things like boarding passes and a COVID pass saved on my phone but I printed out copies to act as backup.

Why not do the same for rail eTickets?

 

[Wallsendmag]

And if your phone dies or the app corrupts you have to buy a new ticket because your device is at fault.

When I was travelling abroad recently I was happy to have things like boarding passes and a COVID pass saved on my phone but I printed out copies to act as backup.

Ah that's where you're wrong you , with eTickets you don't need an app and if you're worried about battery life just print the PDF

 

[northwichcat]

it prevents the situation that magstripe tickets don’t open barriers when they should (e.g. when changing trains, BOJ)

Based on this thread from yesterday having a scannable mobile ticket doesn't prevent BOJ issues at barriers

Northern staff at Deansgate refused to allow me to break journey on off-peak day return - had to buy ticket to leave

Hello all, Today at around 16:10, I left the Blackpool - Airport train on the return leg of a Knutsford - Bolton off peak day return, something this ticket allows. However, when I got to the street level gateline, my ticket was rejected. The guy I had at the barrier said that I had to continue...

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[skyhigh]

I really can’t see why q barcode can’t be printed on magstripe stock. It actually benefits the railway as traceability is retained, it prevents the situation that magstripe tickets don’t open barriers when they should (e.g. when changing trains, BOJ), and can be used at LU.

I don't think it's technically possible to fit an Aztec code on a credit card sized ticket and still have the necessary details printed on it too - at the moment anyway.

 

[Pacerfan142]

If you go to a train station ran by Avanti West Coast and go to a help desk you should be able to get the help you need there.

I bought some tickets from Avanti's website yesterday and then attempted to collect them at a machine at Seven Sisters. The machine failed to print any of the tickets and advised me to contact the travel centre. I asked at the ticket desk at Enfield Town for them to print the tickets, but hey were unable to do so as the code had been used - they said I needed to call the agent and get a new collection code.

I can't find a phone number for Avanti ticket sales customer services so sent an email to their customer resolution address, but the auto reply suggests I could be waiting for a month for a response. I really want the tickets rather than to take a print out and have to argue my case with ticket inspectors as it's a many leg journey, and I'll be travelling with 2 small children and a railcard.

Any suggestions how I can get in touch with Avanti customer services "live" to get this sorted out?`

 

[trover]

Based on this thread from yesterday having a scannable mobile ticket doesn't prevent BOJ issues at barriers

Northern staff at Deansgate refused to allow me to break journey on off-peak day return - had to buy ticket to leave

Hello all, Today at around 16:10, I left the Blackpool - Airport train on the return leg of a Knutsford - Bolton off peak day return, something this ticket allows. However, when I got to the street level gateline, my ticket was rejected. The guy I had at the barrier said that I had to continue...

www.railforums.co.uk

That’s the problem with staffs’ knowledge or how data is inputted. Surely barcode is capable of storing more data that a magstripe does.

 

[skyhigh]

If you go to a train station ran by Avanti West Coast and go to a help desk you should be able to get the help you need there.

Bit late now if the ticket has already been refunded.

 

[trover]

I don't think it's technically possible to fit an Aztec code on a credit card sized ticket and still have the necessary details printed on it too - at the moment anyway.

Perhaps utilising space at the back of the ticket to printer letters? I still think it’s doable.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

I had the same situation with Avanti's predecessor Virgin in September 2019. After being told by both the local station ticket office and Euston ticket office that nothing could be done, I sent a strongly worded letter to the MDs of both TOCs involved in which I expressed my dissatisfaction with their treatment of me and promising to cooperate with any police investigation should they think I was attempting to defraud the railway. Very quickly I received a grovelling apology, upgrade to 1st class and refund of the ticket price.

 

[northwichcat]

Ah that's where you're wrong you , with eTickets you don't need an app and if you're worried about battery life just print the PDF

I missed that you said eticket but as you say it's not available for all flows, so you do understand why some people use TOD.

Why not do the same for rail eTickets?

The railways haven't moved to a model where 'checking in' at the station can incur a high charge. Neither do the destination station refuse you to allow you to exit or fine you if you can't produce a COVID pass. Paying 30p extra in case the phone plays up is a small price to pay to avoid these risks.

Getting paper rail tickets is free unless you request them to be posted to you.

 

[Pacerfan142]

Bit late now if the ticket has already been refunded.

Well, I did not see the date and time of the post since I clicked on it from the home screen.

 

[Watershed]

Ah that's where you're wrong you , with eTickets you don't need an app and if you're worried about battery life just print the PDF

It is quite unreasonable to expect passengers to go to the expense and inconvenience of printing their ticket, to avoid being issued with a Penalty Fare or prosecuted if their battery dies. Some may not have access to a printer at all - what do you suggest they do?

The rail industry generally charges a premium compared to other modes of transport. It is hardly Ryanair on rails. It is perfectly right, as part of that premium, to expect the railway to pay for tickets to be printed.

 

[island]

I've asked for a cheque (partially because I've now bought the replacement tickets). As suggested, if I end up not receiving a refund, I will approach the credit card company, making a s75 claim if necessary (as the tickets were over £100).

Just to note that section 75 will only cover individual tickets costing over £100 on their own. Multiple tickets each costing £100 or less aren't covered, even if purchased in a transaction totalling over the sum.

 

[captainpp]

Of course if you'd have bought an eTicket none of this would have happened

There was no option for an eticket for this journey.

 

[Class800]

No it wasn't sarcastic, if it's available I'd always choose an eTicket nearly impossible to lose much easier for aftersales. Available on the vast majority of flows. I seriously question why people choose ToD.

I agree - but very rarely find e tickets available on my journeys. But a lot of them end with Southeastern services

 

[northwichcat]

Just to note that section 75 will only cover individual tickets costing over £100 on their own. Multiple tickets each costing £100 or less aren't covered, even if purchased in a transaction totalling over the sum.

On the other hand if you purchased a ticket costing £130 and only paid £80 on your credit card, then section 75 may still apply as it relates to the purchase amount, not the value of the transaction on your card.

 

[Watershed]

On the other hand if you purchased a ticket costing £130 and only paid £80 on your credit card, then section 75 may still apply as it relates to the purchase amount, not the value of the transaction on your card.

Although I'm not aware of any (online) retailer that allows you to mix payment methods.

 

[Haywain]

Although I'm not aware of any (online) retailer that allows you to mix payment methods.

Even if payment is partly made with eVouchers?

 

[Watershed]

Even if payment is partly made with eVouchers?

True, I suppose it could arise in that case.

 

[Haywain]

True, I suppose it could arise in that case.

There may be other possibilities but that is the obvious one.

 

[northwichcat]

Although I'm not aware of any (online) retailer that allows you to mix payment methods.

Some non-rail sites are setup to allow you to use two different payment cards. The reason being One4All Gift Cards are treated as pre-paid Visa cards for online transactions. If your basket total is £25 the transaction would normally fail if you tried to pay with a card with only £20 on it, so they implemented a workaround allowing you to use a card as part payment.

 

[bakerstreet]

No it wasn't sarcastic, if it's available I'd always choose an eTicket nearly impossible to lose much easier for aftersales. Available on the vast majority of flows. I seriously question why people choose ToD.

In answer to your question, and I can only speak for myself, I think e-ticketing is a brilliant development, but for me it’s all about the staff reaction to them.

I use both e-tickets and ToD. If the outcomes were always the same I’d be more likely to go 100% e-ticket.

For some journeys I always use ToD.

One in particular for a basic journey, not a loophole ticket, but a journey valid via London, itinerary via London generated on all vending websites and the national rail website, but ticket gates and scans don’t agree.

I’ve tried the journey many times on both orange and e-ticket.

If rejected by the e-ticket scan it’s ‘definitely not valid’ in the view of some checkers at station or on train.

With a piece of orange card ticket as evidence, and an orange card reservation as further evidence, I find as a passenger the checker will use their own mind and engage in conversation rather than ‘computer says yes or no’. I’m much more likely to have a hassle free journey.

I find some staff are zeros and ones when faced with a scan of an e-ticket, a bit like some are with ticket gates. It’s either valid or not, depending on what the technology says. I can understand this, I might be like this too if I were on the other side. It’s also possibly due to lack of training.

Just my experience, that’s it from me.

 

[alistairlees]

One in particular for a basic journey, not a loophole ticket, but a journey valid via London, itinerary via London generated on all vending websites and the national rail website, but ticket gates and scans don’t agree.

I’ve tried the journey many times on both orange and e-ticket.

If rejected by the e-ticket scan it’s ‘definitely not valid’ in the view of some checkers at station or on train.

Are you saying you get offered an eTicket option for a journey valid via London? This should not be the case. Does this ticket have a cross-London marker, or does it involve only Thameslink, or a walk (and is routed "Not Underground) between (e.g.) Waterloo and Waterloo East?

Or am I misunderstanding?

 

[bakerstreet]

Are you saying you get offered an eTicket option for a journey valid via London? This should not be the case. Does this ticket have a cross-London marker, or does it involve only Thameslink, or a walk (and is routed "Not Underground) between (e.g.) Waterloo and Waterloo East?

Or am I misunderstanding?

Hi Alistair
This ticket is for a national rail journey but it allows interchange at a London terminal but not validity for a cross London tube or Thameslink transfer.
The same issues I speak of above can also be faced where a particular off peak is valid at times when other off peaks are not.

For info though I posted some time ago that EMR (I think) sell +Any Permitted as an e-ticket for some journeys. I’ll see if I can find the thread.

Edit - found it - it was a Luton to Brighton +any permitted. Print screen included within.

Should a Route 00000 ✠ANY PERMITTED be issued on an e-ticket with no other fulfilment option offered?

Am I the only one frustrated with train apps which leave you with e-ticket as the only fulfilment option? Those which don’t allow NFC transfer to smart card and/or those which give no ToD option, Yes DfT wants to banish the only consistent (and arguably greener) paper option (doesn’t require...

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