Trainline incorrectly validated e-ticket

[parkender102]

My son made a surprise visit from University yesterday. Despite me telling everyone not to use Trainline he bought his return ticket via the Trainline App. He accidently validated both out and return portions yesterday and has received an email saying the return portion will be invalid for travel tomorrow as it's now listed as a used ticket despite not being used. Is this correct? Another reason not to use Trainline (I always like to have paper tickets).

The journey in question was Lancaster to Chester changing at Warrington Bank Quay Off Peak Return - valid till 25th November. Any advice appreciated otherwise I'll just buy another ticket from a more reliable source i.e. one of the TOC Websites or Raileasy (Split Ticket).

 

[ji459]

He made a "mistake" yet it's Trainline's fault? Makes sense

 

[causton]

Activation of the ticket shows the journey has been started but not necessarily finished. You could buy a single to Preston for him as it would be perfectly valid to leave Lancaster for Preston on Day 1, break your journey overnight at Preston, then continue from Preston on Day 2. The ticket would show as 'used' on Day 2 but briefs have been put out for staff to show discretion in this circumstance as the ticket is still valid - if the staff read the brief that is!

He made a "mistake" yet it's Trainline's fault? Makes sense

I read it that way as well but I don't think it's deliberate - I think they mean "Trainline: incorrectly validated e-ticket" rather than blaming the company!

 

[A Challenge]

It is a mistake easier made with m-tickets, and as @causton says if he travelled to Five Ways today then with just a single to Five Ways or Birmingham New Street he could travel perfectly validly on that ticket tomorrow, however as the ticket has been validated it could be argued that he must do at least part of the travel today.

I am guessing this is an open return that is valid both today and tomorrow.

 

[parkender102]

Yes my mistake - not saying Trainline validated the ticket - it was his mistake. I'm not that familiar with e-tickets so not sure how they are validated - I thought for some reason the guard could electronically validate on the day for outward and return.

 

[causton]

Yes my mistake - not saying Trainline validated the ticket - it was his mistake. I'm not that familiar with e-tickets so not sure how they are validated - I thought for some reason the guard could electronically validate on the day for outward and return.

They can do that as well.

The ticket can be:

1. Activated by the customer
2. Scanned by the ticket gates at the starting station
3. Scanned by the conductor/RPI on the train
4. Scanned by the ticket gates at the ending station

But obviously only number 1 is mandatory. The scanning is not mandatory as many stations do not have the barcode readers and many conductors/RPIs do not have the capability to check (yet!)

I believe if they scan the ticket on Day 2 it will say the ticket is out of date, so you will have to get your son to explain that they broke their journey overnight (as they are entitled to do) and the guard/RPI can verify the ticket manually (using a mark one eyeball!)

 

[parkender102]

It is a mistake easier made with m-tickets, and as @causton says if he travelled to Five Ways today then with just a single to Five Ways or Birmingham New Street he could travel perfectly validly on that ticket tomorrow, however as the ticket has been validated it could be argued that he must do at least part of the travel today.

I am guessing this is an open return that is valid both today and tomorrow.

He's not going back till tomorrow (it's an Off Peak Return valid for 1 Month). However the validation shows he used the return portion yesterday. I'll just bite the bullet and buy a new one - Trainsplit showing a £16.80 one way changing at Warrington Bank Quay.

 

[A Challenge]

He's not going back till tomorrow (it's an Off Peak Return valid for 1 Month). However the validation shows he used the return portion yesterday. I'll just bite the bullet and buy a new one - Trainsplit showing a £16.80 one way changing at Warrington Bank Quay.

What I'm saying is if he travelled to Five Ways and broke his journey there overnight he could perfectly allowably continue from Five Ways tomorrow, as period returns are valid for unlimited overnight break of journey within the validity (normally 1 month), even if the journey to Five Ways is made using a University to Five Ways Anytime Day Single (£2.30) and you split tickets there. Given the reference to trainsplit, I assume you are comfortable using split tickets like this.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

He's not going back till tomorrow (it's an Off Peak Return valid for 1 Month). However the validation shows he used the return portion yesterday. I'll just bite the bullet and buy a new one - Trainsplit showing a £16.80 one way changing at Warrington Bank Quay.

Totally unnecessary. A return portion is valid for unlimited break of journey, and is valid for an entire month. If your son explains what has happened, his tickets remains entirely valid.

Obviously, using another platform next time is advisable!

 

[alistairlees]

What I'm saying is if he travelled to Five Ways and broke his journey there overnight he could perfectly allowably continue from Five Ways tomorrow, as period returns are valid for unlimited overnight break of journey within the validity (normally 1 month), even if the journey to Five Ways is made using a University to Five Ways Anytime Day Single (£2.30) and you split tickets there. Given the reference to trainsplit, I assume you are comfortable using split tickets like this.

I don't think this journey has anything to do with Five Ways or any other location in or near Birmingham. If you read the OP's post the journey is from Lancaster to Chester. I think you have been confused by the capitalisation of the first letter of "university" (presumably referring to Lancaster University) and have assumed that the OP is referring to University station in Birmingham. Which I don't think they are.

 

[A Challenge]

My idea doesn't work as well then, as it is so far from Chester to Helsby and the ticket isn't cheap!

 

[alistairlees]

My son made a surprise visit from University yesterday. Despite me telling everyone not to use Trainline he bought his return ticket via the Trainline App. He accidently validated both out and return portions yesterday and has received an email saying the return portion will be invalid for travel tomorrow as it's now listed as a used ticket despite not being used. Is this correct? Another reason not to use Trainline (I always like to have paper tickets).

The journey in question was Lancaster to Chester changing at Warrington Bank Quay Off Peak Return - valid till 25th November. Any advice appreciated otherwise I'll just buy another ticket from a more reliable source i.e. one of the TOC Websites or Raileasy (Split Ticket).

As ForTheLoveOf suggests, your son could indeed explain what has happened to the gateline staff at Chester / guard on the first train from Chester, and hope that they understand. As all barcode tickets, including m-tickets such as this (this is not an eTicket, as it was bought through an app) should be scanned somewhere, and staff should be equipped with barcode scanners, it should be straightforward to determine that the return portion has not been used). In an absolute worst case, if this is denied, the OP could buy a single to the first stop of the service back (Helsby? Runcorn East?) then use the return portion of their m-ticket from there, as break of journey is allowed. They could then write to the retailer requesting the cost of this single back. It shouldn't be necessary to do this though.

 

[Wallsendmag]

The other obvious pointer that it isn’t an e-Ticket is the fact you don’t activate e-Tickets