Using a PRT on a phone

[blimmo]

I recently purchased a WM AnyTrain Z1-5 Off Peak which is a ranger and hence only available from ticket offices. It was issued to PRT with an Aztec barcode.

Can I show this ticket on my phone? As I understand it the validity of etickets is determined entirely by the visibility of the barcode and hence screenshots are valid. Does this principle extend to PRT?

 

[Mainline421]

No, although I guess there's a chance it may be accepted anyway

 

[185143]

I recently purchased a WM AnyTrain Z1-5 Off Peak which is a ranger and hence only available from ticket offices. It was issued to PRT with an Aztec barcode.

Can I show this ticket on my phone? As I understand it the validity of etickets is determined entirely by the visibility of the barcode and hence screenshots are valid. Does this principle extend to PRT?

I strongly suspect with a ranger you'd be viewed with a very high level of suspicion doing so. Particularly if you didn't have the actual ticket on you.

With, say, an advance single it can only be used once on the specific train. So the conductor would know instantly if someone had shared the barcode.

But a ranger ticket is obviously designed to be used multiple times, what would be to stop you sending the picture to someone else and they use it on different trains to you?

 

[blimmo]

No, although I guess there's a chance it may be accepted anyway

Can you quote a source for this?

I strongly suspect with a ranger you'd be viewed with a very high level of suspicion doing so. Particularly if you didn't have the actual ticket on you.

With, say, an advance single it can only be used once on the specific train. So the conductor would know instantly if someone had shared the barcode.

But a ranger ticket is obviously designed to be used multiple times, what would be to stop you sending the picture to someone else and they use it on different trains to you?

I understand the suspicion (I was surprised it was issued with a barcode and not on CCST!), I'm interested in the rules.

 

[Mainline421]

Can you quote a source for this?

Condition 18.1

. .. hand over for inspection your Ticket and any Railcard, photocard or other form of personal identification which your Ticket requires.

.. and would be required if 18.2 was invoked too. Legally I can't see it being any different from if you photographed a CCST, and it would certainly look suspicious. They are supposed to be controlled stock so they can be accepted where they can't be scanned, it's not an e-ticket

 

[blimmo]

Condition 18.1

.. and would be required if 18.2 was invoked too. Legally I can't see it being any different from if you photographed a CCST, and it would certainly look suspicious. They are supposed to be controlled stock so they can be accepted where they can't be scanned, it's not an e-ticket

18.1 applies to e-tickets as well though no? I suppose the idea is that the original ticket is that case is somehow the same as the thing on your phone but that isn't really how digital files work. What should you show if you've printed the e-ticket and have it on your phone and also your laptop. Which one is the one you are meant to hand over?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Mar 2026 ==

I suspect practically I will just use the version on my phone (it's not actually a photo, rather I have scanned and regenerated the barcode in a wallet app) at the barriers but show the phyiscal print out if I am inspected.

What are the possible consequences to showing the barcode to staff on my phone first and only retrieving the ticket if that isn't accepted?

 

[CyrusWuff]

What are the possible consequences to showing the barcode to staff on my phone first and only retrieving the ticket if that isn't accepted?

A potential report for prosecution under the Fraud Act 2006 if the member of staff twigs that it was originally a Ticket Office purchase when they scan the barcode.

 

[transportphoto]

A potential report for prosecution under the Fraud Act 2006 if the member of staff twigs that it was originally a Ticket Office purchase when they scan the barcode.

Which would require a mens rea to defraud, e.g. a dishonest intention to make a gain for himself or another. This doesn’t meet that threshold.

 

[AlterEgo]

A potential report for prosecution under the Fraud Act 2006 if the member of staff twigs that it was originally a Ticket Office purchase when they scan the barcode.

There would be no reasonable suspicion of fraud unless the ticket was marked as having been scanned previously.

 

[redreni]

There would be no reasonable suspicion of fraud unless the ticket was marked as having been scanned previously.

It's a Ranger. Why would there be a reasonable suspicion of fraud just because it's been scanned previously?

If the scan history shows, for instance, the passenger has apparently broken the sound barrier to get between a previous location where the ticket has been scanned and where they are now, then you've got a reasonable suspicion of fraud.

The way "Ticket" is defined in the NRCoT, it's not at all clear to me that it can't include a photograph of a PRT.

 

[AlterEgo]

If the scan history shows, for instance, the passenger has apparently broken the sound barrier to get between a previous location where the ticket has been scanned and where they are now, then you've got a reasonable suspicion of fraud.

That's more what I meant!

 

[blimmo]

The way "Ticket" is defined in the NRCoT, it's not at all clear to me that it can't include a photograph of a PRT.

This is really what I was wondering. The definition is incredibly broad. I was wondering if there was anything specific in the "hand over for inspection" (by)laws that made it clear some notion of "original" was required but it seems not.

 

[saismee]

Does the PRT ticket show your name on it? I got lucky after losing a day ranger because the picture had my name printed on it, and it matched my railcard. I can't see staff accepting a picture of a PRT unless there was a way to identify the owner, and I wouldn't personally accept it. I've had people show photographs of both PRT and CCST seasons and none of my colleague accept them as photographs either.

I'm not entirely sure whether this is allowed or not though. I would assume not, for the same reason that rangers/rovers aren't e-ticketable.

 

[blimmo]

Does the PRT ticket show your name on it?

It does not, and a good thing too since I bought one for a friend also.

I can't see staff accepting a picture of a PRT unless there was a way to identify the owner, and I wouldn't personally accept it. I've had people show photographs of both PRT and CCST seasons and none of my colleague accept them as photographs either.

That makes sense. Hopefully my barcode will work the barriers and I won't need to show staff at all. I will have the physical ticket with me too it's just rather fragile and using my phone would be easier at a busy gateline.

 

[ModernRailways]

Does the PRT ticket show your name on it? I got lucky after losing a day ranger because the picture had my name printed on it, and it matched my railcard. I can't see staff accepting a picture of a PRT unless there was a way to identify the owner, and I wouldn't personally accept it. I've had people show photographs of both PRT and CCST seasons and none of my colleague accept them as photographs either.

I'm not entirely sure whether this is allowed or not though. I would assume not, for the same reason that rangers/rovers aren't e-ticketable.

I’ve seen plenty of bog roll season tickets that have faded or have lost all their ‘ink’, even within a couple of days. I always advise people to take a photo of the full ticket and the Aztec code. As long as it can be scanned and validity is shown, and they aren’t clearly abusing it (a quick check of the scan history would prove this) then there are better things to get on with than cause a scene with someone who has a valid ticket, but you’ve decided isn’t valid on a technicality - though I am sure a small minority of my colleagues, including those at other TOCs, would take great offence to this and be reporting it.

To the OP, if you have a ticket wallet take a photo of the ticket then fold it nicely so the Aztec code can be seen through one of the windows, it will then be scannable without needing to take it in/out constantly.

 

[saismee]

I’ve seen plenty of bog roll season tickets that have faded or have lost all their ‘ink’, even within a couple of days. I always advise people to take a photo of the full ticket and the Aztec code. As long as it can be scanned and validity is shown and they aren’t clearly abusing it (a quick check of the scan history would prove this) then there are better things to get on with than cause a scene with someone who has a valid ticket but you’ve decided isn’t valid on a technicality - though I am sure a small minority of my colleagues, including those at other TOCs, would take great offence to this and be reporting it.

To the OP, if you have a ticket wallet take a photo of the ticket then fold it nicely so the Aztec code can be seen through one of the windows, it will then be scannable without needing to take it in/out constantly.

Nothing wrong with it if you have both, or it's clearly too faded to scan, they're certainly edge-cases that should be accounted for with discretion. In my cases (one with PRT picture, one with CCST picture), both people had been warned before and allowed to travel as a one-off to get home (barriered station to unbarriered station), but that they would not be allowed again without finding the season or purchasing a new ticket. Of course, they chanced it one-way and found out the consequences on the way back.

 

[MrJeeves]

I used to do this with Daytrippers once WMT stopped issuing them on credit card stock. Take a photo of it to get in and out of barriers, and to show to staff. Noone cared, but worst case I would just present the original if they cared.

Saved me getting it out of my wallet a load of times, and meant the paper and low quality thermal printing didn't degrade either.

A potential report for prosecution under the Fraud Act 2006 if the member of staff twigs that it was originally a Ticket Office purchase when they scan the barcode.

Thankfully, there's a helpful "On Paper Or Screen" flag in the barcode specification, which is definitely not always set to the same value no matter how the barcode is issued...