Where can a season ticket changeover be done?

[Wicket94]

Hi

I currently have a season ticket between london terminals and Eastbourne. I'm trying to get a changeover for my new journey from new Barnet to london terminals.

I bought the ticket from fenchurch street station

I popped into my local Eastbourne station, they took my ticket but returned it a week later stating they could not do it as it wasn't on their system and I should go to the station I bought it from.

So next opportunity I went to fenchurch street station, the chap gave me a form and said they could do it but would take 24 hours to do. But he stated that any network rail ticket office could do it. As I needed to get to Eastbourne decided to take the form and try once again to get Eastbourne to do it as I'd be there for a couple of days.

The chap there though said they couldn't do it, would take the form but would take over a week as they'd need to send it by post to fenchurch street to do it!

So today, near my current location went into the local station which is on the new network I intend to travel on and tried again. This time they said they couldn't do it either and I'd be best to go to new Barnet to do it as the new receiving station.

So, very simply what are the regulations for getting a changeover and how long should this take.

I'm getting fobbed off left right and centre by people who you can tell by their expressions do t want to do it, presumably too complex for them! Quite a few tuts and sharp intake of breath from them each time I ask!

Last resort is to go back to fenchurch street but because I'm not in london every day will take a week for me to get back in and pick up. Can I claim the single tickets I'd need to buy?

Any help appreciated

No customer service in these places

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....I popped into my local Eastbourne station, they took my ticket but returned it a week later stating they could not do it as it wasn't on their system and I should go to the station I bought it from....

Not true.

....So next opportunity I went to fenchurch street station, the chap gave me a form and said they could do it....

True.

....but would take 24 hours to do....

A local instruction might be to get the calculations checked by the team leader before issuing the new ticket, but otherwise not true.

.... But he stated that any network rail ticket office could do it....

In theory, true.

....As I needed to get to Eastbourne decided to take the form and try once again to get Eastbourne to do it as I'd be there for a couple of days.

The chap there though said they couldn't do it, would take the form but would take over a week as they'd need to send it by post to fenchurch street to do it!...

Not true.

....So today, near my current location went into the local station which is on the new network I intend to travel on and tried again. This time they said they couldn't do it either and I'd be best to go to new Barnet to do it as the new receiving station....

Not true.

....So, very simply what are the regulations for getting a changeover and how long should this take....

Any ticket office should be able to do it, training, staff and ticket machines vary though. I could probably do a changeover for a season ticket bought from another company in about five to ten minutes. I don't work anywhere near you though.

....I'm getting fobbed off left right and centre by people who you can tell by their expressions do t want to do it....

They probably don't.

.... presumably too complex for them!...

Changeovers used to be a pain in the backside, all calculations done manually (or with a calculator if you were doing well), figures added in to APTIS manually, season ticket details entered into the database twice, etc. As a result, some staff still see them as something to avoid at all costs. Nowadays it really is quite simple to do on some machines, if you know what you are doing.

.... Quite a few tuts and sharp intake of breath from them each time I ask!....

I think that would indicate a lack of willing more than any thing else.

....Last resort is to go back to fenchurch street but because I'm not in london every day will take a week for me to get back in and pick up. Can I claim the single tickets I'd need to buy?....

Not officially IIRC, but you can enquire there to see what they say.

 

[Haywain]

So next opportunity I went to fenchurch street station, the chap gave me a form and said they could do it but would take 24 hours to do.

A local instruction might be to get the calculations checked by the team leader before issuing the new ticket, but otherwise not true.

The local instruction can also extend to getting any refund signed off to avoid delays in processing (which, I appreciate, might sound a bit odd).

Changeovers used to be a pain in the backside, all calculations done manually (or with a calculator if you were doing well), figures added in to APTIS manually, season ticket details entered into the database twice, etc. As a result, some staff still see them as something to avoid at all costs. Nowadays it really is quite simple to do on some machines, if you know what you are doing.

Some, if not all, season ticket databases will do the calculations leaving the clerk just to make sense of the numbers and input the right figure into the ticket issuing system.

For the OP, I believe that Kings Cross might be a good bet for getting your changeover sorted out while you wait.

 

[Wicket94]

Thanks for the comments.

I eventually took the ticket back to Fenchurch street - it took 24 hours but the people there were excellent and happy to help.

As you say - the form needed to be checked and authorised so happy with that. Now just waiting for the refund to arrive (due to amount)

Just so frustrating an experience with poor customer service from everywhere else I went to - and given Southern are taking such a pounding at the moment you would have thought they'd try and get something right.

Fenchurch street staff - thank you! Happy staff prepared to help.

Does anyone know if there's a rule somewhere in the rail regulations that I can thrust in the face of Southern staff?

Ta

 

[bb21]

Does anyone know if there's a rule somewhere in the rail regulations that I can thrust in the face of Southern staff?

Not worth it.

 

[causton]

Unfortunately, there is very little to stop staff who can't be bothered to do season ticket changeovers from saying no at the slightest excuse if we so desire. Also anything like that we would need to have signed off by a manager as well, which could be up to a 48 hour wait to get approved if you get it at the wrong time! As we do it manually as we have a very basic system and people may not remember how to do them (yes, the instructions are easily accessible, but these people can't be bothered!)

This is not my personal stance, obviously, I would take joy in doing it myself, but ever since I got let down when I was a customer and had to jump through hoops to get it sorted, and now working in the industry and seeing how it should be done, I now realise how there is no effective regulation to make people actually stick to the rules!

 

[maniacmartin]

My experience of changeovers is that most large stations, including most London Terminals stations, seem to have the knowledge and inclination to do this, even for seasons issued by another TOC. You usually will have to return to the station the next day once they've had a chance to do the calculations.

Smaller stations tend to be bad at this though, and London Overground incorrectly claim you can't do season ticket changeovers.

 

[carotearoa]

I wouldn't try Kings Cross....

I have a Baldock to Kings Cross season ticket and went in to try and do mine just now. I thought ahead and left work (very) early so I was there at about 4pm and not rush hour.

Kings Cross ticket office told me I needed to go St Pancras, as they had a Great Northern ticket office.

Waited at St Pancras ticket office in a crazy queue for 30 mins in the heat (I'm heavily pregnant, hence the need for a changeover - I'm heading off on maternity leave). Was feeling super guilty about asking for a changeover with all the people behind me, but not much choice...

The man told me first that I needed to go to my local station. I explained my local station is no longer staffed... Then he said he would have a go. I was very grateful for this and it took about 15 mins. Towards the end, I started to get a bit panicked, as having voided my old ticket, he printed out a new one with the same destination. I tried talking to him, but he had switched the intercom off, so resorted to watching him do this and frantically waving to try and get his attention.

When he eventually presented me with the ticket, he said he had replaced my ticket because the strip wasn't working. I had clearly asked for a changeover, but he then said I needed to go to the nearest available Great Northern ticket office, which apparently is Finsbury Park.

Sorry for the massive rant, but I've wasted an hour standing in the heat, heavily pregnant, and all I've ended up with is a replaced ticket. How can they not be able to do this at Kings Cross, when that is where my Great Northern train ends up?

I've now got to try and get to another station tomorrow morning and hope they don't refuse to do the changeover because my ticket has just been replaced.

 

[Haywain]

I wouldn't try Kings Cross....

I have a Baldock to Kings Cross season ticket and went in to try and do mine just now. I thought ahead and left work (very) early so I was there at about 4pm and not rush hour.

Kings Cross ticket office told me I needed to go St Pancras, as they had a Great Northern ticket office.

Waited at St Pancras ticket office in a crazy queue for 30 mins in the heat (I'm heavily pregnant, hence the need for a changeover - I'm heading off on maternity leave). Was feeling super guilty about asking for a changeover with all the people behind me, but not much choice...

The man told me first that I needed to go to my local station. I explained my local station is no longer staffed... Then he said he would have a go. I was very grateful for this and it took about 15 mins. Towards the end, I started to get a bit panicked, as having voided my old ticket, he printed out a new one with the same destination. I tried talking to him, but he had switched the intercom off, so resorted to watching him do this and frantically waving to try and get his attention.

When he eventually presented me with the ticket, he said he had replaced my ticket because the strip wasn't working. I had clearly asked for a changeover, but he then said I needed to go to the nearest available Great Northern ticket office, which apparently is Finsbury Park.

Sorry for the massive rant, but I've wasted an hour standing in the heat, heavily pregnant, and all I've ended up with is a replaced ticket. How can they not be able to do this at Kings Cross, when that is where my Great Northern train ends up?

I've now got to try and get to another station tomorrow morning and hope they don't refuse to do the changeover because my ticket has just been replaced.

Kings Cross can do this and most of the staff there will. Unfortunately, there are always one or two who will find any excuse not to do something a tad complicated.

Anyway, I've sent you a PM.

 

[causton]

Kings Cross can do this and most of the staff there will. Unfortunately, there are always one or two who will find any excuse not to do something a tad complicated.

What did I say?

Joking aside... You could have asked if anyone else could do it, by asking the staff member or waiting for another person to become available to try and do it. However if they*had heard your conversation with the staff member, or they had told everyone, they would also refuse (sometimes if one person says no the rest will say no to back up their colleagues rather than think about the rules). Could have tried Euston, either VTWC or LM, but of course that is a bit of a long walk!

 

[yorkie]

I wouldn't try Kings Cross....

I have a Baldock to Kings Cross season ticket and went in to try and do mine just now....

Not to a Baldock to North Sheen presumably? (used to be valid via Aberdeen, Elgin & Inverness! )

Joking aside, you can complain to both Virgin Trains East Coast and whichever company you spoke to at St Pancras (East Midlands Trains run the main ticket office, and Govia Thameslink run the smaller one near the Thameslink platforms).

 

[paul1609]

For the last couple of years I had a Headcorn to Zones 1 to 6 season ticket bought for me using a warrant. I then did a change over to a Rye to Zones 1 to 6 (not HS1)ticket and paid cash for the difference. Headcorn station could do it for me but it took a couple of days on each occasion because it had to be "authorised by a manager". The staff were very helpful and pleasant about it it has to be said.

 

[RJ]

This is not my personal stance, obviously, I would take joy in doing it myself, but ever since I got let down when I was a customer and had to jump through hoops to get it sorted, and now working in the industry and seeing how it should be done, I now realise how there is no effective regulation to make people actually stick to the rules!

No, there isn't. Ticket offices very much seem to be one of those jobs where all that matters is there being a bum on a seat, even if that person is completely useless at fulfilling many of the responsibilities that a ticket office clerk has.

I've never been to a bank where the clerk doesn't know how to take deposits - or a post office where the clerk doesn't know how to do Special Deliveries, but the railway seems content with pushing out people unsupervised who haven't got a clue how to fundamental parts of their job, sometimes even a task as basic as finding and selling a point to point ticket! It really shouldn't have to be a lottery as to the level of service customers receive, but that's the reality unfortunately . It would be ideal if staff were helpful on every occasion.

FTR changeovers are done where I am, regardless of which TOC issued the ticket. Admittedly getting prices from previous NFMs can be a challenge - I resort to using Avantix Traveller on my laptop, if I've got it. It would be really helpful if the iKb presented this information in a nice, clean format like the Fares Finder in The Manual was. Can anyone on here actually get on with the PDFs? Even if they were in the slightest bit user friendly to read, the sheer size of them cause the computer (which can barely cope with the TIS software) to sound like it's going to blow!

 

[carotearoa]

Thank you so much for your responses everyone. I have managed to sort this by going to a station close to home (Letchworth). I left the forms with them while they calculated it and they called me a few days later to say I could go in and drop the ticket off. So all sorted over the weekend - phew!