Great Western Coffee Shop

I've just a rather large "moment of idiocy"

I'm travelling to Ladyfriend Trout's tomorrow. I am currently staying with the Senior Trouts. One of them owed me ^25.00 and on hearing I hadn't booked my train ticket, offered to book it for me. As the ticket was ^27.40 they accepted this and I agreed and went ahead with the booking using their plastic. (Obviously with their permission!)

Our experienced members can already see the problem there, can't you? It only dawned on me just as 3D-Secure authorised the transaction >:(

I'm making the journey. My Dad isn't going to be with me to collect the tickets is he? Nor is he going to relieve himself of his bank card for 8 days for me to do so!

I think the professional term here is: Oops?

How can I climb out of the whole I've just dug? Any suggestions?

Thanks :)

I've not managed this booking a train ticket but did do this at the cinema once, and when I gave them the card details they were able to retrieve my booking.. So maybe with some manual intervention (and if you have the card details), and if the ticket office is open (assuming there is one) you might be ok?

I too have done that at the cinema (Was it Vue by any chance?)

My Mum booked me a ticket to see Harry Potter in 2005, back when Vue's booking provider didn't accept Solo or Electron Cards (What the vast majority of teenagers under 18 had at the time.)

I just took in the printout receipt to the Box Office and explained the website didn't accept Electron Cards. To which the Gentleman said the receipt showed I had paid to see the film, stamped it and informed his colleagues at the screen check-in that I was an "anomaly ticket holder" All sorted, no dramas

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In previous years when FGW were using thetrainline before they also accepted Electron Cards, I phoned up FGW and explained that I wouldn't have the card to collect the ticket and could I arrange to collect it from the station on production of some ID or something. To which they said that would be no problem at all and I could collect the tickets from Exeter St Davids on the day of travel. On arrival the tickets were already pre-printed at EXD and had been put into an envelope waiting for me to collect. I gave the chap my name and booking reference and I remember he said: "Ah yes, printed those myself this morning for you." he handed them over and that was deal done.

That was back in 2006, when I had to collect a First Leisure Advance Single which was significantly cheaper than an EXD - Castle Cary First Open Single ;D

I'm hoping such things are still possible! But that was over 6 years ago, A lot has changed since then! But I highlight a good point, how many parents book rail tickets for their kids or the (certainly the case for some posters here) booking a journey for the M-i-L to take to your house?   many will have the card used to collect. Also as much as I had "What if's" What if the booking card used was damaged before the journey??

Odeon actually.. I'd just left the card at home.. it belonged to me (der!)

I have also (I think I must be forgetful) got to a station with the card I'd booked tickets on but not the booking reference and they very helpfully found my ticket booking for me to save me the trip home to get the reference and hence being late.. I was told at the time that that isn't always possible though

Good Luck getting your ticket tomorrow

Although the machines tell you to collect the tickets using the card on which they were booked, I think you'll find that any card works.  We had tickets bought for us by someone in London for a Perth to Blackpool journey, and the TVM quite happily handed them out on my card.   So if you have a piece of plastic (don't think it works with a Blockbuster card though ...)

If you phone whoever you bought the tickets from they may be able to change the setting on the booking to either allow it to be picked up with any card from a TVM or with a form of ID from the ticket office.

Most ordinary bookings will require the card used to be put in the TVM. Generally it is businesses who have accounts with companies so that any bookings made by them may be picked up with any card.

As Grahame pointed out previously, almost any chip and pin card should do the trick.  It's not 100% trustworthy but I am sure it will 'slowly' print your tickets for you. 

This happens a lot.

Indeed: see also http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=9349.msg97021#msg97021  ;) :D ;D

I've picked up tickets from different ticket offices without even informing them earlier, without the correct card being required.

Situation: Ticket office closed, *both* TVMs are not in use (One out of RSP stock, the other just broken), boarded train after explaining to the OBM (who knows I'm not fare evading scum)... picked them up at STP without issue.

I do believe that normal tickets require the correct debit card if using the TVM. This can be changed, and indeed it used to be the default option on The Trainline for any card to able to be used but this has changed now. You can use any TVM, not just the one selected, and if you buy a ticket paying entirely with vouchers then any card will work. I believe that the original FGW TVMs found at stations from the original First Great Western franchise will, or at least used to, accept any card.