Rail passengers 'shun confusing ticket machines' (BBC News 20/07/2010)

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

Any idea why the TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) won't / don't / can't sell Group Saves, on the same basis?

[Tim]

Said it before but it should be perfectly simple to put every ticket in the country on every machine, as per Switzerland. No excuse really, especially with technology as it is now.

Except for the new opportunites for fraud, which is why they won't do it here, whatever happens in Switzerland.

Paul

But you can collect any ticket from a machine if you book on line.  I expect that the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) are more concerned with legitimate re-booking than fraud. 

[Tim]

thanks for the info.  But if the ticket is "valid on any train" then why not print "anytime" on the ticket.  This is stupid isn't it?

Because the terms are not the same as an anytime ticket, which would allow break of journey for other than connectional purposes and in the case of a return would allow the outward portion to be used to complete the journey over five days. So for example an Anytime return from say Edinburgh to London could be used by someone with day meetings in Newcastle, York, Birmingham and High Wycombe with overnight stops at each location.

But if we had really had ticket simplification terms like this would be aligned or printed in the ticket itself (ie, "valid any train, no breaks of journey", or "valid after 8:45, no break on outward journey" etc).

At least terms like "saver" where ambigious.  A term like "off-peak" on the face of it is misleading in that they give the impression of being clear but gloss over the complexity which is still there.   

[eightf48544]

Any idea why the TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) won't / don't / can't sell Group Saves, on the same basis?

Here here. Must be possible.

Not sure I understand Paul's comment about more oportunities for Fraud if TVMs sell all tickets between all destinations. Surely whatever the TVM sells it is still up to the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) to have onboard train checks.  Even if it's only to catch out  the "proverbial little old lady on an advanced ticket holder on the wrong train".

Presumably you mean it would be difficult to catch those that buy a ticket from Stapelton Road to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) at Avonmouth.

I see no reason why Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) type technology (with an ITSO card) couldn't be introdcued around other cities such as Bristol but you need zonal fares and for the card to be valid on both buses and trains. You can work it like Oyster so that you pay only a "Day Travelcard" rate once you've made sufficient journeys.

It works extremely well in Germany. You can even buy group rovers from the machines.

It does mean basically a flat fare system with no Peak nonsence.

[Tim]

Not sure I understand Paul's comment about more oportunities for Fraud if TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) sell all tickets between all destinations.

Dumbelling.

But not a good enough excuse IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion)

[Henry]

 Reading the comments, even us seasoned traveller's have problems.

 I agree, I would sooner look at a face when buying a ticket at Totnes - (even if it is Nathan).

[JayMac]

Depending on the orientation of the TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine), you often get to look at a face - you're own!

When the sun is shining on the screen all you can make out is your own reflection; unless you do a shadow dance or hold your jacket open like you're pretending to be Batman.

[eightf48544]

Dumbelling

_{Edited to disentagle quotes}

[JayMac]

'Dumbelling' is buying two short journey tickets for each end of a longer journey.

As an example, you are making a journey from A to Z but only buy tickets from A to B and Y to Z.

Oh, and can you clean up your previous post, eightf?