Getting my first season!

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Silly question ... for the first time that I can recall, I'm doing the same commute for 4 days this week and a 7 day season ticket looks like best value.

Can I just turn up at Chippenham Station tomorrow morning 15 minutes before my train with a passport size photo and get my photocard and the ticket?  The web site seems to say that's all I need ... no other ID (utility bill, driving license, passport) but I would rather know now!

[ellendune]

Yes that's all you need to do... ...if 15 minutes is what you normally need to allow to buy your ticket. 

[grahame]

Yes that's all you need to do... ...if 15 minutes is what you normally need to allow to buy your ticket. 

Magic, thanks.  (I err on the side of safety with timing ... 10 minutes SHOULD be plenty  )

[inspector_blakey]

Keep hold of the photocard - you'll be able to use it again in future (as long as the photo still looks like you, of course!) should you need to buy any further seasons, which ill save time at the booking office. I think that once you have a photocard, most TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) will also allow you to purchase seven-day seasons from them, which can be handy. You just need to remember to write in your photocard number once the ticket is issued.

[LiskeardRich]

I'm under the impression that if you have the photocard, you can also buy certain period seasons from on train staff when using an unmanned station.

[grahame]

I'm under the impression that if you have the photocard, you can also buy certain period seasons from on train staff when using an unmanned station.

That's good to know.

Tomorrow morning, I was planning to start from Chippenham on the 06:25, as the 05:56 from Melksham ran for the last time on 8th December 2006, and the 07:20 (now the first northbound train of the day) is too late for me. Pity really - I remember being on that train with 40 or 50 others a few months before it was withdrawn.

[LiskeardRich]

I'm under the impression that if you have the photocard, you can also buy certain period seasons from on train staff when using an unmanned station.

That's good to know.

Tomorrow morning, I was planning to start from Chippenham on the 06:25, as the 05:56 from Melksham ran for the last time on 8th December 2006, and the 07:20 (now the first northbound train of the day) is too late for me. Pity really - I remember being on that train with 40 or 50 others a few months before it was withdrawn.

Dont take my point as fact, I'm sure though my friend buys a 7 day ticket from the guard each week from Falmouth - Truro.

[old original]

I'm under the impression that if you have the photocard, you can also buy certain period seasons from on train staff when using an unmanned station.

That's good to know.

Tomorrow morning, I was planning to start from Chippenham on the 06:25, as the 05:56 from Melksham ran for the last time on 8th December 2006, and the 07:20 (now the first northbound train of the day) is too late for me. Pity really - I remember being on that train with 40 or 50 others a few months before it was withdrawn.

Dont take my point as fact, I'm sure though my friend buys a 7 day ticket from the guard each week from Falmouth - Truro.

7 day seasons are available from the guard but longer ones (one month or more) have to be bought from a ticket office

[BerkshireBugsy]

Because the TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) at my local station is frequently out of action I often buy my weekly ticket on the train and have never had a problem with the TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) issuing it. In fact if the ticket gets checked on the last day it is valid they often offer to renew it. I believe someone on here said the TMs get a slight bonus for this but it saves me hassle the following day so I am not complaining!

The only downside of having the ticket issued on board is that the gateline machines can't always read the stripes of the tickets printed on the TMs ticket machines - (Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains)?) but thenkfully on my route they understand this and manually operate the gates.

[IndustryInsider]

I believe someone on here said the TMs^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) get a slight bonus for this but it saves me hassle the following day so I am not complaining!

2% commission.  Nice little earner if you have a few season ticket renewals to add to your normal ticket sales!

[Super Guard]

I believe someone on here said the TMs^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) get a slight bonus for this but it saves me hassle the following day so I am not complaining!

2% commission.  Nice little earner if you have a few season ticket renewals to add to your normal ticket sales!

I think if the new season starts the following day, you can only issue it after 18:00 on train, and 7 day season is the max we are allowed to sell.

[BerkshireBugsy]

I think if the new season starts the following day, you can only issue it after 18:00 on train, and 7 day season is the max we are allowed to sell.

Being a creature of habit, I travel home about 418pm and my (weekly) ticket is renewed before 5pm

[Super Guard]

Fair enough.. maybe it was 12:00.. I know I have tried to do a 7-day before and it was starting the following day and the machine wouldn't allow it due to being too early in the day (and potentially open to fraud on that day).

[BerkshireBugsy]

Fair enough.. maybe it was 12:00.. I know I have tried to do a 7-day before and it was starting the following day and the machine wouldn't allow it due to being too early in the day (and potentially open to fraud on that day).

Well today is they day my ticket is due for renewal so if I am offered the chance I will ask the TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) to see what they the think the earliest it can be done is.

Does anyone know if the Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains) will only allow a purchase of a weekly season for the following day if a certain time of day has been passed?

Thanks

[bobm]

According to this - http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/season_tickets.html - a renewal is possible after 12 noon on the day before - or Friday 12 noon if it expires on a Sunday or Monday.