Smartcards across the GWR network.

[whole diary]

[CMRail]

The barriers at Gloucester have had smartcard readers installed alongside the barcode scanners. Are the smart cards scanners representing that a new ticketing system could be installed or is it for the benefit of the gate staff, as of current they are not on the rear enterance gates that are unstaffed?

Thanks,
Charlie.

[Red Squirrel]

I'd like to know the answer to that. They're in place on the Severn Beach line too; all stations on this line are unstaffed (well, except BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)), so they're not there for the gate staff...

[CMRail]

I'd like to know the answer to that. They're in place on the Severn Beach line too; all stations on this line are unstaffed (well, except BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)), so they're not there for the gate staff...

Severn Beach already has a smart ticketing system in place.

[WelshBluebird]

The initial trial on the Severn Beach line is now over, and while I don't have a card, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) say that any of the existing ones will have stopped working now.
They are planning on rolling it out properly next year though.
https://touch.gwr.com/

[plymothian]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) touch will be in place from the end of this year after a soft not publicised launch. 

Initially it will be only available if travelling between 21 major gated stations plus the Severn Beach line, but during 2019 will be rolled across the network.

To start with only weekly tickets will be available on smart, but will expand to monthly and more than monthly though to annual, and then (hopefully) other products (cough... waiting on TfL^» (Transport for London - about) agreement... cough).

This is a DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) requirement that all TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) must provide a smart option to their customers. 

[Red Squirrel]

The initial trial on the Severn Beach line is now over, and while I don't have a card, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) say that any of the existing ones will have stopped working now.
They are planning on rolling it out properly next year though.
https://touch.gwr.com/

Well that's intriguing - there was me thinking I was a reasonably well-informed, reasonably regular user of the line - and that's the first I've heard of it!

I'd like to know the answer to that. They're in place on the Severn Beach line too; all stations on this line are unstaffed (well, except BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)), so they're not there for the gate staff...

Severn Beach already has a smart ticketing system in place.

If by 'smart ticketing system' you mean up to four staff on a train who often try to sell people tickets, then yes it has...

[TaplowGreen]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) touch will be in place from the end of this year after a soft not publicised launch. 

Initially it will be only available if travelling between 21 major gated stations plus the Severn Beach line, but during 2019 will be rolled across the network.

To start with only weekly tickets will be available on smart, but will expand to monthly and more than monthly though to annual, and then (hopefully) other products (cough... waiting on TfL^» (Transport for London - about) agreement... cough).

This is a DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) requirement that all TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) must provide a smart option to their customers. 

Hope it works like Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) Card, if so it'll be excellent.

[Bmblbzzz]

They call it a "touch card," which implies it is a special card like a "GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)" rather than debiting a normal contactless bank card. But, like Red Squirrel, it's the first I've heard of it. Though come to think of it I have seen machines at the entrances to Severn Beach Line stations, but nothing to explain what they were for.

[paul7575]

I can’t see a long distance TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) scheme ever allowing for Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) style PAYG^▸ (Pay as you go) deducting from a stored balance in exactly the same way as TfL^» (Transport for London - about). 

What would the deduction on entry have to be at Paddington if you might be going to Penzance?

Paul

[stuving]

I can’t see a long distance TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) scheme ever allowing for Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) style PAYG^▸ (Pay as you go) deducting from a stored balance in exactly the same way as TfL^» (Transport for London - about). 

What would the deduction on entry have to be at Paddington if you might be going to Penzance?

Paul

The pilot scheme on the Severn Beach Line, and even the First Bus touch cards it was based on, don't do that - they store tickets, in the case of the bus cards that can be single tickets in 5s or 10s. So presumably that is what the new GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) touch will do. I guess is could also serve as some other kind of smart card(s), such as for other TOCs - is that what DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have been (ineffectually?) pushing for?

[paul7575]

I can’t see a long distance TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) scheme ever allowing for Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) style PAYG^▸ (Pay as you go) deducting from a stored balance in exactly the same way as TfL^» (Transport for London - about). 

What would the deduction on entry have to be at Paddington if you might be going to Penzance?

Paul

The pilot scheme on the Severn Beach Line, and even the First Bus touch cards it was based on, don't do that - they store tickets, in the case of the bus cards that can be single tickets in 5s or 10s. So presumably that is what the new GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) touch will do. I guess is could also serve as some other kind of smart card(s), such as for other TOCs - is that what DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have been (ineffectually?) pushing for?

I think SWT^▸ (South West Trains)’s was only ever seasons and purchased point to point tickets carried on a smart card.  They made a thing of them eventually becoming available within the London area, but I don’t think PAYG as such ever got activated. 

Southern might have some limited PAYG functionality, perhaps their maximum possible fare is considered reasonable?  Oyster PAYG is active to Gatwick but needs an especially large opening balance to get through the Gatwick Express gateline at Victoria.

But other than the London zonal area I don’t think I’ve heard of a TOC smartcard that will work on a neighbouring TOCs routes or readers.

I’ve always thought a smartcard that only allows seasons and purchased point to point fares gives me personally no real advantage over a magstripe ticket.  Seasons probably gain some reliability compared to worn out magstripes.

Lack of break of journey programming still seems to be a regular criticism.

I think despite DfT spin, many people will be disappointed in the national offering...

Paul

[TonyK]

On a number of fronts, it would make perfect sense to have a card which can store tickets bought on the interweb. Those little cardboard ticket probably amount to a reasonably sized pile over a month or two. Then machines have to be loaded with them and other machines emptied. If that is what is coming, then I will have one.

[ray951]

These readers have also appeared at Didcot Parkway. It will be interesting to see how it works with Annual Gold Cards where the ticket is also a railcard, although I guess that is also an issue with the SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) smartcards.

[plymothian]

At the moment there is little chance of a PAYG^▸ (Pay as you go) 'Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)' arrangement on National Rail, not until either a very simplification of fares or a complete rewrite by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) even though the DfT eventually want it.  The current thought is the possibility of "self contained" branch lines having a PAYG scheme.

An analogy of 'touch' is that it is the equivalent of holding a blank CCST ticket; it has no validity until something is encoded on to it.

Passengers will be able to buy tickets at a ticket office, online or from a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) (and eventually on board) and have the option to them loaded on to a smart card instead of a CCST or PRT ticket.  It is only the medium on which the ticket is held that is changing.  The ticket will still carry the same validity as if it were printed on a piece of card; it's just electronic on a piece of plastic instead.

For Gold Card holders, at the moment, you will still need to carry a separate Gold Card Record card as this is an RDG^‡(resolve) requirement.  Likewise, period ticket holders must have a photocard as that is still an RDG requirement.  And until this changes GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are working on compromises.  There currently exists the ability of railcards etc being linked to cards but until the RDG change it's legal requirements, it cannot be done.

GWR is going above and beyond what other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) are doing to meet the requirement for having smart ticketing and they way they are planning on doing it is more passenger friendly.

[t0m]

The question is though....will paper season tickets finally disappear? Having to get it reprinted every couple of months is really irritating..especially since train staff always make out that it is my fault that the ticket has faded!