why do you buy online?

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

Yup, count me in on that too....

[thetrout]

As far as I'm aware, despite which station you enter in to collect your tickets from, it doesn't appear to mean anything obvious.

I did a booking on East Coast's website and selected to collect at Bristol Temple Meads; which would have been an FGW^▸ (First Great Western) TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine). However I had absolutely no trouble in collecting these tickets from a Virgin Trains TVM at Liverpool Lime Street. The same has also worked for me when book to collect at Bath Spa (again FGW) but collected from Chalkwell instead (c2c)

I normally book my London bound tickets on Southern, so when I next book online i'll post back and let you all know

[ChrisB]

As far as I'm aware, despite which station you enter in to collect your tickets from, it doesn't appear to mean anything obvious.

I did a booking on East Coast's website and selected to collect at Bristol Temple Meads; which would have been an FGW^▸ (First Great Western) TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine). However I had absolutely no trouble in collecting these tickets from a Virgin Trains TVM at Liverpool Lime Street. The same has also worked for me when book to collect at Bath Spa (again FGW) but collected from Chalkwell instead (c2c)

I thought it was well known now that you can collect from any TVM that is linked to the database (i.e. appears ibn the list of statuions offered when purxchasing online) - regardless of the one you specify....

Indeeed, some TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) don't make you wait the 2 hours either - Chiltern & EAst Coast (the latter if travelling within that period)

[paul7575]

According to SWT^▸ (South West Trains) in their recent webchat, the contractor who runs the national TOD system (ATOS Origin I found by Googling) will only guarantee collection being available after 2 hours, therefore that is what SWT advertise, however SWT agreed that tickets will usually be available earlier.

I suppose all they are doing is being safe with their advertising, people would soon have a go if they advertised an instant service and then they weren't available at some Cumbrian outpost during the middle of the night planned system down time for maintenance...

Paul 

 

[ChrisB]

It's actually to do with anti-fraud measures - ensuring that the banks pay up rather than block payment after tickets have been dispensed.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

to be honest the reason that i am asking this is off the back of a report to be published soon in a rail mag (not yet available and not sure which one) which recommends when buying online to ONLY use the toc's sites the only third party one is red spotted!

[ChrisB]

Makes sense, simply because each TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) Has a habit of offering a dioscount, but only on their own fares from their own website.

Keeping the commission, basically.

[Surrey 455]

Also I noticed that the last time I used Southerns website, it would not allow me to collect my ticket at a station managed by another operator

When I last tried to buy a ticket from Southern as mentioned above, it was during a special fares promotion this summer with discounted fares on Southern routes only available on their own website so that is possibly why I could not collect from another station

[Brucey]

When I last tried to buy a ticket from Southern as mentioned above, it was during a special fares promotion this summer with discounted fares on Southern routes only available on their own website so that is possibly why I could not collect from another station

Promotions bought from the Southern main site (i.e. not the Mixing Deck) can only be collected from Southern stations or posted.  I'm told this is because the other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) machines cannot issue rovers.

On the subject of Southern's website, I'm very impressed with their feature to amend advance tickets online.  On selecting Amend, you are taken to The Mixing Deck to choose a new ticket.  After payment, an excess ticket is posted out.  No need to make any phone calls or send any emails.  All very easy and only ^2 admin fee on SN only tickets.

[Phil]

I buy online principally for two reasons. Firstly, as I'm sure I don't need to mention, my local station of Melksham is unstaffed, and hasn't even got a b***** ticket machine.

Secondly, and I know from chatting to colleagues that I'm not alone in this, quite frankly I trust my own efforts on t'internet to get myself the cheapest ticket for any particular journey far more than than I trust a "customer journey enhancement operative" (or whatever ticket office staff are called this week).

Rightly or wrongly I have gained an impression over the past couple of years that their primary aim is no longer to actually assist me but rather to generate maximum revenue for the company they work for. Quite frankly I'd trust them to find me the cheapest and fairest option about as much as I'd trust a BT salesman for find me the best broadband bundle. Which is pretty much zilch, really. 

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

I'm sorry that you feel that way phil, but our role is to get you to your destination as cheaply as possible while also keeping you within the rules, we have to be impartial and if another operators route is cheaper it should be offered,while i do not work for fgw myself all toc's HAVE to follow the atoc rules, if you believe that at any point the best option has not been offered to you at a station when it is available you should contact the relevant toc and let them know (an inconvenience i know, but if they don't know its happening.........)

[lordgoata]

... about as much as I'd trust a BT salesman for find me the best broadband bundle. Which is pretty much zilch, really.

LOL^▸ (laughing out loud) Had one the other day ring me offering me a deal, I said no thank you, he asked if I already had BB, I said yes thank you, he said how much do I pay, so I told him, he said he could definitely beat the price, I said no thank you, he asked why, I said I used to be with BT and they were diabolical. He assured me they had changed significantly since then (never actually asked when I was with them), so I said no thank you again. He was most perplexed.

Mind you, EON were the same - promised me they could save me money, I said no thanks, and they couldn't understand why.

One day they might get a clue, its not always the money, its also the service (and after service) that matters too!

Anyway, sorry for the off topic, but that did make me chuckle!

[JayMac]

Had calls from both BT and E.ON sales recently.

BT had apparently never heard of my landline supplier - Primus and E.ON had never heard of my gas & electric supplier - EBICo. Both quickly gave up when they realised they couldn't and wouldn't beat the prices I'm currently paying.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShrbtJ3YB0Y

[bobm]

Had calls from both BT and E.ON sales recently.

BT had apparently never heard of my landline supplier - Primus and E.ON had never heard of my gas & electric supplier - EBICo. Both quickly gave up when they realised they couldn't and wouldn't beat the prices I'm currently paying.

Trick with those calls is - if from BT tell them you work for Virgin/Sky etc or E.On - Npower or SSE^‡(resolve) - they havent got a script for that !!