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Hypothetical - buying a ticket for someone to join you on the train

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trainophile

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What would be the official position if I buy a ticket for a friend, who intends to meet me on the train further down the line from where I commenced my journey?

They would be boarding at an unbarriered station, but in the unlikely event of an RPI blockade at the platform entry, would my friend be allowed to board the train anyway, on the basis that their ticket was in the possession of a passenger already on it?
 
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najaB

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They would be boarding at an unbarriered station, but in the unlikely event of an RPI blockade at the platform entry, would my friend be allowed to board the train anyway, on the basis that their ticket was in the possession of a passenger already on it?
On a purely theoretical basis, no. You are required to be in possession of the ticket in order to board the train.
 

najaB

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Oh, okay then. Have to work out a Plan B. (It wasn't totally hypothetical, just thinking around the options.)
From a practical point of view, get them to buy the cheapest ticket that would allow travel from their station.
 

trainophile

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From a practical point of view, get them to buy the cheapest ticket that would allow travel from their station.

Yeah, thanks. It's not the money thing, it's that the plan is my idea so I feel I should fund it, and I'm not seeing my "friend" (actually my sister :lol: ) until the relevant day. No worries, if she agrees she will buy her own ticket, even if I give her the money back!

I was just curious as to the general principle of this potential situation.
 

najaB

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I was just curious as to the general principle of this potential situation.
If she explains the situation to the ticket line staff they may well let your sister onto the platform to meet your train. There's no guarantee of it though.
 

trainophile

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Buy a ticket online and get it posted to her?

That would be one idea. I'm still waiting for her to let me know if the idea is a goer actually.

Had to reply to your post having noticed your location, as I spent several hours in Grimsby on Tuesday, and just wanted to say what a great place it is. Lovely shopping centre, very handy for the station :D .

Anyway thanks everyone, better keep to topic if anyone else reads this :oops: .
 

DeeGee

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Had to reply to your post having noticed your location, as I spent several hours in Grimsby on Tuesday, and just wanted to say what a great place it is. Lovely shopping centre, very handy for the station :D .

Thank you. I like it here, so it makes me happy to read that.
 

Paul Kelly

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On a purely theoretical basis, no. You are required to be in possession of the ticket in order to board the train.
Surely all that requires is for the passenger already on the train to come to the door and hand out the ticket so that the "new" passenger has it in their possession as they step onto the train? I don't think there's any issue here. Any platform staff would just have to accept the passenger's story - if they thought there was an issue they could have a word with the guard to make sure they passenger was checked on the train.
 

OwlMan

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Surely all that requires is for the passenger already on the train to come to the door and hand out the ticket so that the "new" passenger has it in their possession as they step onto the train? I don't think there's any issue here. Any platform staff would just have to accept the passenger's story - if they thought there was an issue they could have a word with the guard to make sure they passenger was checked on the train.

As long as the station is not a compulsary ticket area.
 

CheesyChips

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If the platform was a compulsory ticket area, a literal reading of the byelaws means the OP's sister would be in breach wouldn't it?

Just out of interest and I don't know if I have the context right but byelaw 22(1) states that: "No person shall buy a ticket on behalf of another intending to enable another person to travel without having paid the correct fare"

Is that relevant here?
 

najaB

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Surely all that requires is for the passenger already on the train to come to the door and hand out the ticket so that the "new" passenger has it in their possession as they step onto the train?
Yes, but that requires (a) the passengers to be able to find each other in the time the train is stopped at the station (which, from experience, can be harder than it seems); and (b) the revenue-check staff to allow the boarding passenger onto the platform. Again, from experience, they generally will but wouldn't be overstepping their authority to insist that the sister has a ticket before letting her past. There's no right of access to the platform.
 

robbeech

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Whilst more reliable options would be her buying her own even if you pay her back, or posting (if there's time) or paying by PayPal so she can collect using any card if the station has a machine, if you do find that the only option is as you ask then I would just communicate with the necessary people where you can.
Tell the train crew what your intentions are, show both tickets for reference, then when you get to your sisters station meet her at a preselected door of the train (maybe the one most likely to have a member of crew at it) then you can hand the ticket over allowing them to see things have gone as planned for clarity.
 

Tetchytyke

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Strictly speaking, they have to be in possession of a ticket before boarding the train. If there is an RPI block on the platform, they would be well within their rights to deny her access to the platform, although in reality an explanation would often see them allow access to the platform. There are very few compulsory ticket areas around but, in the event it is one, barrier staff allowing access to the platform is enough to prevent any breaking of Byelaws.

The safe option in this situation is to get off the train, meet your friend and then catch the next train (assuming you're not using an advance ticket). How practicable this is will depend on how frequent the trains are. In reality you'd probably be OK, but if you are doing this just have all your things together and be ready to get off in case your friend is denied access to the platform or train.
 

DeeGee

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paying by PayPal so she can collect using any card if the station has a machine

Interesting proposal. Just out of interest, Which booking engine would I need to use to pay by PayPal? I sometimes have more money in that account that in my bank one.
 

najaB

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Interesting proposal. Just out of interest, Which booking engine would I need to use to pay by PayPal?
They are evil, but The TrainLine allow payment by PayPal. I don't know of any others - TPE?
 

Hadders

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A better way than using Paypal would be to purchase an evoucher on a webtis site for the exact amount of the ticket. Use this to purchase the ticket and the ticket can then be collected from a TVM with any card. No transaction fees either.
 

robbeech

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Yes I was thinking of the dreaded trainline. But I was unsure if others allowed it too.
Generally speaking you can often call the TOC in question and get the order 'opened' so you can use any card but I wouldn't rely on it until you speak to them.

Rob
 

kieron

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Could trainophile call telesales and ask to buy a ticket to collect from a TVM with any card? I don't know if they can do this, but at least they'll say if they can't.
 

pemma

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I've heard of businesses wanting to do this before. The manager wants to buy Advance tickets using company credit card but colleague will join train at a later station but they can't buy them too far in advance in case the meeting gets rescheduled.
 
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