Desired Ticket not available to purchase at station operated by LU

[bcarmicle]

Tomorrow, I will be travelling from Kentish Town station, which is operated by LU and only has LU ticket machines, despite also being a NR station. I will be travelling to Weymouth, returning on Sunday. I therefore wish to purchase the £80.70 Off-Peak Return fare.

In my experience, LU ticket machines only offer Single and Day Return fares. Short of travelling to a different station to purchase my ticket, do I have any options given that Kentish Town is also a NR station?

 

[cactustwirly]

Tomorrow, I will be travelling from Kentish Town station, which is operated by LU and only has LU ticket machines, despite also being a NR station. I will be travelling to Weymouth, returning on Sunday. I therefore wish to purchase the £80.70 Off-Peak Return fare.

In my experience, LU ticket machines only offer Single and Day Return fares. Short of travelling to a different station to purchase my ticket, do I have any options given that Kentish Town is also a NR station?

Sure you've gone to the right station? I'm pretty sure that the NR is a separate building managed by Thameslink, and should therefore have Thameslink ticket machines.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Sure you've gone to the right station? I'm pretty sure that the NR is a separate building managed by Thameslink, and should therefore have Thameslink ticket machines.

It's not, the TL and LU platforms share a gateline.

OP, you'll possibly be as best off getting the 214 down to St Pancras and getting the ticket there. NRE says the ticket selling is limited at Kentish Town.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/KTN.aspx

 

[Ianno87]

It's not, the TL and LU platforms share a gateline.

OP, you'll possibly be as best off getting the 214 down to St Pancras and getting the ticket there. NRE says the ticket selling is limited at Kentish Town.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/KTN.aspx

Is pre-booking the ticket online and walking to collecting it on the machines at Kentish Town West Overground station an option?

 

[swt class 450]

You could walk to Kentish Town West (about a ten minute walk) and then use the "tickets from another station" feature on the TVMs there to purchase your Kentish Town to Weymouth ticket and then walk back to Kentish Town (about a ten minute walk) to catch your train.

 

[gray1404]

Personally I do not think this is acceptable. The OP is making a journey on the National Rail Network and is unable to purchase the ticket for the journey they wish to make before travel. In any other situation they would be allowed to board the train on the basis they hadn't had opportunity to purchase and buy at the first available opportunity on board, when changing trains if there is enough time or at their destination. I accept though this will not be an option as I could not see them being allowed through the gateline so at the very least they should be allowed to purchase a ticket to cover some of their journey and exchange this enroute.

Can you get to the nearby London Overground station? If you do this I suggest to book the ticket online so you know you will be able to pick it up - in case the TVM happens not to offer the one ticket you want when you select tickets from another station. Failing that can you catch the bus to St Pancras. It just seems wrong you have to go to all this inconvenience just to make a train journey.

It is wrong they have to pay more due to a combination of lack of telling selling ability at a national rail station combined with a requirement to have a ticket before boarding just because it is under manned (i.e. without a full service TVM or ticket office) by London Underground.

 

[philthetube]

In theory you should be able to board the train and buy at the first opportunity, I would email TL and ask it that is permissible, if you get an affirmative print and carry it, and if you get a no then ask what they expect you to do.