One of the problem is that the peak restrictions on some tickets are far from simple and clear (and worse the published human-readable restrictions don't always line up with the electronic restrictions).
Indeed, i rather meant when NOT using a planner based system, or when in "simple" mode on a theoretical new design there could be a warning about tickets. In fairness this could be a generic warning when buying anything other than an anytime ticket to say that <ticket type> are only valid at certain times, if you are unsure please see restriction code <code> or select a service to ensure validity.
Providing its clear at every stage whether it's a day return or a period return.
App Web and TVMs are 5 minute headway prior to train departure.
I've seen one in a waiting room at Doncaster. Whilst I was in there I saw another passenger unplug the thing and plug their own charger into the wall socket.
LNER First Class lounges have had them since very early days of this style of charging. I've never used one of theirs, as i understand it they've improved in the last couple of years, the ones i now use at home are very good but i know of early ones that were mediocre. It's possible that other waiting rooms have them. I think it would be an acceptable feature although i think there would be a risk of people blocking TVMs to charge their phone.
I still feel that forcing people to choose a train when all the next n trains will be accepting the same tickets is counter-productive.
Thats the problem though , with Advance available until 5 mins before departure wouldn't you want to know if the train in 20 mins is £50 instead of £95
Agreed, but I (and many regular passengers) also want to be able to go through the process fast hence the several ideas of having a simple / advanced setup.
True but any change to that will undoubtedly increase costs as a cure.
That also applies to many of the comments about the provision of restriction information.
On most TVMs there will be a quick purchase screen listing the most popular tickets, allowing exactly this. Most stations that I have experience of have a reasonably high percentage of ticket buyers going to just one or two places, so they can be catered for very easily except where the trains require reservations.
I think selling advances in that way is probably counter-productive for the railway*. If someone has already rocked up at the station, they have probably already decided to travel, so giving them an unpredictable discount at that point just leaves revenue on the table and delays the queue.
The current machines don't do a good job of telling you that. For example, as mentioned before (and as I'm sure you will know) the common tickets screen on Flowbird machines actually bypasses the journey planner, meaning if your destination appears on the common tickets screen you might well end up paying the £95 even if you actually plan to travel on the £50 train.
There’s a need to sell a wide range (preferably the complete range) but there’s also a need for a simple interface. A two option interface (simple and advanced) for the purchasing side on a TVM seems to be favourable here. There is no reason for any machine to be different if it’s set up properly. Common destinations would of course be tailored accordingly as they are now.
Not sure what you mean by this.
Not all TVMs use that sort of keyboard layout. Ours, at LNER (and I expect Northern, Chiltern and others), use a QWERTY layout.
We do that - if your ticket isn't on the popular tickets screen the next screen is popular destinations.
You do our best to not offer tickets when a cheaper one should be OK, although where afternoon restrictions apply (such as West Yorkshire) it's not so easy. However, having separate sets of popular tickets displayed at different times helps.