If the hostile-environment Home Office can cope with online photos I'm sure the TOCs can for railcard/season ticket renewals.
I think they do for railcards.
If the hostile-environment Home Office can cope with online photos I'm sure the TOCs can for railcard/season ticket renewals.
I think they do for railcards.
I mean, it's the same principle as an oyster photocard, isn't it? It would be great if we had a national ITSO photocard system for all bus and train companies, and you could load on season tickets/get discounted age-related tickets without all the faff you have currently.Thus there's a mechanism to print photos on plastic cards.
Wouldn't be a massive stretch to sell season tickets only on ITSO and for you to have to obtain one with a photograph from Railcard's delivery channels in advance of purchasing one.
Less convenient? Sure, but hardly anyone buys a one off season, and you'd only have to do it once.
TBH I don't think it's a particular stretch to look at reform like seasons being only sold online or by telephone by monthly direct debit if you want more than a weekly. Decomplicating the fares system in ways that would be disadvantageous to only a small number of people is key to making the full removal of booking offices workable - if they just close them and change nothing else then it is going to be a faff.
My hairdresser has gone the opposite way, and is now cash only. What would be the benefit for a business like that in not taking card payments?
It's fairly common already, for example Gatwick Airport, Cambridge North, Oxford Parkway, Bond Street, Queenstown Road and Harrow & Wealdstone don't have a ticket office but I'd expect the ticket gates to be in use for nearly all departures.
Certainly in the cases of Gatwick Airport, Oxford Parkway and Cambridge North there's usually someone who can issue tickets available to assist.
Thus there's a mechanism to print photos on plastic cards.
Wouldn't be a massive stretch to sell season tickets only on ITSO and for you to have to obtain one with a photograph from Railcard's delivery channels in advance of purchasing one.
Less convenient? Sure, but hardly anyone buys a one off season, and you'd only have to do it once.
TBH I don't think it's a particular stretch to look at reform like seasons being only sold online or by telephone by monthly direct debit if you want more than a weekly. Decomplicating the fares system in ways that would be disadvantageous to only a small number of people* is key to making the full removal of booking offices workable - if they just close them and change nothing else then it is going to be a faff.
* Such as not sneaking in 5% increases while doing it, yes, you, LNER.
It doesn't help if the required ticket isn't available at a TVM though, such as an Anglia Plus. I'm still not sure what I'm *supposed* to do when turning up at a barriered, penalty fare station, where the ticket office is closed (or non-extant) and the TVM doesn't sell the desired ticket - as I've mentioned on here a few times over the past couple of years. There are various things one can do - don't buy a ticket at all, buy a ticket to your first stop and try to exchange it there, etc. etc. - but there doesn't appear to be an official answer as to the *correct*, guaranteed-not-to-get-you-into-trouble, answer. Things like this need sorting out before we go any further with ticket office closures.
I think that the truth is that the train operators don't want to answer the question. My experiences are similar to yours.It doesn't help if the required ticket isn't available at a TVM though, such as an Anglia Plus. I'm still not sure what I'm *supposed* to do when turning up at a barriered, penalty fare station, where the ticket office is closed (or non-extant) and the TVM doesn't sell the desired ticket - as I've mentioned on here a few times over the past couple of years. There are various things one can do - don't buy a ticket at all, buy a ticket to your first stop and try to exchange it there, etc. etc. - but there doesn't appear to be an official answer as to the *correct*, guaranteed-not-to-get-you-into-trouble, answer. Things like this need sorting out before we go any further with ticket office closures.
There’s no reason to use cash in this day and age.
I think that the truth is that the train operators don't want to answer the question. My experiences are similar to yours.
Seriously? Some people I know claim this, and don't even take their wallet with them when they leave the house, instead relying on ApplePay on their phone for purchases. Good luck with that when your phone runs out of charge, gets accidentally dropped or stolen.
Though unless you stash money/cards in various places around your person, having your wallet stolen would have a similar effect.
Even more convenient for most people if you could just use a photo driving license as ID.
Indeed, although you would be really unlucky to have your phone stolen at the same time. Better to carry both. I also still tip waiting staff with cash so that it goes to the right person if the service was good.
Personally, I won't be giving up cash any time soon.
True but you're always going to give more personal data by buying an e-ticket, than by buying at the station using cash. Name, credit card number and email address are all forms of personal data. The train operators can also use the data they collect to analyse journeys.Plenty of smartphones can be obtained at a modest cost, and it’s your choice how much data you choose to give them.
Locking and unlocking is an interesting one. At certain stations the usual procedure is for the person opening up the station to lock the gate giving direct access to the platform, while the ticket office is open, as well as unlock any waiting rooms. However, in some cases (especially when it's a relief member of staff) that locking and unlocking never happens.Opens the waiting rooms
Seriously? Some people I know claim this, and don't even take their wallet with them when they leave the house, instead relying on ApplePay on their phone for purchases. Good luck with that when your phone runs out of charge, gets accidentally dropped or stolen.
Indeed, the question conveniently doesn't mention that the ability to buy a toastie will be lost.Just like when passengers were asked if they'd like to have drinks brought to their seats and hey presto the buffets where history. And are they any better off now waiting 3 hours for trolley to appear??!!!
In my experience, the people who buy the wrong ticket at MIA have usually done so using the TVM.Manchester Airport has big queues for the ticket office to avoid the machines, so have a staff member at the machines asking what people want and working the machines for people.
There are ticket offices where this is the case. However when RPIs turn up at the platform entrance the takings magically treble that shift.Having worked in a ticket office I can say to you there are times my takings don't cover my wages
I wonder if the Equality Act would see this as indirect discrimination in the UK.Indeed Sweden, having already shut all ticket offices, including that at its Capital City - Stockholm Central is now moving onto the next phase of shutting all ticket machines with people without smartphones having to pay a supplement to have their tickets printed at station shops!!
5) Hold the queue/guard up while scrolling around to find the right email, then open each PDF attachment in turn ("was it Adult 3 or Adult 4 I did last?"), with a dodgy internet connection slowing things down.If you're travelling as a family, do you:
1) Have all the e-tickets on one phone and swipe through each one at a ticket check (I'm not sure what you would do at barriers - all try to get through a wide one?)
2) Email everyone their own ticket (assuming children have their own smartphone)
3) Print out all the tickets (side of A4 each) - if you're buying them at home and you have a printer
or
4) Go to a machine and get a convenient set of bits of card which can all be easily shown together on trains but handed out to individuals when going through barriers?
My wife just renewed her passport and I was surprised she was allowed (encouraged) to take a selfie (with controls) for the photograph requirement.
If the hostile-environment Home Office can cope with online photos I'm sure the TOCs can for railcard/season ticket renewals.
Thomas Cook said:Passport applications are now available online. To use this method you’ll need a credit or debit card, as well as a suitable digital photo. These can be obtained at photo booths that you’ll find at Post Offices, supermarkets and other places. Alternatively, you can use a photo taken using your own camera, as long as it meets the requirements. Prefer to use a paper form? You can still do this for an additional charge, pop into your local Post Office to collect one.
It’s not a claim, it‘s how ‘some people’ lead their lives.
I don’t take a wallet out of the house, mostly because I don’t have a wallet. (and haven’t for years).
And my phone doesn’t run out of charge. I don’t let it.
I wonder if the Equality Act would see this as indirect discrimination in the UK.
Some places (shock, horror) don't take ApplePay.
I assume you never drive as if you ever got asked for your driving licence or identification, is that also on your phone?
I just don't see the benefit of only paying by phone. Some places (shock, horror) don't take ApplePay.
I usually tip a waiter/waitress in cash, sometimes I'll drop some spare cash in a charity box or give some to a homeless person. I would probably avoid somewhere that refused to accept cash, quite honestly.
Good for you.
I assume you never drive as if you ever got asked for your driving licence or identification, is that also on your phone? I just don't see the benefit of only paying by phone. Some places (shock, horror) don't take ApplePay.
I would probably avoid somewhere that refused to accept cash, quite honestly.
If closing ticket offices saves money, what thing related to tixket offices will lead to the most savings?
If I tip I do it when paying by card.
If closing ticket offices saves money, what thing related to tixket offices will lead to the most savings?
Yes, it's a tenner or so extra, and this has been the case for several years. Quite reasonable as paper applications have to be scanned and the staff who do that have to be paid.My passport renewal isn't due to next year but according to Thomas Cook you now pay a premium to renew if you don't want to apply online with a digital photo.
Only a very tiny proportion of places don't take contactless payments, such a small proportion that it's easy to avoid them and buy elsewhere.Some places (shock, horror) don't take ApplePay.
Why?
That's fine, but most likely the tip either goes directly to the business / owner or gets shared out amongst waiting staff so potentially not directly to the person you wanted it to.
Only a very tiny proportion of places don't take contactless payments, such a small proportion that it's easy to avoid them and buy elsewhere.
I like cash. I appreciate that you apparently don't. But why should I be forced to pay by other means because of people like yourself?
You do you, I'll do me and retailers, bars, restaurants should cater for both.
I like cash. I appreciate that you apparently don't. But why should I be forced to pay by other means because of people like yourself?
You do you, I'll do me and retailers, bars, restaurants should cater for both.