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Omio: 15% cashback but don't want eticket

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Bungaroosh

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With Omio giving 15% cashback on train tickets via Topcashback.co.uk, it'd be rude not to. Even on a Brighton to London Thameslink return, it's giving £2.80 cashback.

Trouble is though, I can't find how to select an option to get it to give a code to pick up the ticket at a machine rather than an eticket*, even though I've bought tickets from that website before where I've been able to do this. I don't want the faff of hunting for a PDF on my phone, or installing yet another app, or having to queue at ticket gatelines (I'm sure neither Brighton nor London Bridge etc. have the means of doing optical scans).

I've gone and bought these Etickets now and I'm travelling today so I'll see what it's like. But I really don't feel happy about travelling without an orange and cream thin bit of card with the details on it that isn't going to run out of batteries. (The Luddite in me also prints off flight boarding cards rather than using a phone).

Many thanks for any tips!

(*as Thameslink seem to write it on their website)
 
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Bungaroosh

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From the Thameslink website:

Etickets
We now have etickets available as a free delivery option on a number of routes.
Etickets are electronic tickets and a great alternative to paper tickets. They are emailed directly to you, so you no longer have to queue to collect your tickets at the station. Just select eticket when choosing your delivery option.
Once your booking with us is complete, your eticket will be sent to you as a PDF in a separate email from your booking confirmation. Download the PDF to view the barcode, this is your eticket. You can then add the eticket to your Apple or Android wallet on your device for easy access. Alternatively, you can print your eticket on an A4 piece of paper. If you have lost your email, you can still access your etickets through your online account.
To travel, just scan your eticket on the barcode reader at the station (where available) or show the eticket to a member of staff. Simple!
https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/tickets/buy-tickets/smart-tickets

Seems that there are optical scanners on a couple of gates at Brighton and it worked without problems. It just scanned it from the PDF on the screen. Still would prefer a paper ticket, but for a 15% discount I'll go for the questionable convenience of an "eticket".

It's a Brighton to London Thameslink ticket, so it ought to work at Farringdon as well
 

Joe Paxton

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...
I've gone and bought these Etickets now and I'm travelling today so I'll see what it's like. But I really don't feel happy about travelling without an orange and cream thin bit of card with the details on it that isn't going to run out of batteries. (The Luddite in me also prints off flight boarding cards rather than using a phone).
...

Like it or not, eTickets seem likely to be the way of the future - fulfilment costs are much lower than TOD, and so retailers will push you towards eTickets if they are an option. Soem retailers already don't offer a choice using some sales platforms (e.g. apps), and those offering generous cashback are going to want to reduce other costs as much as possible.

Proper eTickets are PDFs that can be printed at home or at the office. Paper doesn't run out of batteries - though the temperamental cheapo printer that you haven't used for years that's stuck the back of the cupboard might well have run out of ink or else it's all dried up, you might not have any paper for it and you might even struggle to make it connect with your more modern devices...
 

trevmonk

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I did get an eTicket once from Omio for a Thameslink journey. Every time since though their site tells me I am booking an eTicket but gives me a TOD code to pick up a paper ticket.

The time I did use the eTicket I found the system seemed completely unprepared for this advance in technology. Only one of the two sets of barriers at St Albans had scanners. There were none at all at West Hampstead and London Overground don't seem to have embraced this system yet.

In the end I was using effectively using the eTicket printout as a traditional paper ticket, just with the inconvenience.of it not working the barriers!

With a choice of paper tickets, eTickets, Keygo and now contactless, all with their own foibles it's not surprising that many Thameslink customers have difficulty choosing which to go for.
 

Bungaroosh

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Similar experience for me:

Scanner gates at:
Brighton (entrance) - working
London Bridge (exit) - not working
London Bridge (entrance) - not working
Brighton (exit) - not working

What a faff! Paper ticket please ..
 

gordonthemoron

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Are these the LondonSpezials via Eurostar? Any particular dates / prices you found?

I was looking on 1st February (Saturday), 11:04 via Cologne (ICE) was £657 for 2, but only about £224 for two via Aachen/Dusseldorf (also ICE from Brussels). 15.04 via Cologne, arriving Berlin at 5:36 on the Sunday was £123 for 2
 

MKB

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Be very careful! Omio is sometimes adding on fees AFTER confirming payment, and it's not clear when service fees apply.

I couldn't find any option to buy more than one journey at once.

First booking (STA-LIV Off-Peak Day Single - £23.50):
No service fee.
Card processing fee quoted if paying by Amex but none added when I switched to Mastercard.

Second booking (2 x STA-NUN Off-Peak Day Single with TwoTogether - £10.00):
£0.50 service fee added.
Paying with Amex, screen did NOT quote a card-processing fee.
Pay button was labelled "Pay £10.50".
Pre-authorisation on my Amex app has appeared for £10.50.
However, email confirmation shows a £0.31 card processing fee has been added and £10.81 invoiced.
This is fraudulent if the charge does indeed go through as £10.81.

Nothing tracked yet on TopCashBack.
 

gray1404

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I know Omio do not charge a service fee if you book on the day of travel but they do if you book in advance. If it is possible for a ticket to be delivered as a PDF then they will only offer this option and no others.
 

jsmith300

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Anyone worked out how to force Omio to offer an off peak return rather than just an advance outbound and off peak single on return?
 

jsmith300

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9 May 2010
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Shocked.... card processing fee appeared on confirmation after pressing pay! Needless to say I will be disputing the charge with Amex!

Tickets (1 Adult)
£96.15
Service fee

£1.29
Card Processing Fee
£2.92
Total (taxes included)
£100.36
 

MKB

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Same happened to me - see post 11.

However, the lower amount is what has now appeared on my Amex.

Both my transactions have tracked on TopCashBack at pending, but using the higher invoiced amount rather than what I was charged.

The cashback value has been calculated as 20% of the gross amount including VAT, contrary to what the terms say. I'm fully expecting the cashback to be rejected with no recourse. Let's see if my pessimism is misplaced.
 
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MKB

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How are Omio getting away with credit card surcharges on personal credit cards when trading in the UK? They're supposed to be banned.
 

gray1404

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Are the additional Omio card fees appearing straight away after pressing pay or when getting the email confirmation (normally instant) OR are customers only becoming aware of this fee a couple of days after?

I ask this because I purchased a ticket from them 6 days ago. No additional fees appeared after pressing pay and the amount of the ticket (as far as I am concerned the correct amount) has been debited from my bank account already. Do I need to watch out for them taking an additional fee later on?

I used a visa debit card to pay. From what can gather the reports of an additional fee are both Amex card related?
 

MKB

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They seem to only appear with Amex. And then, not always. In any case, if it's not a corporate credit card, cc surcharges are illegal. I suspect they will claim that being US-based, UK regulations don't apply to them. I'd be interested to know what ATOC make of a third party selling their members' tickets illegally.
 

Joe Paxton

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They seem to only appear with Amex. And then, not always. In any case, if it's not a corporate credit card, cc surcharges are illegal. I suspect they will claim that being US-based, UK regulations don't apply to them. I'd be interested to know what ATOC make of a third party selling their members' tickets illegally.

Omio (aka GoEuro) are based in Berlin. It's corporate registration in Delaware will just be for convenience.
 
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