Does it matter where I buy my Season Ticket?

[dz629]

Hi,

My season ticket on High Speed 1 line between Gravesend and London Terminals is due for renewal. I take the the high speed train from Gravesend and change at Stratford for Liverpool Street. I can buy my season ticket at Gravesend, Startford or Liverpool Street. Does it matter where I buy it?

Many thanks

 

[transportphoto]

You can buy it from absolutely anywhere - any ticket office across the NR Network.

 

[Flamingo]

Remember that things like replacing the season ticket if lost or stolen must be done at the office where it was bought, so don't buy it from a random station you would have trouble getting back to.

 

[wintonian]

And I think gold cards are only available from stations within the network card area (south east), though you should be able to get an annual season from outside, it wouldn't come with the gold card benefits.

 

[Fred26]

Remember that things like replacing the season ticket if lost or stolen must be done at the office where it was bought, so don't buy it from a random station you would have trouble getting back to.

Not necessarily same station, but same TOC, yes. It's to do with records of said ticket. I always told people that 'I can sell you a season ticket from anywhere to anywhere, but you'll have to come back to 'one' if you have any problems with it'.
Ask at the ticket office for more specific information.

 

[barrykas]

Not necessarily same station, but same TOC, yes. It's to do with records of said ticket. I always told people that 'I can sell you a season ticket from anywhere to anywhere, but you'll have to come back to 'one' if you have any problems with it'.

Even that depends on the Ticket Office, though I believe most (all?) use some form of TOC-wide database these days, which may be built into their Ticket Issuing System or standalone.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[Fred26]

Oh right. That's good then.

Should definitely ask at the station to make sure though.

 

[Flamingo]

I was going by this

Damaged or defective Season Tickets

If your Season Ticket is damaged, illegible or defective, for example it will no longer work in ticket gates, it will be replaced at the office from which it was issued provided the Train Company which sold it can confirm the ticket is still valid.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/season_tickets/season_ticket_conditions.html

 

[Greenback]

Even that depends on the Ticket Office, though I believe most (all?) use some form of TOC-wide database these days, which may be built into their Ticket Issuing System or standalone.

Cheers,

Barry

I bought mine at the Llanelli, and I have to go there to get a replacement. Swansea will not do anything due to the card records being held in Llanelli. Looks like ATW don't have a network wide database!

 

[me123]

With Scotrail, I've always bought season tickets from Blairhill at either Coatbridge Sunnyside or Airdrie (because Blairhill's ticket office is little more than a glamorised portakabin, and it's often hard to communicate exactly what you want there). Anyway, I was always told at both stations that I had to go to them if there were any problems. So, if I bought it at Airdrie I had to go back to Airdrie. It may be that other TOCs have a system whereby you can go to any of its ticket offices if there's a problem, but Scotrail (and, by the looks of things, many others) require you to go to the specific station.

Given what Flamingo posted above, I'd assume that you may need to go back there if required. As a result, buying the ticket in Glasgow (to use an extreme example in your case) would just be stupid.

 

[dz629]

I now renewed my season ticket at London Liverpool Street station. It is near the office if I have a problem with my ticket and they seem to know more compared to staff at Gravesend or Stratford International. It is probably due to the fact that more passenger pass through Liverpool Street and they deal with more people hence more experience.

Many thanks for the replies and comments.

 

[chuckles1066]

I was going by this


http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/season_tickets/season_ticket_conditions.html

Indeed.

I bought mine online, got stung by a £5 Special Delivery delivery fee (I assumed I could just go and collect from Bristol Parkway but, hey ho, won't get stung again) and when the ticket stopped working on the second day (count 'em) I tried to exchange it at Bath Spa.

The guy scratched his head and said "I can't find any details for you, where did you buy it?". When I told him, he told me he couldn't help.

 

[radamfi]

Perhaps it might be prudent to consider if you would be eligible for compensation in the event of service disruption if you bought your ticket in a particular location. (See thread on Southern/TfL refusal to offer compensation for snow disruption because ticket bought on Oyster).

 

[barrykas]

I bought mine online, got stung by a £5 Special Delivery delivery fee (I assumed I could just go and collect from Bristol Parkway but, hey ho, won't get stung again) and when the ticket stopped working on the second day (count 'em) I tried to exchange it at Bath Spa.

The guy scratched his head and said "I can't find any details for you, where did you buy it?". When I told him, he told me he couldn't help.

Then he needs re-educating in the ways of Encode Exchanges. Having said that, The Manual contradicts itself on that point! (No surprise there)

Tickets are replaced free of charge if they are damaged or will not operate station gates

Replacements are issued at the ticket office from which it was bought using appropriate ‘Replacement’ ticket stock

All tickets issued by Transport for London may only be replaced at their respective stations and offices

*snip*

If a replacement is issued for a ticket issued at another station, it follows that their records also need amending. Complete the form ‘’Advice of Replacement of Damaged/Encoding Failed Season Tickets” RSP 25805/31 (or the equivalent Train Company document).

Good innit? I tend to work on the principle that as long as I can still read the printed details, I'll replace it. Bring me a ticket that's completely faded and the magstripe's dead, and you're not on our system, and you're out of luck.

Cheers,

Barry