Greater Anglia Smartcards

[Stompa]

On the GA website it says:

What ticket types available on a Smart Card?
Season ticket (Weekly, Monthly, Custom Period and Annual) and Travelcard Season tickets.
Flexi Season ticket
Anytime Day tickets
Off-Peak Day tickets
Travelcards

So I figured I should be able to get a GA Smart Card and use it for Off-Peak Day tickets. I asked for one at my local station, but was told that they can only be issued for use with a season ticket. I then discovered that they can be ordered online, and having done so I received an email saying "Once you receive your Smart Card simply: Purchase your Season ticket online".

So my question is, when I receive it does it have to have a season ticket loaded on it before it can subsequently used for other ticket types, or will I be able to use it solely for non-season type tickets?

Thanks

 

[OscarH]

There's certainly nothing about the card that'd force it to have a season on it, it's just a standard ITSO card which has no such restriction.

I suppose its possible GA booking systems implement that limitation, but that seems very unlikely to me, more likely they just haven't updated their staff/the email from when they only supported buying seasons for the smartcard

 

[Wallsendmag]

All depends what GA have enabled for Smartcard fulfilment, personally I've only enabled seasons and one day Travelcards for LNER flows.

 

[Stompa]

Thanks folks. When the card arrives I guess I'll just have to try it and see!

 

[paul1609]

Ive used a Needham Market to Ipswich Off Peak Day Return I purchased at the Needham Market TVM on my GTR key with no issues. Worked the barriers at Ipswich both ways and was checked by the conductor with no comment on the return journey.

 

[sor]

GA seems to work fine in my experience, at least for journeys within their network. I've used my smartcard for Ipswich - Norwich and Ipswich - Cambridge off peak returns with no problems. You can buy through their app (and load it from phone) or do it from a ticket machine. (other apps may be available, of course)

I've never had a season ticket so my card arrived "empty".

 

[Stompa]

Thanks for the additional comments. I see that the option to have the ticket on a Smartcard is only available on some routes. Perhaps it's dependent on both start and destination stations having gatelines that will support Smartcards?

There's a map here:

Smartcard Route Map

Below is our Smart Card route map. Here you can see where you can use your Smart Card on the Greater Anglia network and which stations you can collect your Season Tickets from. New Smart Card route map

www.greateranglia.co.uk

which appears to show the current state of play.

 

[Haywain]

I see that the option to have the ticket on a Smartcard is only available on some routes.

It looks to be available on all routes that are covered by Greater Anglia services, although it's not obvious what's going on with Reedham to Great Yarmouth.

 

[Trainbike46]

It looks to be available on all routes that are covered by Greater Anglia services, although it's not obvious what's going on with Reedham to Great Yarmouth.

There's a number of stations greyed out, including Brundall gardens, for example

 

[Sleepy]

There's a number of stations greyed out, including Brundall gardens, for example

I think the greyed out stations don't have validators on the station to enable loading of season tickets (I don't think there's many season ticket holders between Harling Road and Spooner Row !!), while Reedham to Great Yarmouth is an error as it's normally displayed on GA maps like this to signify limited service.

 

[smsm1]

Back when commuting was a thing, I used both the Greater Anglia and Chiltern smart cards between Ipswich and Cambridge North for day returns. Even bought tickets on one app and used the other to load it on to my smart card at one point.

Originally it was only season tickets that could be on the smart card and then it got expanded, however the wording hasn't been updated to support or highlight the use of the day tickets.