Mobile phone ticket that needs to be Activated

[The DJ]

Sorry if it seems a dumb question but it is my very first time being lumbered with one of these tickets.
At what point should I click Activate to avoid any issues using the ticket?

 

[AgeoftheTrain7]

Sorry if it seems a dumb question but it is my very first time being lumbered with one of these tickets.
At what point should I click Activate to avoid any issues using the ticket?

If you activate it when you are on the station concourse on the day of travel (or on the platform if it doesn't have barriers), that will be okay for the duration of your journey.
The conductor will need to scan the QR barcode, and the ticket barriers at the other end too.

 

[Hadders]

You must activate the ticket before you board the train.

For future reference tickets that require activating before (known as m-tickets) use are best avoided. E-tickets are best as all you have to do is display the barcode and you can do this on paper or a smartphone. The choice of how you do this is up to you.

 

[alistairlees]

Sorry if it seems a dumb question but it is my very first time being lumbered with one of these tickets.
At what point should I click Activate to avoid any issues using the ticket?

Where did you buy your ticket from, what ticket type is it, and where is the ticket from and to, please?

 

[Wallsendmag]

Sorry if it seems a dumb question but it is my very first time being lumbered with one of these tickets.
At what point should I click Activate to avoid any issues using the ticket?

If you don't want to be “lumbered“ with a mTicket pay more attention to what you are booking.

 

[The DJ]

If you don't want to be lumbered with a mTicket pay more attention to what you are booking.

There is no need to be rude. Consider yourself on my Ignore list for bad manners that you wouldn't dare show in person

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Valid point if somewhat brusquely made.

So how does one know that one is about to buy (inadvertently or otherwise) an m-ticket, and what practicable alternatives can then be sought out ahead of travel if you want to avoid same?

 

[Paul Kelly]

Where did you buy your ticket from, what ticket type is it, and where is the ticket from and to, please?

Is that relevant to answering the OP's question, or are you just asking out of curiosity?!

 

[alistairlees]

Is that relevant to answering the OP's question, or are you just asking out of curiosity?!

It’s relevant. There are many examples on here of customers thinking they have one type of ticket, when they have another; and many more of retailers offering the wrong fulfilment types, or simply inventing their own hybrid ones (like First Group).

 

[Wallsendmag]

There is no need to be rude. Consider yourself on my Ignore list for bad manners that you wouldn't dare show in person

Not rude just stating a fact and yes I would say that to your face.

 

[Nicholas43]

Not rude just stating a fact and yes I would say that to your face.

I think it would be possible to be kinder. Yes, the LNER website makes it clear. Lots of others don't. Some are actively misleading, saying you have to accept an m-ticket when in fact they deliver an e-ticket.

 

[mmh]

Not rude just stating a fact and yes I would say that to your face.

There, surely, speaks someone who works in a non-passenger facing role!

The railway really does seem to inspire loyalty amongst some to a degree rarely seen elsewhere. I've worked for companies I've had massive loyalty to, but never to a point I'd not accept any criticism of.

Reality is that the rail industry appears to want to move towards more modern ticketing methods, but are simultaneously very poor at delivering them to the passenger, which is entirely their fault. Not the passenger's.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Just to be clear we don’t retail mTickets so it’s nothing to do with anyone I work for. Just pointing out that you have to be aware of what you are doing when booking tickets.

 

[Nicholas43]

Under the (about to be temporarily restored) franchising arrangements, it is customer-hostile that every train company plus some independent retailers offer different websites and apps to buy the same tickets, and that many of these offerings are user-hostile and all too often full of outright lies. There aren't 40-odd ways of ordering the same book from Amazon, some of which claim they use a grumpy mule which will eat the book unless you offer it a bag of its favourite hay on arrival.

 

[Haywain]

There aren't 40-odd ways of ordering the same book from Amazon,

No, but there are 40 different websites where you can buy the same book, at various prices and with various delivery costs added and different means of payment available. Many of them have apps as well, and some offer the book in electronic formats. But, of course, buying a book is much simpler.

 

[alistairlees]

No, but there are 40 different websites where you can buy the same book, at various prices and with various delivery costs added and different means of payment available. Many of them have apps as well, and some offer the book in electronic formats. But, of course, buying a book is much simpler.

Shhhh. Or someone will propose that there should be only one website for buying books and other things before long...