xotGD
Established Member
- Joined
- 4 Feb 2017
- Messages
- 6,088
You missed out the final question: Do you want a receipt?The issues I've experienced or witnessed other people experience is generally the user interface being unclear, confusing, complicated and long winded. There are also problems with the touch screen being unresponsive and the help button not doing anything. I've also seen a machine refuse to issue prebooked tickets as the card inserted doesn't match the one on the booking - unhelpful when an employer has booked the ticket.
So the buying a ticket process. Keep in mind that a station TVM is generally used for immediate travel.
1 - there is a list of "popular products" to choose from. In the case of the machine at Dore & Totley, a single to Sheffield is listed but a return isn't. I've seen new rail users buy a single then pay the difference to a return on the train as they thought you couldn't get a return from the machine.
2 - you have to press "other tickets"
3 - you then get a list of popular destinations. You have to press "other destinations" to get to the a-z search function.
4 - It gives you a form to fill in on the left of the screen, however the actual buttons are on the right hand side of the screen. Its a big screen and you don't always spot that the first time you use it.
5 - having selected the destination, it asks you if you want to travel now, later or another day
6 - it then makes you do a journey planner enquiry, although it will not quote any train due to depart in less than 5 minutes time. Therefore if you try and buy a ticket at 0820 for an 0824 departure it will not allow you to.
7 - it then asks if you want to return the same day or within a month.
8 - if you select "within a month" and only day return tickets exist, the vending process simply fails
9 - it then makes you do a return journey plan, even if you are buying an open ticket and don't know what time you will return
10 - it then offers you the choice of tickets
11- you are then asks if you want to make a seat reservation, even if the facility doesn't exist.
12 - it finally allows you to put the ticket in a shopping basket
13 - you can then pay for the contents of the shopping basket.
No, but after that experience I could do with the number for The Samaritans!