On board and platform ticket machines Scotrail

[Mingulay]

It seems to be a very regular announcement on Scotrail that no tickets can be sold on the train due to ticketing machine fault . They seem prone to faults or limited battery life. They are slow and can lose signal and need to restart card processing. Is this a common problem in other networks ?

Platform machines. Again tend to be slow and not user friendly especially to those not familiar. Are they a commonly used in the Uk ?

 

[chubs]

Platform machines. Again tend to be slow and not user friendly especially to those not familiar. Are they a commonly used in the Uk ?

Yes. They're no more complicated than many other machines you encounter in day to day life.

 

[Southsider]

Another issue with the platform machines is that they don't do concession tickets.

 

[Starmill]

Anecdotally, Northern's station ticket machies exhibit similar levels of reliability to ScotRail's. This is surprisingly low, given they're all new.

 

[Starmill]

Another issue with the platform machines is that they don't do concession tickets.

It's very common for a ticket machine to be completely unable to dispense a common product required at that station. Merseyrail machines can't do Ticket on Departure. Northern machines in West Yorkshire can't sell the well advertised and popular 'DAYROVER' products. The popular tourist and indeed local Ride Cornwall day ticket wasn't available from the machines at Penzance. Loads and loads of ticket machines can't issue tickets with the Jobcentre Plus Discount. There are some honourable exceptions e.g. London Overground machines.

 

[reb0118]

The prohibition of retailing council concession discounted tickets from TVMs is at the behest of the individual councils concerned as there is currently no physical check at a TVM that the prospective passenger actually holds the discount authority concerned .

This may change when the National Entitlement Card is authorised to store rail tickets.

 

[Mingulay]

Anecdotally, Northern's station ticket machies exhibit similar levels of reliability to ScotRail's. This is surprisingly low, given they're all new.

The machine in Dunblane platform is intermittently off. In the winter the sole station staff can be gritting platforms. So often a queue. It is slow and I think in the cold and wet it can play up. It barely under cover from driving wind and rain

My irritation is more the on board ticket machines are often off. So your forced to stand in a queue in Edinburgh. They seem to have poor levels of serviceability

Scotrail did acknowledge there was teething troubles with them but long since resolved. I think not ??

 

[cf111]

The prohibition of retailing council concession discounted tickets from TVMs is at the behest of the individual councils concerned as there is currently no physical check at a TVM that the prospective passenger actually holds the discount authority concerned .

This may change when the National Entitlement Card is authorised to store rail tickets.

I got myself a new ScotRail smartcard recently and it has "Saltirecard" on the back - is this the same system/idea as the National Entitlement Card?

The station machines are pretty poor, especially the bigger ones at most stations as the screens are rubbish. Never had an issue on-train myself but it's rare that I buy a ticket from a guard/ticket inspector.

 

[Mingulay]

I got myself a new ScotRail smartcard recently and it has "Saltirecard" on the back - is this the same system/idea as the National Entitlement Card?

The station machines are pretty poor, especially the bigger ones at most stations as the screens are rubbish. Never had an issue on-train myself but it's rare that I buy a ticket from a guard/ticket inspector.

Given platform 14 ticket office is manned by up to 4 staff with machines and there is always some queue. Same at Queen street I observe Clearly they know passengers are unable to buy tickets at stations or on trains. So there is some issue of ticketing from machines .

 

[Starmill]

In my experience, it is much more common that the conductor is not selling tickets because they are busy with first their safety critical duties and second with customer assistance and patrolling the train than because their machine is actually faulty. There may also be a very small number of conductors who can't be bothered to sell tickets, even given the oppourtunity to do so, rather than the equipment being to blame. Undoubtedly though, faults or exhausted batteries do occur from time to time.

 

[alangla]

There also (from observation) seems to be an issue doing card transactions in tunnels. I’d previously assumed that all card transactions on these machines were offline, but maybe not. Noticed a TE handing a single ticket to a passenger who’d attempted to pay and it had failed, I assume it was some sort of acknowledgement for the barrier staff that they’d tried to pay. It worked 2nd time so the TE took it back. On the platform machines, the shortcuts to the most common stations are a good idea, just a pity you can’t then select the ticket type. The future purchase option seems hideously complicated though. Best thing about ScotRail machines is that absolutely all of them do ToD and always have.

 

[Mingulay]

In my experience, it is much more common that the conductor is not selling tickets because they are busy with first their safety critical duties and second with customer assistance and patrolling the train than because their machine is actually faulty. There may also be a very small number of conductors who can't be bothered to sell tickets, even given the oppourtunity to do so, rather than the equipment being to blame. Undoubtedly though, faults or exhausted batteries do occur from time to time.

I agree. A busy train standing only they can’t sell Today. The conductor announced his machine was faulty. I have no reason to question that. I would say I hear that about once a week on average on my route. So 1 in 10 journeys.

They are on line so I think they need a signal ? No machine will ever be great I guess but the older ones seemed better if a bit bulky ?

 

[Starmill]

They might need to be online to accept cards but shouldn't do for cash? In the long term I think the plan is they will be able to go online using the train's Internet connection too.

 

[craigybagel]

There also (from observation) seems to be an issue doing card transactions in tunnels. I’d previously assumed that all card transactions on these machines were offline, but maybe not. Noticed a TE handing a single ticket to a passenger who’d attempted to pay and it had failed, I assume it was some sort of acknowledgement for the barrier staff that they’d tried to pay. It worked 2nd time so the TE took it back.

ScotRail uses Star Mobile from Fujitsu for it's inboard ticket selling. For credit card transactions, these are normally done online. If there is no phone signal, they will revert to offline - but if the card is set to not work offline then the sale will not go through.

 

[mark-h]

Can the onboard systems verify smartcard tickets? The times I have used smart tickets the staff look at the card and move on even on services where they have ample time to check tickets.

 

[Chrism20]

Can the onboard systems verify smartcard tickets? The times I have used smart tickets the staff look at the card and move on even on services where they have ample time to check tickets.

I’ve quite a few hold the card to the device and they have checked the screen before returning it, however the vast majority just nod and move on.

 

[Esker-pades]

Can the onboard systems verify smartcard tickets? The times I have used smart tickets the staff look at the card and move on even on services where they have ample time to check tickets.

The guard on my train to Paisley Canal yesterday was able to do so.

 

[380gk]

The guard on my train to Paisley Canal yesterday was able to do so.

From the information I have from those in the know, on board staff (TEs on DOO services like the Canal route and guards on others, but especially TEs seeing as they have no safety duties to otherwise do on train) must scan smart cards unless their machines or company issued mobile phones are not working.

Failure to do so, even for staff travel cards, is increasingly viewed as unacceptable by most in the company.

 

[Macwomble]

Can the onboard systems verify smartcard tickets?

Yes, however I've found that if it's being checked on a rural part of the journey the checking can be a bit difficult. No problems though in, and around, urban areas. Guess it's all down to how strong is the 3G/4G Wifi signal.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Yes, however I've found that if it's being checked on a rural part of the journey the checking can be a bit difficult. No problems though in, and around, urban areas. Guess it's all down to how strong is the 3G/4G Wifi signal.

Strange, the LNER system reads the card without any kind of network connection.

 

[Macwomble]

Strange, the LNER system reads the card without any kind of network connection.

TBH I've no idea how the Scotrail system works...I assumed it was something to do with WiFi......I could be totally wrong.

 

[mark-h]

The Scotrail app can read the details on the card with the wifi and data turned off.

 

[Mingulay]

Sole platform machine out of service again in Dunblane this am. Guards machine on train very slow. He says the cold affects them. Particularly using them in the stations at this time of year. They jam in the cold!?

Where did Abellio Scotrail buy these from? Trotter’s independent Trading company or the rail equivalent of a car boot sale?

 

[Sadsmileyface]

Keep us updated, yeah?

 

[Mingulay]

Keep us updated, yeah?

No bother mate !

 

[Bungle965]

Where did Abellio Scotrail buy these from? T

The machines are Samsung mobile with software by Fujitsu loaded onto it.
Sam

 

[route:oxford]

Sole platform machine out of service again in Dunblane this am. Guards machine on train very slow. He says the cold affects them. Particularly using them in the stations at this time of year. They jam in the cold!?

The screen was very irresponsive on Sunday, and incredibly slow at issuing tickets on both Sunday & Monday.

The first ticket to come out was the return portion for someone who'd already boarded the train on both days. Thankfully I'd asked for a receipt (which I didn't get) so all the necessary portions of my ticket were delivered.

 

[Mingulay]

The screen was very irresponsive on Sunday, and incredibly slow at issuing tickets on both Sunday & Monday.

The first ticket to come out was the return portion for someone who'd already boarded the train on both days. Thankfully I'd asked for a receipt (which I didn't get) so all the necessary portions of my ticket were delivered.

Cold does seem to be a factor. One can only assume who ever ordered them had little appreciation Scotland is a cold place in winter! It could only happen on the railways. Add to that tickets often get rejected at the ticket barriers so they are manned all the time . Great technology!

But hey. Scotrail have 79% customer satisfaction. Aye right!

 

[mde]

Cold does seem to be a factor. One can only assume who ever ordered them had little appreciation Scotland is a cold place in winter! It could only happen on the railways. Add to that tickets often get rejected at the ticket barriers so they are manned all the time . Great technology!

The barriers have to be manned or locked open for safety reasons - this isn’t optional.

In terms of Vending machines some are better than others; however, the same machines used up and down the UK (and in Europe), inside and outside so it’s not likely to be that they cannot withstand inclement weather.

Like any machine though, it could be a case there is an underlying fault that needs some maintenance attention - a common one I’ve found is the touchscreens being less responsive in certain areas of the screen (either a calibration issue or a fault) - if you report it then it should get attended to by the maintenance provider… in theory.

 

[Sirius]

I am shocked it took nine days for the OP to open a further thread to criticise Scotrail.

FWIW the vending machine at my local station appears to be operational. I see a ticket examiner selling tickets on almost every single journey and where I don't it's usually because it's busy.