Purchasing tickets during COVID-19 pandemic

[ValleyLines142]

Not sure if this has been discussed already on here, I can't say I've noticed but an interesting point crossed my mind just now.

What would be the deal with purchasing tickets from TVMs at the moment? We all know that fare evasion is a common problem on our railways, and we've seen many people go to extreme lengths to avoid paying their fare (I love a good nose on the disputes and prosecutions forum!).

I can imagine someone opting not to purchase a ticket from the TVM at their station because they do not want to come into contact with it as it has been touched by many other people. I know some people have even gone to lengths of carrying anti-bacterial wipes in their bags when they go to the supermarkets and use the self-service machines. Conductors on most services now aren't selling tickets on board, so other than mobile tickets how else are passengers expected to pay? The only other option I can think of is mobile tickets. When they arrive at their destination, they could be punished for not buying at the first opportunity. At staffed stations I expect staff are regularly wiping down the machines, but what about smaller stations that are unstaffed and only have a TVM? In my local Tesco the staff are spraying and wiping every self-service screen, packing area and scanning area after every single customer.

It's a difficult call. A genuine passenger may not want to use the TVM for the above reason, but equally may not know that mobile tickets exist. Similarly, a fare evader is more than likely aware of the different methods of purchasing a ticket but may use the 'I don't want to touch an infested TVM' card.

I haven't been on a train since a week last Tuesday (24th), which I believe is probably the longest time I've ever gone without travelling on one (I use the train daily for work and three times a week for uni), so I haven't come across of any instances.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does anyone really not know that m-tickets and e-ticket exist? Really?

Many people choose not to use them in normal circumstances, but this is not a situation where such choices should be considered. If you can use one, you should.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Does anyone really not know that m-tickets and e-ticket exist? Really?

Many people choose not to use them in normal circumstances, but this is not a situation where such choices should be considered. If you can use one, you should.

There are a few. You'd be surprised. The elderly are less likely to know they exist (even though my 82-year-old Nan has got an iPad!).

 

[Deafdoggie]

My mum is 82 and has an iPad. I’d say she probably knows of the existence of e tickets even if she doesn’t know what they are called! However, she would be clueless on how to buy or use one!!
What I think Bletchleyite meant (and I don’t want to put words in his mouth) is “Does anyone not know about e-tickets, who should be out travelling at the moment?”
My mum may not really know about getting e-tickets, but equally she has no need to, she’s holed up at home.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I suspect there is the very niche situation (for how the forum loves these) of non-car-owning, principally older people (outside London, where they'd have a Freedom Pass anyway) for whom the train is their way of getting to the nearest supermarket. But this won't be a common scenario at all, and if they are older they'd be best getting someone with a car to shop for them if they can anyway due to the higher risk.

I suspect people who neither own a PC and printer or a smartphone but are presently travelling by train is a fairly small number of people. But they can use the TVM. My point is that if you can use an m-ticket/e-ticket you should use one, that's all. A dislike of M-tickets (and I share that dislike) is not presently in my book an acceptable excuse. Along similar lines, you might own a car but prefer travel by train to your required destination, but I would say at present it would be antisocial to choose the train (a total swaparound from the normal situation of course!)

 

[317 forever]

I was willing to get an e-ticket for a journey just after Christmas. I thought an email would classify as the e-ticket. I have a laptop but no I-phone. I was therefore shocked to find that I needed to download an app to my phone!

I phoned the TOC and asked if they could change it to a fast ticket. They said I could rebook it as a fast ticket, and if I did so quickly they would refund the original e-ticket.

 

[yorkie]

I was willing to get an e-ticket for a journey just after Christmas. I thought an email would classify as the e-ticket. I have a laptop but no I-phone. I was therefore shocked to find that I needed to download an app to my phone!

I phoned the TOC and asked if they could change it to a fast ticket. They said I could rebook it as a fast ticket, and if I did so quickly they would refund the original e-ticket.

It sounds like you actually bought an m-ticket. I would advise against ever buying m-tickets.

In future I would use a retailer that offers e-tickets. Then no need for an app; the e-ticket is a PDF that can be shown on any device or printed.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I've always liked the old British Rail-style paper tickets with the orange outlining until now. But of course the issue is touching the machine to collect them. At least I've not had to collect any since the beginning of March.

 

[yorkie]

I've always liked the old British Rail-style paper tickets with the orange outlining until now. But of course the issue is touching the machine to collect them. At least I've not had to collect any since the beginning of March.

The chances of getting a virus this way must be absolutely miniscule, but...

Use your little finger and don't use that finger to touch your face until you've washed your hands.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The chances of getting a virus this way must be absolutely miniscule, but...

Use your little finger and don't use that finger to touch your face until you've washed your hands.

Or a knuckle. You touch your face with the palm side of your fingers.

For some reason (I'm not a germophobe, so not that) I often seem to use TVMs with a knuckle anyway. No idea why!

 

[Jimini]

I've been using the machines at Paddington to collect tickets while this has all been going on. Key worker status here, but our company's travel company is fairly old-school so ticket on demand is the only option. To be fair to the NR staff at Paddington, each time I've picked tickets up (on an otherwise empty concourse!) there's been someone loitering in the distance with a bottle of sanitiser and a cloth to clean the machine immediately after I've used it. I also carry my own hand sanitiser of course and use immediately after picking said tickets up.

For info, here's a photo I took of the concourse at Paddington at 6pm last Wednesday. Bonkers!