Reading Station Ticket Validators.

[stuntbutt]

When will Reading get ticket validators on the concourse. Currently one needs to exit the station and come back in if changing from TFL to GWR services?

 

[JonathanH]

When will Reading get ticket validators on the concourse. Currently one needs to exit the station and come back in if changing from TFL to GWR services?

It most likely won't. Making passengers exit the station has advantages from a revenue protection perspective. There are not really many stations where such validators are fitted with the gated area, aside from the ones left over from when Oyster wasn't valid on NR services when first introduced.

 

[redreni]

It most likely won't. Making passengers exit the station has advantages from a revenue protection perspective. There are not really many stations where such validators are fitted with the gated area, aside from the ones left over from when Oyster wasn't valid on NR services when first introduced.

Validators have recently been installed at Abbey Wood, one of the other EL termini.

I can see why Reading might have less demand for them, though. If you're coming from outside the contactless area and your destination is one of the EL stations on the Great Western mainline, presumably you'll just buy a ticket to your destination. No need to switch to contactless. If your destination is a London Underground station, most people will change at Paddington rather than Reading and Ealing Broadway.

If you want to change at Reading and Ealing Broadway, you can of course buy a ticket to Ealing Broadway and switch to contactless there. Or just buy a ticket to the relevant London Underground zone(s). Or buy a Travelcard.

 

[embers25]

It's a pain when coming from Slough and having to tap out and then come back in again with your next ticket as the barriers aren't exactly a short walk away from some platforms.

 

[Tw99]

Using contactless from London to Reading to return in the peak period has some advantages, so having a way to touch out from contactless without going to the gateline before continuing one's journey would be very useful.

Since this is helpful to passengers but less good for GWR revenue, my prediction is it's not happening...

 

[JonathanH]

Using contactless from London to Reading to return in the peak period has some advantages, so having a way to touch out from contactless without going to the gateline before continuing one's journey would be very useful.

Since this is helpful to passengers but less good for GWR revenue, my prediction is it's not happening...

Ultimately Reading is a Network Rail station, and there really isn't any reason to fit validators in a location that would be easier to access than the existing ticket gates.

 

[stuntbutt]

Validators have recently been installed at Abbey Wood, one of the other EL termini.

I can see why Reading might have less demand for them, though. If you're coming from outside the contactless area and your destination is one of the EL stations on the Great Western mainline, presumably you'll just buy a ticket to your destination. No need to switch to contactless. If your destination is a London Underground station, most people will change at Paddington rather than Reading and Ealing Broadway.

If you want to change at Reading and Ealing Broadway, you can of course buy a ticket to Ealing Broadway and switch to contactless there. Or just buy a ticket to the relevant London Underground zone(s). Or buy a Travelcard.

GWR no longer stop at Ealing, so coming back to stations past Reading requires the Elizabeth Line and then GWR. Would be handy to swipe out at Reading before boarding a stopping train locally.

Ultimately Reading is a Network Rail station, and there really isn't any reason to fit validators in a location that would be easier to access than the existing ticket gates.

You’re missing the point. The railway should be run for passengers, not TOCs or NR.

 

[mangyiscute]

GWR no longer stop at Ealing, so coming back to stations past Reading requires the Elizabeth Line and then GWR. Would be handy to swipe out at Reading before boarding a stopping train locally.

But the question is why can't you just buy a through ticket for the entire journey starting at Ealing and finishing wherever your destination is. Now the answer is most likely cause splitting is cheaper, which is fair, but network rail/TfL have no reason to provide validators just to make splitting easier.

I'll also add that since reading is the end of the line, you can just not tap out and get a maximum fare and it'll be the same as what you would've been charged anyway, but if you do this a lot it could be seen as suspicious - perhaps if trying to make a tight connection, take a maximum fare bit otherwise tap out and come back in again.

 

[stuntbutt]

But the question is why can't you just buy a through ticket for the entire journey starting at Ealing and finishing wherever your destination is. Now the answer is most likely cause splitting is cheaper, which is fair, but network rail/TfL have no reason to provide validators just to make splitting easier.

I'll also add that since reading is the end of the line, you can just not tap out and get a maximum fare and it'll be the same as what you would've been charged anyway, but if you do this a lot it could be seen as suspicious - perhaps if trying to make a tight connection, take a maximum fare bit otherwise tap out and come back in again.

For example one might be in the west end, say Bond St. No through tickets on GWR app are available from there, so one must swipe in with contactless. Upon reaching Reading, one has to swipe out before jumping on a local stopper. TFL readers don’t accept GWR bar codes anyway, so not convenient going into town either.

 

[Mark J]

You’re missing the point. The railway should be run for passenger, not TOCs or NR.

Don't be silly! Whenever has that been the case?

GWR no longer stop at Ealing, so coming back to stations past Reading requires the Elizabeth Line and then GWR. Would be handy to swipe out at Reading before boarding a stopping train locally.

I didn't know that! Since when has this been the case?

 

[mangyiscute]

For example one might be in the west end, say Bond St. No through tickets on GWR app are available from there, so one must swipe in with contactless. Upon reaching Reading, one has to swipe out before jumping on a local stopper. TFL readers don’t accept GWR bar codes anyway, so not convenient going into town either.

But it makes a lot more sense to change at Paddington, as that will make your journey 30 minutes faster - so at Paddington, you buy a normal rail ticket to your destination - while this is not ideal, this is how the system is intended to be used.

 

[redreni]

For example one might be in the west end, say Bond St. No through tickets on GWR app are available from there, so one must swipe in with contactless. Upon reaching Reading, one has to swipe out before jumping on a local stopper. TFL readers don’t accept GWR bar codes anyway, so not convenient going into town either.

But taking the EL to Reading takes far, far longer than changing at Paddington. So you could use contactless from Bond St to Paddington then a paper or e-ticket to wherever you're going.

Unless this is about avoiding evening peak restrictions on a weekday? In which case I can see it but I'm afraid avoiding peak restrictions comes with a degree of inconvenience. Exiting and re-entering at Reading adds a lot less to a journey time than using EL rather than GWR to get to Reading.

 

[stuntbutt]

Don't be silly! Whenever has that been the case?


I didn't know that! Since when has this been the case?

Since May 2023