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Swiss conductors issuing tickets using smartphones

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radamfi

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Last week I noticed SBB conductors checking tickets using a Samsung smartphone. They use the camera to scan barcodes. Even more cunning, they carry a little printer around their waist like a traditional school satchel so to issue a ticket they use the phone and the ticket comes out through the printer.

Is this technology used by all train companies in Switzerland?

Do train companies in other countries issue tickets in this way?
 
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transportphoto

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It will be soon that TOCs here will start doing such, see the thread regarding Avantix Replacement.
 

Gordon

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Last week I noticed SBB conductors checking tickets using a Samsung smartphone. They use the camera to scan barcodes. Even more cunning, they carry a little printer around their waist like a traditional school satchel so to issue a ticket they use the phone and the ticket comes out through the printer.
Is this technology used by all train companies in Switzerland?

For some time SBB and other railways (e.g. MGB, RhB) have been checking my Swiss half fare card by scanning. Trouble is the technology sometimes fails. last August I wasted otherwise valuable gricing time at Andermatt 'rebooting' my card as a reader on the previous train had failed to work. But after much to-ing and fro-ing including phone calls (not high tech...) and discussions between office staff it turned out my card was perfectly OK, it was the grippers machined that was u/s...


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radamfi

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For some time SBB and other railways (e.g. MGB, RhB) have been checking my Swiss half fare card by scanning. Trouble is the technology sometimes fails. last August I wasted otherwise valuable gricing time at Andermatt 'rebooting' my card as a reader on the previous train had failed to work. But after much to-ing and fro-ing including phone calls (not high tech...) and discussions between office staff it turned out my card was perfectly OK, it was the grippers machined that was u/s...

Was that a one month or one year Half Fare Card? Can you get a one year Half Fare Card if you live in the UK?
 

axlecounter

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The website only allows you to enter addresses in neighbouring countries. How do you get it to post to the UK?

That's another story. I'm not sure if you actually can do that. I was referring only to the fact that you can buy an half fare card regardless of where you live. Others better informed will maybe have an answer.
 

Gordon

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Can you get a one year Half Fare Card if you live in the UK?

Yes. I have had the 'long term' Swiss half fare card for 10 years now. I used to buy the three year version but the system has changed since then, but no I don't mean the monthly 'tourist' version, I mean the 'one year' type. If mine has run out I normally re-buy on arrival in Switzerland.

Despite being UK residents, my wife renewed hers at Buchs SG station in 2014 and we were actually travelling by car on that day's excursion!



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radamfi

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Yes. I have had the 'long term' Swiss half fare card for 10 years now. I used to buy the three year version but the system has changed since then, but no I don't mean the monthly 'tourist' version, I mean the 'one year' type. If mine has run out I normally re-buy on arrival in Switzerland.

Despite being UK residents, my wife renewed hers at Buchs SG station in 2014 and we were actually travelling by car on that day's excursion!

So do they print it there and then at the ticket office? I thought they had to post it out.
 

Gordon

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So do they print it there and then at the ticket office? I thought they had to post it out.

If you buy in Switzerland, they issue you with a temporary paper ticket (which nowadays has a QR code for grippers to scan) with a date limit and post the card on.




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dutchflyer

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But that wont last for long anymore-they will all be placed on the SWISSPass Smartcard (Oyster etc lookalike), the GA (GeneralABO) already is only available as such.
I do not have a schedule of when they intend to changeover these other types of RabattKarten/cartes des reduction.
 
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