SWT Smart smartcards on new SWR franchise

[maniacmartin]

A colleague of mine has a season ticket which was purchased from South West Trains and is a Stagecoach Smart smartcard. The franchise has now switched to First MTR's South Western Railway. The season ticket on the old smartcard still works the ticket gates.

Is there any way to manage the season ticket that is loaded onto the old Stagecoach smartcard? I can't see how this would be done online - all references are now to the new franchise's different smartcard scheme. What happens if he decides to get a season ticket changeover, or if he loses the smartcard and needs a replacement card (with the ticket being cancelled on the old smartcard)? Is this even possible?

The SWR website has no details on this, and I get the impression that a seamless transition for smartcard users at franchise change was not really considered by those in charge. I would be very wary of purchasing a season ticket on smartcards which spans a franchise changeover for this reason.

 

[Wallsendmag]

A colleague of mine has a season ticket which was purchased from South West Trains and is a Stagecoach Smart smartcard. The franchise has now switched to First MTR's South Western Railway. The season ticket on the old smartcard still works the ticket gates.

Is there any way to manage the season ticket that is loaded onto the old Stagecoach smartcard? I can't see how this would be done online - all references are now to the new franchise's different smartcard scheme. What happens if he decides to get a season ticket changeover, or if he loses the smartcard and needs a replacement card (with the ticket being cancelled on the old smartcard)? Is this even possible?

The SWR website has no details on this, and I get the impression that a seamless transition for smartcard users at franchise change was not really considered by those in charge. I would be very wary of purchasing a season ticket on smartcards which spans a franchise changeover for this reason.

Would it need to be updated ? Surely it'll just work .

 

[Hadders]

What if you need a refund, or a changeover, or it needs replacing because it gets lost, stolen or simply stops working.

 

[Clip]

Surely they would've had the database transferred over just like the season ticket database for paper tickets????

Probably best asking SWR isn't it?

 

[[.n]]

I read in something SWR branded (maybe a timetable booklet?) that SWT branded smart cards could still be used, so presumably they have records somewhere that can be accessed if necessary

 

[swt_passenger]

Is this the first TOC to change hands while an ITSO smart card scheme has been in place?

Is there a risk of over-analysis here, presumably if the card is still opening gates it must be on some live back office system?

 

[Mainline421]

Probably best to raise these questions on South Western Railways' official forum. Haven't used mine since Saturday but judging by this thread it would seem that SWT smart will continue to work and that is all still possible but they'd need to call 03456000650. Interestingly in the long term this will mean people with older cards will still be able to use Stagecoach on the same card while those with the new SWR touch won't. Both are ITSO though so it'd be pointless to force everyone to switch just for branding.

 

[Hadders]

There's a difference between 'it still works' and 'can back office functions be completed'. This is why we should have national smartcard scheme rather than a number of operator specific ones.