TFW introduces Pay As You Go in South East Wales

[Sterre]

How did you travel Cardiff bay to Taffs well via PAYG when Cardiff bay is closed?

It was a journey I made last week when it was still open.

And you're right, TfW customer service have always been helpful.

 

[Pat Figg]

Is anyone else having problems with tapping in and out, yesterday and today?

I tapped in at Waun-Gron Park last night and when I checked about 10 minutes later it still hadn't registered on the app. I wasn't too concerned about that as I've noticed taps at Waun-Gron Park frequently take a while to show up, for whatever reason. I then had a ticket inspection which was recognised. I tapped off in Aberdare later and that didn't show either.

I've now had a £10 charge for that journey which is very annoying. I can't even see a way of trying to update taps for that, which TfW suggested I attempt.

Tapped on at Aberdare again this morning and tapped off at Danescourt. Neither tap showed on the app. Also had a ticket inspection on that journey and that didn't show either. Last tap is showing as 17:43 yesterday, which was on the train, but I've tapped 4 times since and none have registered.

Been in touch with TfW via WhatsApp and they've said there are no known issues. Can't just be me can it?!!

 

[ThisIsSurbiton]

It may not be trivial to add a railcard checking function to such devices.

And indeed there are plenty of things on the railway that I would have thought wouldn't be a big deal but appears to be.

There are! I don't know about GTR, but SWR's ITSO PAYG gives Railcard discounts and these are handled entirely in the back office. The card doesn't know. Perhaps the inspection app can look it up but I've never been asked to show my Railcard when checked. You could argue that it's easier to check the name against a card with a completely in-house system, but I can't think of any other reason it's easier to do it with ITSO than contactless and it's a one-off verification. Dragging out the not giving a discount phase feels more likely to me I have to say

 

[Haywain]

I don't know about GTR, but SWR's ITSO PAYG gives Railcard discounts and these are handled entirely in the back office. The card doesn't know.

I have had my KeyGo checked while travelling and been asked for my railcard as a result, so there must be something on the card.

 

[ThisIsSurbiton]

I have had my KeyGo checked while travelling and been asked for my railcard as a result, so there must be something on the card.

With SWR, I got the card, and then later added the Railcard through the web site. There was no opportunity to update the card. Perhaps the checking app knows all registered Railcards? Because they can't have all that many. Much less than a million I'd have thought.

 

[plugwash]

With SWR, I got the card, and then later added the Railcard through the web site. There was no opportunity to update the card.

I don't know GTR's specific setup, but in general it's certainly possible to validators/gatelines to push information to cards.

 

[CJ_LikesTrains]

How is the fare calculated when you final journey machine is not working .

just check now that Fernhill and Bridgend machine ate not working.

Electrics for the entire Fernhill station have been gone since November so there's not even a working departure board. Good thing only one route goes through or it would be absolute chaos.
When the machines aren't working you can apparently fill in the missing tap in the TfW app but only a couple times a month so as another person has said the guards have seemingly been told to just allow people to tap in at the first opportunity and out at the last (which would be MTA and CMH depending on direction). No clue when they plan on fixing it but I doubt it'll be anytime soon

 

[chrisjo]

Just an observation. On the Alicante metro system, they have tap-and-go pads on the trains themselves, as well as at stations.