Ticket office open but advance tickets not available

[tannedfrog]

I kind of thought that if a ticket office was open, it is possible to buy a full range of tickets

But I tried to buy a ticket in the evening for a journey the following week but I was told it is not possible to buy advance tickets over the counter in the evening

Is this correct?

 

[transmanche]

I know that the ticket office at London Victoria is open 24 hours, but after 9pm they only sell 'tickets for immediate travel'. Probably down to staffing levels?

 

[Ivo]

Very few places will sell Advance tickets any later than about 1800, even where the Advance is required for a day other than the next day. Romford for instance traditionally stopped at about 1700.

 

[island]

There's a homemade sign up at BHI saying they only sell Advances until 1600 and after that to book online at a site such as thetrainline.com.

 

[OwlMan]

see thread below -
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59137

My post on that thread has a copy of Schedule 17 attached - this gives details of opening hours for ticket offices


Peter

 

[IanXC]

There's a homemade sign up at BHI saying they only sell Advances until 1600 and after that to book online at a site such as thetrainline.com.

You would have thought they'd put virgintrains.com on the sign!

 

[Wyvern]

What's the problem?

Surely all they have to do is date the ticket as required?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

What's the problem?

Surely all they have to do is date the ticket as required?

If they sell tickets in advance they have to offer Advance tickets, Advance tickets require more than just changing the date on the ticket.

 

[Wyvern]

All anyone would want in the case I am thinking of is a Saver or Open ticket when they happened to be in Derby to save f'ing about with that infernal TVM at Belper.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Maybe in the case you are thinking of, but what about every other case?

 

[Wyvern]

I still cant see why a saver or open ticket cannot be sold for whatever date the buyer requires. There aren't any pricing or reservation issues involved.

 

[barrykas]

I still cant see why a saver or open ticket cannot be sold for whatever date the buyer requires. There aren't any pricing or reservation issues involved.

You may well think that, but the clerk still has to check what time you're travelling to ensure they sell the right ticket, even if you explicitly ask for an Off-Peak Return or whatever, thus making any advance purchase transaction take longer than one for immediate travel.

After all, you wouldn't be very happy if you boarded your chosen train and presented your ticket, only to be told it wasn't valid and get charged a Penalty Fare or Anytime Single.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Because ticket offices can't decide who they sell 'tickets in advance' to!

Imagine the scene, there is a short queue at Derby ticket office in the evening......

First Customer in Queue: Can I have an Off-Peak Return to London for the 13.01 on Monday?
Clerk: Reservations?
First Customer in Queue: No thanks.
Clerk: £61.50 please.

Second Customer in Queue: Can I have a single to London for the 13.01 on Monday please?
Clerk: Do you want the Off-Peak Single or an Advance ticket?
Second Customer in Queue: I don't know, it's £19.00 online.
Clerk: That's an Advance ticket, I suggest you buy it online and collect the ticket from the ticket machine over there [points to TVM] on Monday before you travel.
Second Customer in Queue: You won't sell me it?
Clerk: I'm not allowed to.
Second Customer in Queue: But you sold the last guy a ticket for Monday?
Clerk: Yes, but he only wanted an Off-Peak ticket, you want an Advance.
Second Customer in Queue: What's the difference?
Clerk: I only have to change the date on the ticket for him, but I have to book reservations for you and that takes longer.
Second Customer in Queue: But you could have just done all that by now.
Clerk: Indeed, but those are the rules.

I'm sure you get the idea.

 

[SickyNicky]

After all, you wouldn't be very happy if you boarded your chosen train and presented your ticket, only to be told it wasn't valid and get charged a Penalty Fare or Anytime Single.

A penalty fare would not be payable in those circumstances according to section 7.6 of the penalty fares rules at

https://www.ircas.co.uk/docs/SRA%20-%20Penalty%20Fare%20Rules%202002.pdf

In this case only an excess to the correct fare is payable on train.

 

[RJ]

Because ticket offices can't decide who they sell 'tickets in advance' to!

Schedule 17 simply alludes to tickets requiring reservations. I had no obligation whatsoever to ever issue any reservations or tickets requiring reservations but I did on occasion if the customer already knew what they wanted. Tickets "in advance," no problem at all so long as the person didn't want reservations as well!

 

[tannedfrog]

Schedule 17 simply alludes to tickets requiring reservations. I had no obligation whatsoever to ever issue any reservations or tickets requiring reservations but I did on occasion if the customer already knew what they wanted. Tickets "in advance," no problem at all so long as the person didn't want reservations as well!

Thank you - an Advance ticket usually has a reservation - are you saying that the customer can buy an Advance ticket from the counter in the evening but not be able to reserve a seat?

 

[bb21]

Thank you - an Advance ticket usually has a reservation - are you saying that the customer can buy an Advance ticket from the counter in the evening but not be able to reserve a seat?

I think RJ meant tickets sold in advance of travel, which could have been flexible walk-on tickets bought in advance, not necessarily Advance fares, too.

 

[yorkie]

Thank you - an Advance ticket usually has a reservation - are you saying that the customer can buy an Advance ticket from the counter in the evening but not be able to reserve a seat?

An Advance ticket requires a reservation, by definition. (in the case of LM, Chiltern, SN and SWT, the reservation will not allocate a specific seat)

 

[RJ]

Thank you - an Advance ticket usually has a reservation - are you saying that the customer can buy an Advance ticket from the counter in the evening but not be able to reserve a seat?

No, because an Advance ticket requires a reservation.

 

[mralexn]

There's a homemade sign up at BHI saying they only sell Advances until 1600 and after that to book online at a site such as thetrainline.com.

And be conned with higher fares and a booking fee and a fee for using your credit card :P