TVM ToD reference numbers

[maniacmartin]

Hi,

I recently booked a rail journey through Southern's website and went to collect it from a TVM (I can't remember where alas). After asking me to insert and remove my card, the TVM immediately printed the tickets without requesting my transaction reference number.

Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone know what determines whether the TVM should skip asking for the reference number?

 

[Poggs]

Yes, it's happened to me on a number of occasions as far as six or seven years ago.

 

[142094]

If you have two journeys booked on the same card it should always ask for the reference number. Until recently, East Coast TVMs used to print automatically if you only had tickets to collect for one journey, but this has changed and you need to enter the booking reference each time now.

 

[radamfi]

I pick up tickets from Southern ticket machines at least once a week and nearly always the tickets appear without having to enter the code. If I have 2 or more tickets to collect, I need the code for all tickets apart from the last one.

Very occasionally, I have to enter the code even though I only have one booking. This makes me think that I have forgot to pick up some tickets previously.

 

[CheapAndNerdy]

Same for me on Southern. I am given to wonder what it must look like to someone who happens to be nearby. They see me put in my card and then take it out a few seconds later without having keyed a PIN. And then, without any button pressing, some tickets pop out. I then pick them up and walk away.
Highly suspicious if you ask me.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Yes.
I collected tickets for some of my forthcoming journeys just last week by merely inserting my card.

Not at all worring, not at all unusual, and not at all inconvenient.

I must have collected thousands of pounds worth of tickets by that very technique. But I hadn't considered it worth any comment.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Yep at least one of the machines at Exeter St Davids does this. Was quite surprised myself too!

 

[bb21]

Depends on the setting of the machine. FastTicket machines tend to do this. The machine can print tickets automatically if there is only booking in the database related to the card inserted. It will not print tickets automatically if there are two bookings or more associated with the card.

The machines can also be set to always request the reference numbers.

S&B machines AFAIK have always requested references.

 

[RJ]

It's best to avoid using Fastticket machines if there's a possibility you might use the Rainy Day Guarantee! Some Southern stations have a mix of Smart/S&B machines so if you have the option, go for the latter.