Stickers now on readers suggest Hatfield is indeed NOT getting Oyster acceptance next month.
Hertford East will have it by then won't it? That's going to confuse things a bit.
I read it the same way as you, but just a thought that we're reading it wrong. Perhaps, as many people have Oyster/contactless, that it is saying that you cannot use the validator to validate them and use them for travel now?Stickers now on readers suggest Hatfield is indeed NOT getting Oyster acceptance next month.
Thanks for that. I hope they'll make the new day fares that exist available, and not just have it for season tickets when it launches - as suggested on the sticker.
Edit: I've heard elsewhere that we might be getting the carnets put on The Key soon? If so, that's going to be awesome news.
3. The Key will then from the New Year offer a extended range of products so may include carnets then.
2.
The only The Key products available from Day 1 of it being available between London Terminals and Royston/Huntingdon are full price season tickets (both point to point and travelcards) so no carnets will not be made immediately available sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
I'll have to check what's at WGC then as someone said there was a sign about changes to carnets. Maybe just giving out a pen then!
Based on previous missed launch deadlines of The Key in the Southern area, I'd question which year's New Year is being referred to.
It is a franchise requirement that, subject to the successful introduction of ITSO media and the agreement of the Secretary of State, that carnet based season tickets shall be available on the Key throughout the franchise area by 30 September 2015.
You may disagree, but it's there in black and white in the franchise agreement.I disagree because the internal training briefs make no mention of carnets just point to point season tickets and travelcards, as far as I'm aware a carnet is not a point to point season because the carnets were designed for regular users who travel either in peak or off peak but who don't travel often enough to buy a season ticket.
When does the key launch on GTR?
From 30 September 2015, passengers will be able to purchase full priced season tickets (both point to point & Travelcards) from stations outside of London on both the Thameslink and the Great Northern routes with the exception of stations north of Huntingdon and Royston, and stations south of Orpington and St Mary Cray.
On the Southern and Gatwick Express routes, the existing key card offer will continue. For full details of what is on offer please visit www.southernrailway.com/thekey
Nowhere in that brief does it mention carnets, they might be available from the New Year but they won't be available from the 30th September!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---Subject to the successful introduction and operation of an ITSO Certified
Smartmedia ticketing system in accordance with paragraph 1 2 . 1 and obtaining
the approval of the Secretary of State, the Franchisee shall on or before 30
September 2015 introduce carnet-based season tickets based on ITSO Certified
Smartmedia (namely the smartcard known as The Key which is to be
introduced by the Franchisee and is compliant with the ITSO specification)
throughout the Franchise.
About flexiSeason?
flexiSeason is a trial of a carnet-type product which allows customers to buy up to 50 passes at a time which are valid for three months. This is especially useful for customers who travel regularly but not more than three times each week, so for whom a weekly season ticket doesnt represent good value.
The flexiSeason is based on a weekly season ticket price but can be used flexibly across a number of days. This means that you only pay for the days you travel on. The trial is operating with a limited group of customers in a small area, and depending upon the results, will be rolled out across the rest of the network.
How does the flexiSeason work?
At the start of each days travel, one pass will be deducted from the number of passes held on the key smartcard. For example, if you buy 10 passes and travel for two days during the first week you will still have eight passes left with a validity of three months to be used at any time during that period.
The department is also considering a report by Southern Railway on their flexible ticketing trial and is discussing with Govia Thameslink Railways and c2c their franchise obligations to introduce flexible ticketing products by 30 September 2015 and 31 May 2016 respectively.
You may disagree, but it's there in black and white in the franchise agreement.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Any Carnet type product that is to be introduce, whenever it will be introduced, is likely to be based on the flexiSeason trial that Southern ran on selected routes last year.
www.southernrailway.com/tickets-and-fares/ticket-types/flexiseason-faq
Purchasing from a TVM: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...RRmCg0&usg=AFQjCNHnW_nffxetetqouOtvE3qbyi5jUw
A DfT minister wrote to the Hove MP in July stating they were discussing with GTR about the frachise obligations to introduce flexible season tickets by 30 September 2015.
www.brightonandhovenews.org/2015/07...commuters-kicked-into-long-grass-says-hove-mp
The TSGN Key map is now on the Thameslink website.
The TSGN Key map is now on the Thameslink website.
How frustrating that day tickets are there, but we won't be able to get them.
Or perhaps we will if we book online and have them sent to the TVM, subject to the three day delay?
I am not going to try using mine again until it's official though. Had my fun. I rather wished for Oyster but realised quite early on this wasn't going to happen.
No it didn't. It told you there were no delivey options available. It also told you, if purchasing a Southern Daysave you needed to do so 3 days before travel. The Southern Daysave has nothing to do with The Key.It told me three days when I tried, and even when using the TVM I could only buy a ticket for use in three days time, even though I could actually apply it to my Key in advance. It's why I have no intention of using the Key again until all of that is sorted out.
You don't collect from the TVM if purchased online. You collect from the gate or standalone validator.To be honest, I am not sure why you'd even need to go via a TVM to download a ticket to your Key. Surely just tapping in at the same station would (sorry, should) work?
You don't have to wait wait 2 hours. It says up to 2 hours, the same as purchasing paper tickets. They could, and usually are, available sooner.What I don't understand is why you can buy a ticket at a TVM and have it applied to your Key in mins but if you buy online, you have to wait 2 hours before being allowed to collect it and only at the specific station you entered online.
Surely when you buy online and you have to collect your tickets, you can do at any station which has the TVMs set up for you to do so you don't have to use specific stations so why not for the Key?
Why do you have to wait 2 hours before picking up your tickets?
At Hatfield, the ticket office has no equipment to read or write to The Key, so when I asked to add my railcard (as the TVM asks you to go) they said they can't and everything has to be done online.
Does this mean existing ticket holders can't switch their current season to the Key? If so, a lot of people won't be able to use it until January...
At Hatfield, the ticket office has no equipment to read or write to The Key, so when I asked to add my railcard (as the TVM asks you to go) they said they can't and everything has to be done online.
Does this mean existing ticket holders can't switch their current season to the Key? If so, a lot of people won't be able to use it until January...