Why does the barcode on e-tickets have to be shown?

[edwin_m]

That happened to me, the missing ticket from the printer. It was at Birmingham New Street, and likewise I didn’t realise until a couple of hours later. I knew I had collected them all as the person I was with double checked before we left the machine. When I realised I went to the ticket office, the counter assistant checked my booking confirmation and the tickets I’d received, but still made me buy a new one. By sheer luck it was the cheapest of the three for my journey!

The one she printed does have a barcode on so best of both worlds there.

Why can’t the confirmation email include the necessary barcode, so I’d just have to show that, which I could make a dedicated file for in my emails? It wouldn’t resolve all my issues e.g. the barriers but would at least avoid having to save the tickets into an app, be it Apple Wallet or my TPE account. I find the latter fiddly as it always requires me to log in when I open it.

If I’m going on a day trip with no luggage I do use e-tickets, I’m not a complete dinosaur! I tend to buy them on TPE though as I find the Trainsplit system fiddly. Perhaps I don’t have the right version of the Trainsplit app, I will investigate.

How do printed off e-tickets work at barrier scanners?

A traditional ticket with no barcode isn't unique, so you won't get a duplicate for a lost ticket because if you did, there's nothing to say you haven't given the original to someone else who can use it with no chance of being found out. With barcoded tickets you can print as many as you like or save them to multiple devices, but as soon as any of them it scanned at a barrier or on train this will show up to anyone scanning it later. Or if the ticket is lost, if you have access to your email you can download it again.

The ticket suppliers I've used will include links in the confirmation email to download a PDF of the ticket or to save it to the phone wallet or both (with the barcode in each case). I don't know if any of them actually puts the barcode in the email. I am another that downloads a copy to the laptop in case of a problem with the phone, but have never had to use it.

 

[island]

Why does the barcode have to be shown? Why can't you just write down the 11 character reference under the barcode? Presumably the barcode just makes it convenient for staff to scan it, but they could type in the code into a machine if you don't have the barcode.

It's not practicable at ticket gates, and barely practicable for on-train inspections, because typing the code takes an order of magnitude longer than scanning an Aztec code.

Full e-tickets can also be visually inspected when scanners are not working/not available/not being used because of Spanish practices, whereas a random collection of 11 letters can't.

That would mean people without printers or phones could use e-tickets.

This is a minuscule amount of people, and they can still use ticket on departure, post, ticket offices etc. It is not necessary for every single process to accommodate every member of the RailForums standard minority.

 

[AdamWW]

When I bought e-tickets to travel round Czechia with Česke drahy a couple of years ago the accompanying information suggested that I write the ticket code down on a piece of paper just in case my phone ran out of battery. This was for flexible tickets, not ones only valid on a given train.

Well I didn't run out of battery but on one trip the guard had trouble scanning the bar code, so they happily copied the number from my phone screen. No hassle - it worked, and was very quick.

Maybe it can be done? (I concede they don't use ticket barriers though).

 

[AlterEgo]

Just reading on X/Twitter that New Look, the fashion shop, have been telling people they are changing to email receipts only. However the vast majority of replies are saying they have refused to give their email address, threatened to leave their purchase, and been given a printed receipt after all. I know it's a totally different scenario but many people simply don't like having to cope with technology when life used to be so simple.

Those people are replying to a company on Twitter, I very much doubt they’re technophobes. They just don’t want to give their email address to the company.

I always put my CCST just sticking out of the top of my bag before I get off the train. With one simple action I can then extract it and pop it into the slot, gate opens and I'm away. With a phone ticket I have to find the app, then find the ticket, then try not to drop the phone

The ticket appears on the Lock Screen on iPhone, around the time of the journey. It’s not just stored in the train company’s app if you use Apple Wallet.

Goodness knows how people with a coffee cup as well as luggage manage.

It’s no more difficult than using a paper ticket.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I always put my CCST just sticking out of the top of my bag before I get off the train. With one simple action I can then extract it and pop it into the slot, gate opens and I'm away. With a phone ticket I have to find the app, then find the ticket, then try not to drop the phone (we are talking £800+ worth of phone for a lot of people these days), then manoeuvre it to the scanner before it needs re-activating if there's a delay due to a lot of people exiting at the same time.

Goodness knows how people with a coffee cup as well as luggage manage.

If you have an £800+ phone you have one with Apple or Google Wallet. Add the ticket to that and it's literally one tap. Much easier than getting a paper ticket out of your wallet.

 

[trainophile]

If you have an £800+ phone you have one with Apple or Google Wallet. Add the ticket to that and it's literally one tap. Much easier than getting a paper ticket out of your wallet.

Still doesn’t avoid the phone juggling at the barriers though.

 

[AlterEgo]

Still doesn’t avoid the phone juggling at the barriers though.

What phone juggling? You just show the barcode to the reader. To me it's no more or less difficult than a paper ticket, and in my experience I am rejected fewer times using etickets.

 

[trainophile]

What phone juggling? You just show the barcode to the reader. To me it's no more or less difficult than a paper ticket, and in my experience I am rejected fewer times using etickets.

Great if you’ve got three hands. A paper ticket takes a finger and a thumb, and it isn’t a big deal if you drop it.

I have a wallet type phone case which maybe makes it a bit more awkward to manipulate than one in a back-only cover, so that’s probably my fault.

 

[AlterEgo]

Great if you’ve got three hands. A paper ticket takes a finger and a thumb, and it isn’t a big deal if you drop it.

I have a wallet type phone case which maybe makes it a bit more awkward to manipulate than one in a back-only cover, so that’s probably my fault.

A phone takes one hand to use, I'm not sure I understand why I would need three hands.

I simply swipe up and use Face ID to reveal the Wallet pass. It's very easy, and I imagine most people find so. That is why etickets are now by some distance the most popular method of ticket fulfilment.

 

[Bletchleyite]

A phone takes one hand to use, I'm not sure I understand why I would need three hands.

I simply swipe up and use Face ID to reveal the Wallet pass. It's very easy, and I imagine most people find so. That is why etickets are now by some distance the most popular method of ticket fulfilment.

The problem with smartphones is that there are a lot of cheap and frankly rubbish ones on the market which lack features and give a poor user experience. I can't help but think a lot of people on here have had their experience tarred by one of these.

All I need to do to get an e-ticket up is to take my phone out of my pocket and tap the pass.

 

[jon81uk]

If I buy something of low value from a shop I’d much rather a paper receipt, than have to give my email and start getting spam emails. A new tv from John Lewis might be a different matter.

Under data protection rules you need to opt-in to marketing emails so they can't spam you if they only ask for details for a receipt.

I get electronic receipts from M&S and Lidl by default (till doesn't even offer the paper one) and don't get any marketing from either of them. I will always take the electronic receipt as it is easier to keep hold of.

 

[OscarH]

Is this thread descending into yet another "everyone should prefer paper vs everyone should prefer eTicket" useful or on topic

Under data protection rules you need to opt-in to marketing emails so they can't spam you if they only ask for details for a receipt.

I get electronic receipts from M&S and Lidl by default (till doesn't even offer the paper one) and don't get any marketing from either of them. I will always take the electronic receipt as it is easier to keep hold of.

It's not just about what they can legally do, it's also yet another set of people storing your data ready to get breached, as well a general distrust that they'll actually follow data protection rules. I can definitely see the value of them, and if they work for you great, but I don't agree with forcing them on everyone

 

[Haywain]

Is this thread descending into yet another "everyone should prefer paper vs everyone should prefer eTicket" useful or on topic

Probably not useful as it just repeats the same old arguments. On topic? Maybe, as the premise at the start seemed to be about using an eTicket without actually using an eTicket in the intended manner.

 

[island]

Under data protection rules you need to opt-in to marketing emails so they can't spam you if they only ask for details for a receipt.

That’s not correct. They can use the details for marketing of similar products and services without an opt-in. See section 22 (3) of the Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations 2003.