Buying train tickets online when there is nowhere to pick them up?

bradfordboy

For future reference, although you need to specify a ticket office when buying online, you don't actually have to collect it from there. You can collect from anywhere regardless of where you stated.

And just because you have a ticket machine it doesn't necessarily mean you can collect tickets from it that you have bought online as is the case with the one in Bradford.

thegirlintheattic

Just check that the ticket machine at your station is one that you can collect tickets from rather than just purchase them. My nearest one with a ticket machine to collect tickets is at the other end of the local line so I travel with my confirmation and the conductor accepts it.

Quentin

TrickyWicky wrote: »

I never understood the point of buying online if you still have to go to the ticket office .....

Even if you do have to collect the tickets, you do get the benefit of cashback/loyalty points/free £10 off etc by buying online, making tickets cheaper that way!!

miamoo

I ended up getting a free journey no ticket inspector came the whole journey, and the ticket machine only took debit cards not cash!
I am glad I didnt get to use my credit now!.

Thanks for the tip about getting the tickets posted, thats what I will do next time, it didnt mention that (anywhere that I saw any way) thanks again

dzug1

miamoo wrote: »

Thanks for the tip about getting the tickets posted, thats what I will do next time, it didnt mention that (anywhere that I saw any way) thanks again

It does mention it (in the list of options) if you are buying a ticket that can be sent by post

yorkie2

miamoo wrote: »

I did read that Wealdroam but the station didnt have a ticket machine that last time I was there about a month ago. So it didnt really help me.
I have since found that it does have a machine but I have tried to buy my tickets online, and because the ticket machine is new it doesn't come up on there list, so I cant collect it there anyway.

Am I missing something, or are you asking for advice about using a ticket machine at a station that you have not even told us the name of?

The facilities available at each station are available here:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/

(Note that in some cases the information may be out of date)

Some stations have ticket machines outside the ticket office that allow tickets to be collected.

As we do not know where you are travelling from, we cannot advise specifically, but you can look it up on the National Rail site.

miamoo wrote: »

I ended up getting a free journey no ticket inspector came the whole journey, and the ticket machine only took debit cards not cash!
I am glad I didnt get to use my credit now!.

When that happens, you should pay at your destination, unless of course there was no facility to pay there either.

Quentin

yorkie2 wrote: »

....When that happens, you should pay at your destination, unless of course there was no facility to pay there either.

Brilliant tip on a moneysaving website!

Keep 'em coming!

abacab

dzug1 wrote: »

It does mention it (in the list of options) if you are buying a ticket that can be sent by post

It was because the op was travelling in the next day or two that the post option wasnt there.
Just used it to travel next week and again it is ticket machine or special delivery only.
I normally have tickets posted free when using RSH.

miamoo

There were no ticket facilities at my destination either, so I didnt have the chance to pay. Thanks for the helpful replies

silvercar

TrickyWicky wrote: »

I never understood the point of buying online if you still have to go to the ticket office - I prefer the human service and the "Thanks" you get from the bloke who's still employed due to my custom.

The government are trying to cut down on all railway staff so you have to value them while they're still there - 10 years from now you won't see any staff on the railways and then you'll all complain when there is a security issue!

I'm sure there are others, but as an example, Virgintrains.co.uk have web only off peak fares that the bloke at the ticket office couldn't supply however much 'Thanks' he gives.