How do you get a train?

arcon5

This may seem a daft question, but i've not used the train for over 10 years.....

..... do you pay a conductor on the train? (do they still have these?) or if the station is a platform do you pre-book?

..... looking online we can pre-book but have the choice of collecting tickets from a different station to that departing from or have them posted to us 1st class...... is a return journey one ticket? or will we get two tickets (one for each journey)?

..... is there no way of just paying online and printing tickets out?

..... are the prices I see on the Northern Rail website for example same for online and if paying at the station? So for example, I can see some offers for certain time singles at £3 (cheaper than a return), will it be same price at station?

Lagoon

You buy tickets at the station before travel, either at the counter if it's manned, or at a ticket machine.

On some trains you can pay when you're on-board if you ask, but it's worth not taking that risk. Not all staff will be forgiving, and you risk a fine.

Or, you can buy online now and use the card you paid with to collect your tickets from the machine when you get there (or get them posted, as you've seen).

With a return journey, you usually get separate tickets for 'OUT' and 'RTN'.

arcon5

Okay thanks.

Are names on tickets? If we purchased a return is it allowed that my OH uses outbound and I use the return or will the purchasers name be on the ticket?

I'm not sure the local station (small town) has an office or machine - if memory serves correctly it's merely a platform with some shelter and benches (will have to check on this though).... so i'd have to book in advance?

arcon5

What happens if I opt for them to post them to me and they don't arrive?

Lagoon

Nope, names aren't on the tickets so you can split them.

If you put the station name here, then you can see if they have a ticket office/machine.

Look under 'Ticket Buying and Collection':

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/

GwylimT

Sometimes the card holders names are on the ticket, but it doesn't matter, unless it is a printed ticket (as in printed at home) as some of those require you to present the purchase card to the ticket inspector.

If a station doesn't have any services at all to buy tickets you can purchase a ticket on the train, but this is likely going to be the most costly way of buying your ticket.

dzug1

Booking in advance is not necessary unless there are specific advance fares. Where no ticket selling facilities exist it's normal for tickets to be sold on the train at standard prices

It varies as to whether names are on tickets or not - only surnames where they are AFAIK. It's not actually allowed for someone else to use the return half but not really detectible

You can't get tickets posted to you less than a week before travel - unless you pay for special delivery

dzug1

arcon5 wrote: »

What happens if I opt for them to post them to me and they don't arrive?

You have to buy new tickets

arcon5

Lagoon wrote: »

Nope, names aren't on the tickets so you can split them.

If you put the station name here, then you can see if they have a ticket office/machine.

Look under 'Ticket Buying and Collection':

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/

Thank you very much for the link....no ticket office, machine or point of collection at departing station.

GwylimT wrote: »

Sometimes the card holders names are on the ticket, but it doesn't matter, unless it is a printed ticket (as in printed at home) as some of those require you to present the purchase card to the ticket inspector.

If a station doesn't have any services at all to buy tickets you can purchase a ticket on the train, but this is likely going to be the most costly way of buying your ticket.

Thanks. Seems pre-booking might be better then if it's going to cost more on the train itself. But to clarify, considering there are no services at departing station, buying on train is acceptable? ie no fine.

It seems Northernrail website doesn't have the option to print tickets at home unfortunately. Would be ideal if it did.

It does though say on the website

If you have not received your tickets after 5 five working days, please contact us.

What do they do in these circumstances?

EDIT TO ADD:

You have to buy new tickets

They'd refund me for tickets not received though right?

Lagoon

arcon5 wrote: »

Thank you very much for the link....no ticket office, machine or point of collection at departing station.



Thanks. Seems pre-booking might be better then if it's going to cost more on the train itself. But to clarify, considering there are no services at departing station, buying on train is acceptable? ie no fine.

It seems Northernrail website doesn't have the option to print tickets at home unfortunately. Would be ideal if it did.

It does though say on the website

If you have not received your tickets after 5 five working days, please contact us.

What do they do in these circumstances?

That's right. No fine if you buy on the train. They can't enforce that if they haven't provided somewhere to buy.

And personally I've never known prices being higher if you buy on the train, either. It possibly varies from operator to operator, but I use Northern Rail most of the time as well.

yorkie2

arcon5 wrote: »

..... do you pay a conductor on the train? (do they still have these?) or if the station is a platform do you pre-book?

If you can say what journey you are making, we can advise, as it does vary

arcon5 wrote: »

..... looking online we can pre-book but have the choice of collecting tickets from a different station to that departing from or have them posted to us 1st class...... is a return journey one ticket? or will we get two tickets (one for each journey)?

Return tickets usually come in 2 'coupons' labelled 'OUT' and 'RTN'. A common exception to this is a London Travelcard.

arcon5 wrote: »

..... is there no way of just paying online and printing tickets out?

You may be able to use 'Print@Home' but it is only offered by a few operators, and only on selected journeys.

arcon5 wrote: »

..... are the prices I see on the Northern Rail website for example same for online and if paying at the station? So for example, I can see some offers for certain time singles at £3 (cheaper than a return), will it be same price at station?

Usually, the price will be the same. However some promotional ticket types, special offers, and discounts are only available from specific websites.

Lagoon wrote: »

You buy tickets at the station before travel, either at the counter if it's manned, or at a ticket machine.

If available, and if in working order, and if it takes your chosen payment method.

Lagoon wrote: »

On some trains you can pay when you're on-board if you ask, but it's worth not taking that risk. Not all staff will be forgiving, and you risk a fine.

You are supposed to buy at the first opportunity, and you cannot be penalised if the first opportunity is on board the train (or at your interchange/destination, as applicable and as appropriate to the journey made).

The last journey I made was from West Byfleet to York, and I required a ticket for the first part of my journey, but there was no opportunity until the Guard came round on board the train. There is no "risk of a fine" in these circumstances.

If you board without purchasing a ticket, when there was an opportunity to buy before boarding, then most operators will charge you the full Anytime fare, with no Railcard discounts. Some operators will still offer the full range of tickets, while on others you may be charged a Penalty Fare, or if there is a suspicion of fare evasion, you may be reported for possible prosecution (which can lead to a fine).

Lagoon wrote: »

Or, you can buy online now and use the card you paid with to collect your tickets from the machine when you get there (or get them posted, as you've seen).

If the OPs station has a ticket machine, but from their post, it sounds like the station might not do.

Lagoon wrote: »

Nope, names aren't on the tickets so you can split them.

Names are usually printed on tickets purchased online, but where this occurs it is the name of the purchaser. You may buy a ticket on behalf of anyone. I am not sure what you mean by "split them"?

Lagoon wrote: »

If you put the station name here, then you can see if they have a ticket office/machine.

Look under 'Ticket Buying and Collection':

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/

In general, yes, but the list is not always accurate. Also some stations have ticket machines that only accept card payments, and some stations have ticket machines that lack a collection facility. The OP may be travelling from a Northern Rail station, some of which have recently had ticket machines installed, and may not be listed as such.

Furthermore, some stations (e.g. Bingley) only allow access to ticket machines during staffed hours.

arcon5 wrote: »

Thank you very much for the link....no ticket office, machine or point of collection at departing station.

In that case, you may buy on-board. If the guard does not come round, you should buy at your destination (if there is a staffed ticket office there).

arcon5 wrote: »

If you have not received your tickets after 5 five working days, please contact us.

What do they do in these circumstances?

They would make arrangements for you to be sent, or collect, alternative tickets, or other arrangements, as appropriate. If this occurs more than once, there is a possibility they may remove postage as an option (I heard this happening to someone who has an unreliable post service!)

Lagoon wrote: »

And personally I've never known prices being higher if you buy on the train, either. It possibly varies from operator to operator, but I use Northern Rail most of the time as well.

Northern fares are generally no cheaper in advance, but there are some selected flows on which Northern do offer Advance fares (such as Nottingham - Leeds, Newcastle - Carlisle) at heavily discounted prices, these come with mandatory reservation coupons (with no seat allocated).