How do you get a train?

~Chameleon~

arcon5 wrote: »

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?

In that case you can buy tickets from the conductor once on board. And no, there's no names on tickets. They can be used by anyone.

dzug1

OP - if your station is an unstaffed halt with no ticket facilities at all then 99.99% of the passengers using it (of those that bother to pay at all....) will buy tickets on the train. They will be the same price as buying online in advance and a lot less bother

lammy82

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

In that case you can buy tickets from the conductor once on board. And no, there's no names on tickets. They can be used by anyone.

As GwylimT and yorkie2 have pointed out, if you buy tickets online then the name of the purchaser will be printed on them, but this doesn't mean that only that person may use them. Tickets are actually not transferable but you are allowed to buy them for someone else, so the name printed on the tickets is not normally checked. I think the non-transferable rule is mainly to stop people trying to buy tickets up and resell them for profit.

~Chameleon~

lammy82 wrote: »

As GwylimT and yorkie2 have pointed out, if you buy tickets online then the name of the purchaser will be printed on them, but this doesn't mean that only that person may use them. Tickets are actually not transferable but you are allowed to buy them for someone else, so the name printed on the tickets is not normally checked. I think the non-transferable rule is mainly to stop people trying to buy tickets up and resell them for profit.

I frequently buy train tickets online but have never had my name printed on the ticket!

~Chameleon~

I've even bought tickets online using my rail card but have never been asked to produce my card when retrieving them to prove discount!

wealdroam

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

I've even bought tickets online using my rail card but have never been asked to produce my card when retrieving them to prove discount!

And there is absolutely no reason at that point why you should be asked for proof.

Proof of entitlement to discount is only needed when travelling on the railcard discounted tickets.

In fact, in the past I have bought railcard discounted tickets weeks before buying a railcard, with the specific purpose of maximising the period that the railcard is valid for.

lammy82

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

I frequently buy train tickets online but have never had my name printed on the ticket!

Interesting, maybe it depends which ticket site you buy them through? I get mine from redspottedhanky and they always have my name on them, in the orange stripe at the bottom.

~Chameleon~

lammy82 wrote: »

Interesting, maybe it depends which ticket site you buy them through? I get mine from redspottedhanky and they always have my name on them, in the orange stripe at the bottom.

I use either the train co website or online app on my phone. Sometimes I book online via phone app to avoid desk queues within minutes of travel & collect from machine. Only hassle I've ever had is when I buy 1st class and train doesn't have a 1st class carriage :eek:

yorkie2

DieselDragon wrote: »

tation after all, and they're well known for taking the biscuit when it comes to revenue protection!
(Plus: Doesn't West Byfleet have at least three QuickFare machines and a ticket office as well?)

Do QuickFare tickets machines still exist?

The booking office was closed, and the only machine that we could see was out of service (in fact it printed one out of 6 coupons for the previous customer!).

I doubt there was another machine, as not only was there no sign of one, but the help point didn't mention it.

DieselDragon wrote: »

I managed to get PF'd by SWT once just because their Guards' ticket machine failed to operate properly...

Cashback through the SWT website? No wonder all of my fares are so flippin' high and there's no Advance tickets...

I'd either refuse to pay, or appeal (depending on the exact circumstances and how confident I was feeling).

timbo58

and ok it's being exceptionally pendantic: but

'there was no opportunity until the Guard came round on board the train' ah.
The opportunity is that it is not up to the guard to seek you out but vice versa if you know you don't have a ticket.
therefore' there was no opportunity until I joined the train' is legally correct.