Permit to travel machines

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aardvaak
aardvaak Posts: 5,833 Forumite
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in Public transport & cycling
I was on a Greater Anglian station platform the other day and saw a permit to travel machine there was also a ticket machine.


Can someone please tell me what a Permit to travel machine is for surely when you buy your ticket this would be the permit to travel?

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  • p00hsticks
    p00hsticks Posts: 12,824 Forumite
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    You'd use it if the ticket machine wasn't working / not accepting cards etc

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permit_to_travel
  • yorkie2
    yorkie2 Posts: 1,595 Forumite
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    Yes indeed, example scenarios include (but are not limited to):
    • if you needed to buy a Rover/Day Ranger product, or any other fare not sold by the machine (e.g. it's not uncommon to find machines that do not sell tickets to recently opened stations or recently launched ticket types such as certain types of Super Off Peak fares)
    • if your desired payment method was not accepted by the machine (e.g. a card only machine; or if you were paying by American Express on a machine that does not take American express; or if you are part paying by Rail Travel Voucher and cash)
  • Ergates
    Ergates Posts: 2,108 Forumite
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    p00hsticks wrote: »
    You'd use it if the ticket machine wasn't working / not accepting cards etc

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permit_to_travel

    Wonder why they don't just put in a second ticket machine....
  • Spoonie_Turtle
    Spoonie_Turtle Posts: 8,425 Forumite
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    Ergates wrote: »
    Wonder why they don't just put in a second ticket machine....

    May well not be worth it if it's not a particularly busy station, or one where most passengers have season tickets, or any other reason why a second ticket machine might not be cost-effective to run.
  • jbuchanangb
    jbuchanangb Posts: 1,326 Forumite
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    Wonder why they don't just put in a second ticket machine....

    If the software in their ticket machines is such that it can't handle the type of purchase, a second ticket machine is not going to help. Holding a Permit to Travel indicates that you intended to buy a ticket, but the machine for whatever reason couldn't sell you one. Then you use the first possible opportunity (e.g. staff on train, ticket office at the station where you get off) and buy the ticket there.
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