Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Almost had valid train ticket refused

26 replies

GingerSwan · 12/02/2019 11:14

Purchased an e-ticket in advance via Trainline for my journey to a city (I live rurally). It wasn’t the orange type (the kind you activate) but the new ones with a QR code that are just white and add to your Apple Wallet.

The conductor said he’d never seen one before and wanted an orange ticket Hmm I said it was just as valid and even had to show him how I’d purchased it. He said they have no way of scanning a code and I needed a ticket.

Took some convincing and eventually he said all the technology went “over his head”. Not really his fault but AIBU that National Rail should be showing their conductors what a train ticket looks like Confused Anyone else could’ve backed down and forked out for another and they aren’t cheap!

OP posts:
badlydrawnperson · 12/02/2019 11:18

YANBU that National Rail should be showing their conductors what a train ticket looks like.

This thread is a bit of a non-event though, like "my car nearly broke down, but actually didn't".

Procrastination4 · 12/02/2019 11:18

Rather than posting here( and you’re BU) I’d be contacting National Rail to alert them and to prevent it happening to others. You were lucky he accepted it in the end, but you’re right-it could have been a very expensive trip.

Procrastination4 · 12/02/2019 11:19

That should have read you are NBU! (Preview wouldn’t load so I just posted itBlush)

Sparklesocks · 12/02/2019 11:21

Agree you should contact NR or the train company which oversees that station and let them know the station so they’re aware their staff clearly need more training in that area.

theworldistoosmall · 12/02/2019 11:22

I would have tweeted about it at the time to bring it to the companies attention.

Racecardriver · 12/02/2019 11:23

You should contact his employer (not network rail) and tell them what happened and suggest they train their inspector better (it would seem that he needs to learn some manners as well as how to scan Apple wallet ticket things)

TrendyNorthLondonTeen · 12/02/2019 11:25

"Almost" refused... so nothing actually happened then.

Original poster
GingerSwan · 12/02/2019 11:33

No I wasn’t aware an AIBU thread needed to be a huge event 😂 I suppose he made me feel unreasonable for having it and that’s why I posted

But I’ll send a quick email to the employers good idea! Smile

OP posts:
DerelictWreck · 12/02/2019 11:40

I thought every online ticket had an orange part and a QR code? You swipe from one to the other on the app? Is there something new now?

BreakfastAtLitanies · 12/02/2019 11:52

He's kind of right.

The ones in the app are what they need, which has an orange ticket.

The scanning bit is just to get you through the gates at the station which is why you can add it to your wallet.

Go on the app and swipe, you'll see your actual ticket.

BreakfastAtLitanies · 12/02/2019 11:55

This bit. Usually shows as orange but my ones been used.

That's what he wanted Smile

Almost had valid train ticket refused
becauseimbatman · 12/02/2019 11:58

YANBU they need the tools and the training to do their job. Back when Oyster cards were new some Transport police had decided to check random tickets at a station (with barriers) they gave me a really dirty look when I showed them my oyster card and said things like 'how are we supposed to read that?' You aren't! That's what the barriers are for. In the end they summoned over a TFL staff member who told them it was fine while rolling his eyes.

EduCated · 12/02/2019 12:01

I’ve had some recently that don’t come up like that, Breakfast, only a QR code like OP mentioned. It threw me the first time I had one - it’s only on our local line, all the others have the barcode and ‘ticket’.

Contact the train company - they are the ones who employ the conductor and also who decide what type of tickets they use.

PinkHeart5914 · 12/02/2019 12:03

I almost spilt my coffee this morning if anyone is interested....

Bombardier25966 · 12/02/2019 12:12

@PinkHeart5914 But did you buy it from a company that doesn't actually sell coffee? Wink

OP, you'll need to contact the train operator if you want to complain.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 12/02/2019 12:13

I think it's useful to know when new technology is implemented that the ground-staff aren't always made aware of it.
Yes they should be, of course, but it's helpful to know they might not be, and to maybe have a back-up format for a ticket so that, should you get a real jobsworth, you don't get denied passage.

Useful AIBU, actually and no, YANBU to have started it.

BoringPerson · 12/02/2019 12:27

Haha at the snippy posters complaining about the OPs post being a non event. Perhaps they missed the tile of the thread. It’s quite accurate and clearly states what the OPs thread is about.

AIBU to open a thread about someone who ‘ALMOST’ had a train ticket refused only to find out that that was exactly what happened. 😂🤣😂
Why click on the thread if your aren’t interested in it. 🤪

Coronapop · 12/02/2019 12:34

The OP has a valid point and it is reasonable to air it on a public forum. Train staff should be trained in what constitutes a valid ticket and it should not be up the passenger to have to explain. YANBU.

Becca19962014 · 12/02/2019 12:34

I was chatting to a taxi driver this morning and she said she'd gone to her local station where a sign has been put up advising people to purchase a ticket online (office now closed) where you can't get a mobile signal at all. She was forced to drive to where she was getting a ticket to in order to get a signal.

It's no use trying to purchase on the train either as there's no signal to do that. Wifi is very hit and miss. Hence the sign saying you must purchase online before getting the train Hmm

I wonder if the op is in a similarly rural area where technology is very hard to get to work as a result staff haven't been told about it.

That's not to excuse his refusal but there are a lot of issues appearing rurally where there isn't signal available for a lot new technologies and decisions for using technology are made in places like Cardiff or Manchester for our local line (rural Wales) and they've no idea whatsoever of the reality of living here - like technology dead zones because of topography. There's government money available apparently to fix the issue. Presumably flattening the mountains...

Mistigri · 12/02/2019 12:40

I'm glad you posted this because I have some e-tickets bought via the trainline, one of which is for my teenager who will be travelling alone.

If I have printed out the tickets with the QR code on as a backup, will they be accepted if DD's e-ticket is refused?

(Don't live in the U.K. and over here in France I haven't bought a physical rail ticket for years).

PlatypusPie · 12/02/2019 12:46

Helpful post, OP ( that’s not being sarcastic, unlike some of the dismissive posters on here) - it’s useful to know when some new system or tech hasn’t been properly communicated through an organisation.

Had an argument in French with an inspector on an onward train from Brussels about the validity of my ticket - luckily had read about the problem on an online forum and had printed out email back ups of the discussion and verification I had had when I purchased the ticket via Eurostar s owasn’t fined or had to buy new ticket.

WarpedGalaxy · 12/02/2019 12:48

I’d alert the rail company to the training gaps with employees not being able to recognise/scan the new e-tickets, OP. I get it all the time here, I’ve had concert e-tickets almost refused because they were in my phone and a TSA guy a couple of years ago did not like me having my boarding pass on there.

I’m in the USA and credit cards with chips you can just tap or hold near the reader are relatively new, actually still being rolled out (I know, right) to many. I had a retail assistant get quite angry with me a few weeks before Christmas because I hadn’t inserted my card in the chip-reader but just waved it near the sensor; it beeped, started processing and the transaction was approved.

I pointed this out in vain and that all she needed to do was hit whatever button and produce the receipt on her side but she wasn’t having it.

You didn’t put the card in.
No, I didn’t need to.
But you didn’t put the card in.
Aaagh!

Her supervisor had to come and do it in the end.

ThePants999 · 12/02/2019 13:05

You should have almost made a thread about it!

hastingsmua1 · 12/02/2019 14:32

The ticket with a QR code that can be added to Apple wallet is an e-ticket. It is also emailed to you and can be printed out.

The ticket that must be used in app and looks like a virtual ticket is called an m-ticket. These ones must be activated before use.

You should complain to the company because it’s ridiculous if he’s saying that e tickets are invalid simply because they don’t look like m-tickets. It’s his job to know what valid tickets are - even paper tickets have been updated various times in recent years. I have seen e tickets as early as 2017 so he has a massive gap in knowledge. E tickets are very common; it just depends on operator and route whether you will be given this variant or an m ticket.

EduCated · 12/02/2019 14:40

Like this, OP?

Almost had valid train ticket refused