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Original poster

self service ticket machines trains! Grrr!

15 replies

bea · 03/09/2012 20:10

Am I being comepletely dim? have meant to ask this question for ages!

I always like to buy my mum her train ticket when she comes visiting! (very often! - she is a delight! cooks and cleans and does the childcare! wonderful!)

However, I always used to be able to send her her ticket through standard mail... but recently it only gives me the option of sending it express (£7.50)... even though I book a week before she travels! Plenty of time to send it through the post!
or
Go collect from the ticket machine at the station... not a problem! BUT... it says you need to have the card which you paid for when collecting your ticket!

But my mum lives ooop North! and I have bought with MY card and I live in the midlands!

What can I do? (apart from the obvious... me buying with mums card and paying her back!)

Is there an option on the trainline website that I haven't spotted!?

Surely there are other people who have come against this problem!

Looking forward to hearing how i have got comepletely the wrong end of teh stick and have missed the simple solution!

OP posts:

amillionyears · 03/09/2012 21:04

I think it has given me those choices,though through my local rail train operator,when I have booked too near the travel date to guarantee the first class postage

Gumby · 03/09/2012 21:06

Can't you go to your station, buy the ticket & post it to her

Original poster

bea · 03/09/2012 21:38

Gumby - yes of course I could... but if i collect at a self service station, the tickets I buy with my card have to be accompanied by the card I bought them with on the day of travel!

amillionyears - I just thought a week ahead should be fine!

OP posts:

amillionyears · 04/09/2012 07:32

It has happened to me occasionally at the one week time,though it has also worked when it has been five days ahead.Ive never put much thought into why.It may have been because there was a bank holiday in between?
I agree it is annoying.I had the same problem with for ny DD,who was abroad at the time.Thankfully I was able to contact her,and she had time and was able to reach a computer to order them herself.

CelticOlympian · 04/09/2012 07:36

bea they are unlikely to ask for the card on the day of travel. I'd pick them up and post yourself. I agree there are far to many restrictions!

PheasantPlucker · 04/09/2012 07:39

Sorry bea, am a bit confused at your comment re needing the card to travel. I've bought loads of train tickets like this (albeit not for others), you use the card to pick up the tickets, then are not asked for the card again as the tickets have been paid for. So she wouldn't need your credit/debit card to actually travel.

Hope the trip goes well, sounds like you both value the time together.

lubeybooby · 04/09/2012 07:40

Bea, buying them yourself and posting yourself is fine.

If you use thetrainline.com they just need the card for ID when you collect tickets, your mum will never be asked for a debit card

Buy with cash and send your mum the tickets if you want to err on the safest side, but I've never had to show my debit card when travelling with deabit card bought tickets, and never seen anything telling me I should. Once on the train the actual tickets is all anyones bothered about. :)

So yeah - I'd pay cash then send them to her. You can still use online to find the tickets you want, then tell them at that station (eg if buying two singles to make it cheaper)

RustyBear · 04/09/2012 07:45

This page says that the person collecting the tickets has to have the card used to buy them, not the person travelling. So you can buy the tickets, collect them from the machine and post them to your mum.

tribpot · 04/09/2012 07:50

I'm not sure you do need the card with the tickets on the day of travel ... why would you? To pick them up, sure, but not on the day of travel.

This is the Train Line's information on buying on behalf of someone else.

The simplest thing would be for your Mum to buy the tickets and for you to reimburse her. Slightly less simple: you use her card details to buy online, with her collecting at her local station (and then reimburse her). Otherwise you could have her as a second card holder on a credit card (but credit cards usually attract a fee and debit cards don't) or collect them and post them to her as others have suggested, noting the small risk of them going missing in the post.

I would try booking further ahead to see if the postage option comes down in price. It still won't be as cheap as posting them yourself.

tethersend · 04/09/2012 07:58

I think the OP means that her mum would need her card to collect the tickets, rather than travel with it. It's an inconvenience for the OP to go to the station and collect/buy them then post them, buying tickets online is supposed to save hassle!

The trainline are a bunch of shysters if you ask me. Try buying from the train company's own website; often they have better postage options.

prettybird · 04/09/2012 08:05

I always use the National Rail Enquiry Line to look up train times and then buy tickets (on Touch so can't do links). It takes you directly through to the relevant train company, without the trainline.com's supplement.

amillionyears · 04/09/2012 09:05

I think the op means that when you try and book and pay for a ticket for someone else who is not physically with you,and send them the ticket ready for their journey,you cant do that sometimes without paying the £7.50.
Her mum cannot just go to the station and pick up her tickets because she will have needed to have paid for them with her own card to be able to collect them.
The only way round,op,that I can think of is for your mum to give you her card details,which obviously she may be reluctant to do.

Original poster

bea · 05/09/2012 12:37

Thank You all!...

I think the best thing would be for me to buy and collect and then post and sod them if they ever ask her to produce the debit card that was used to pay for them!

Honestly! You think they would have a solution to this!

thanks again!!!

OP posts:

IwanttoflyonA380 · 05/09/2012 17:22

Just asked dh who has ticket booked for work for him from Fist great Weston on the work account. He has to go to the station with the reference no. He is then asked to swipe his card (no money is taken) they just need to swipe a card

tethersend · 05/09/2012 20:36

I do that for work too- unfortunately, when buying personal tickets you have to swipe the card you paid with. I think they let companies swipe any card as they have an account IYSWIM...

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