Rail passengers cut travel costs by ^splitting tickets^

[whole diary]

[bobg]

It's possible to do it using ticket machines in Germany and Austria at a minimum, so I don't understand why the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) has to be so different!

Besides there is nothing stopping me ordering two tickets in order to 'dumbell' on the internet now and picking them up from any ticket machine in the country....

[Brucey]

Besides there is nothing stopping me ordering two tickets in order to 'dumbell' on the internet now and picking them up from any ticket machine in the country....

Or even just buying them from a ticket office

[JayMac]

However, something I'd like to see is TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) being able to sell ticket to/from anywhere, i.e. so you can buy tickets from somewhere other than the station where the machine is located.

As regularly pointed out, that would be wonderful news for 'dumbelling' fraud you can be pretty sure it won't ever happen...

Paul

'Dumb-belling' fraud maybe an issue, but I think it's overstated. Why punish the many for the actions of a very small minority? But then that does seem to be how revenue protection works on UK^▸ (United Kingdom) rail..... guilty until proved innocent.

[paul7575]

If anyone could do it at any ticket machine what would be likely to happen though?

It is certainly possible to buy two tickets at a ticket office, but you'd hope the staff might notice regular odd purchases eventually
 
Paul

[John R]

'Dumb-belling' fraud maybe an issue, but I think it's overstated.

What evidence do you have to support that view? IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly), whenever there has been a block (ie preventing passengers from entering a station close to a main station without a ticket), there has been a good hit rate of passengers arriving at the main station who claim to have got on at the aforementioned station.

Self service ticket machines need to be as simple as possible to use, with as few steps as possible. I don't think it's reasonable to expect TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to change their machines to help those trying (legitimatically) to get a cheaper fare than the quoted fare from their departure station.

[Mookiemoo]

However, something I'd like to see is TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) being able to sell ticket to/from anywhere, i.e. so you can buy tickets from somewhere other than the station where the machine is located.

As regularly pointed out, that would be wonderful news for 'dumbelling' fraud you can be pretty sure it won't ever happen...

Paul

well until every station is bartiered and manned all the time, the people on the luggage gates actually check the tickets, the technology works 100% and, no I need to saybit again, conductors only issue full price any time fares on trains - dumbellingbis pretty easy now if you wanted.

And I know I am one of the ones who would lose out in the above scenario -?if only having to get up earlier to get my tickets!

[IndustryInsider]

An article from an outraged local councillor regarding the north Berwick line in Scotland.

http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/roundup/articles/2010/09/02/404669-councillor-hits-out-at-scotrails-subtle-ripoff/

He rather amusingly seems to think that it's a situation confined only to that short route:

^Such self-serving discrimination must stop, as it seems to apply only to the East Lothian line,^ he claimed.

[readytostart]

An article from an outraged local councillor regarding the north Berwick line in Scotland.

http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/roundup/articles/2010/09/02/404669-councillor-hits-out-at-scotrails-subtle-ripoff/

He rather amusingly seems to think that it's a situation confined only to that short route:

^Such self-serving discrimination must stop, as it seems to apply only to the East Lothian line,^ he claimed.

Having worked the route I'll point out that the through returns quoted are the SVRs whereas splitting at EDB would be a combination of CDRs^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day')). In a way those travelling from the North Berwick line benefit if they are staying overnight in Glasgow as they can purchase a period return, which is not available from EDB.
Also, in my personal experience those who are sold a period ticket but travelling back on the same day do not mind so much as I have seen them deliberately walk to the front unit of a multiple 170 and again to the very front of a 322 on the NBW service to avoid having their ticket gripped!