Question for Southern employee's - This Southern Railway Key thing?

[Gazwag]

The 10% off is for all tickets as I read it, not just advanced purchase.

http://www.southernrailway.com/offers/key-sale/

The 10% off offer is the only reason I've bothered to get one although that deal ends in October sometime. I've booked an online ticket on it tonight although it will be slightly under two hours to the train I want to catch. If the thing starts to prove a load of hassle by not loading up or letting me through the gate, then I won't bother with it in the future. I can book paper tickets online and get them out the machine 10 minutes later with no problem.

You are probably right but it isn't clear, but I still don't get the point of it after 19 Oct

 

[halbpro]

You are probably right but it isn't clear, but I still don't get the point of it after 19 Oct

Convenience. Ticket machines are often busy early doors at smaller stations, London Road can be a nightmare in my experience. You don't need to use the machine to pick up your ticket with the Key, you just swipe it in the validator.

 

[Quaid]

Will it eliminate dubious delay repay claims?

 

[Gazwag]

Convenience. Ticket machines are often busy early doors at smaller stations, London Road can be a nightmare in my experience. You don't need to use the machine to pick up your ticket with the Key, you just swipe it in the validator.

I always buy advance tickets online as it is vastly cheaper and pick it up at my convenience, I thought you still had to purchase your ticket and load it onto the card, rather than like the oyster card where you just have cash loaded not tickets. I could see the benefit if it was like the oyster, with cheaper fares to boot,

 

[halbpro]

I always buy advance tickets online as it is vastly cheaper and pick it up at my convenience, I thought you still had to purchase your ticket and load it onto the card, rather than like the oyster card where you just have cash loaded not tickets. I could see the benefit if it was like the oyster, with cheaper fares to boot,

Well they've just added pay as you go functions but only, I think, in Brighton and Crawley. I haven't tried that yet though. However, for me, being able to pick up a ticket by just swiping the card at the gate or ticket validator is really handy.

 

[mikeyjh]

Well they've just added pay as you go functions but only, I think, in Brighton and Crawley. I haven't tried that yet though. However, for me, being able to pick up a ticket by just swiping the card at the gate or ticket validator is really handy.

Given the completely confusing nature of ticketing on the rail network, I'm not sure I would trust the rail companies to make the choice of what charge they would put on my card!!

 

[Arthur]

Will it eliminate dubious delay repay claims?

Good question, anyone know? If so it's another reason I won't move. I bought my monthly season ticket and used 3 months worth of delay repay vouchers and had £55.10. I may not have been on some of the trains I claimed for.

Can you get it to London Terminals yet as opposed to a specific station?

I mainly travel to and from London Bridge but do on the odd occasion use Blackfriars and Charing Cross. I won't move off the paper tickets until I can do that.

Also it seems a bit of a faff at the moment as my home station (Crowborough) doesn't have barriers so having to tap in/out everyday seems like a futile exercise when I'm still getting charged the same.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

After last nights experience, I probably won't bother again too soon unless its some mega saving to be had. You couldn't have made it up!

I attempted to tap in at Polegate - Refused entry. I told the ticket man on the gate that it was "almost two hours ago I bought the thing online". He's response was priceless: "Ah yes, they tell you two hours but you really need to leave four hours to be certain"?! He then stated: "If you are going to football you are better buying an ordinary ticket as it will throw the card out if you don't tap out at Lewes" (Or words to that effect). Which is what it said on the paperwork that came with the thing, but contradicts what many on here have said. I think I trust the people on here more!

He said something about when I returned to Polegate, tapping in to start my journey then tapping out straight afterwards to clear the card? Whatever? Nah, didn't bother. I won't be using it in a hurry again anyway. Taking up to four hours to load on is pathetic in this day and age.

It also says on the paperwork you can buy daily travelcards to load on the thing. I looked on the booking website when I first got the thing and there was no option to load a travelcard.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So why are you fined by German ticket inspectors if you fail to time stamp your ticket and why are they armed ?

it's only tickets which can be used on the u and s-bahn you need to time-stamp to validate. And even for these it's not all. And you only need to do it once. Hardly a big deal. Also, we don't have huge posters on the transport system telling people to keep hydrated; what on earth is this about? What's next? Reminding people to breath?

 

[Pinkie Brown]

it's only tickets which can be used on the u and s-bahn you need to time-stamp to validate. And even for these it's not all. And you only need to do it once. Hardly a big deal. Also, we don't have huge posters on the transport system telling people to keep hydrated; what on earth is this about? What's next? Reminding people to breath?

When I first used the U Bahn, I purchased one of those 2 hour tickets from the machine. I was ignorant of the fact you had to get it date stamped - until a German equivalent of a busybody who was behind me in the queue tapped me on the shoulder and told me I MUST datestamp it. The look on his face was one of shock that anyone would actually not date stamp their ticket.

 

[jcdenton08]

Herr Tubthumper's schtick is getting really old.

 

[Ernest]

When I first used the U Bahn, I purchased one of those 2 hour tickets from the machine. I was ignorant of the fact you had to get it date stamped - until a German equivalent of a busybody who was behind me in the queue tapped me on the shoulder and told me I MUST datestamp it. The look on his face was one of shock that anyone would actually not date stamp their ticket.

So you've met [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION] in person then ?

 

[Ernest]

After last nights experience, I probably won't bother again too soon unless its some mega saving to be had. You couldn't have made it up!

I attempted to tap in at Polegate - Refused entry. I told the ticket man on the gate that it was "almost two hours ago I bought the thing online". He's response was priceless: "Ah yes, they tell you two hours but you really need to leave four hours to be certain"?! He then stated: "If you are going to football you are better buying an ordinary ticket as it will throw the card out if you don't tap out at Lewes" (Or words to that effect). Which is what it said on the paperwork that came with the thing, but contradicts what many on here have said. I think I trust the people on here more!

He said something about when I returned to Polegate, tapping in to start my journey then tapping out straight afterwards to clear the card? Whatever? Nah, didn't bother. I won't be using it in a hurry again anyway. Taking up to four hours to load on is pathetic in this day and age.

It also says on the paperwork you can buy daily travelcards to load on the thing. I looked on the booking website when I first got the thing and there was no option to load a travelcard.

Doesn't surprise me at all, it's what happens when you have idiots running a railway who haven't a clue on how to. Let's face it , you want to go online book and pay for your ticket and rock up at the station 10 minutes later and travel, not wait 4 hours or however long they think it takes

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So you've met [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION] in person then ?