Train route between Glasgow Central and Stewarton
operated by ScotRail, Northern Rail

Initial problem

The last time I had to buy a monthly ticket I got a single on the train (they don't sell monthly tickets), but when I went through the barrier the machine ate it. I then went straight to the ticket office to purchase my monthly and was told that even though I had a receipt for the ticket I had just purchased I could not get my money back without the ticket.
This morning I thought I will get a return ticket as this way I will still have part of the ticket so I can get my money refunded from the price of my monthly ticket. This time I was told they could not refund a return. Is this a way of making money by Scotrail? You pay for your single or return and then you pay for it again when you purchase a season ticket. I will be looking into travelling by bus and will also be telling everyone I know who travels by train so they can do the same. Either they sell the ticket you require on train or they make it possible to get through the barrier without it eating your ticket. In morning rush hour people do not have time to wait for someone to run up and down the machines letting people through..

Posted
  • By D. Reynolds on 20 Aug 2012
  • Sent to ScotRail on 20 Aug 2012
Updates
Update
  • 1 Peter Dixon added an update close 18:40 22 Aug 2012

    Hello D Reynolds

    FixMyTransport Volunteer here

    Did you know that it is possible to buy your monthly ticket in advance?

    Kind regards

    anorak
    admin
  • 2 Shaun McDonald added an update close 08:50 23 Aug 2012

    Usually you go to the barrier that has someone standing by it to let you through, there should be at least one while the barriers are in operation, and you can explain why you need to keep your ticket, and they should let you through. The key bit is going to the right barrier so that someone doesn't need to run back and forth to let people through.

    Some other places have trialled letting you buy tickets that start on the Monday from 4pm on a Friday before from ticket machines. You should be able to purchase the tickets in advance from the ticket counter or online.

    anorak
  • 3 Al Mu added an update close 01:11 24 Aug 2012

    With a situation like this, the standard procedure is this:

    If you wish to buy a monthly season ticket from a station that has no booking office, what you do is buy it from the train as normal, then ask for a 'Part Exchange' for a Monthly season ticket.

    The Train crew will then endorse the ticket, and once you get to the automatic barriers at Glasgow Central, just show it, and do not put it through the slot. If any member of staff objects, then just explain you need to retain it for that purpose.

    Also, What you can do, is purchase the ticket either online via the scotrail website or telesales department, and collecting it from the vending machine (this is located on platform 2), using an alpha-numeric number, and most importantly the same credit or debit card (not visa electron or atm only cards) that you used to pay for the transaction online, to collect the ticket.

    The main advantage is, you can advance purchase the ticket as well, and collect at any time.

    However, this may depend on whether the vending machine is working of course.

    I hope this helps.

  • 4 Paul Hollinghurst added an update close 18:56 09 Oct 2012

    Out of interest, did you get an acknowledgement followed by a reply from Scotrail about this?

    Best regards,

    Paul (FixMyTransport Volunteer)

    anorak
    admin
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