M-Tickets

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M-Tickets 25/11/2018 at 18:15 #113552
pbinnersley
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I have recently purchased an off peak return as a M-Ticket, but now find I need to break my journey overnight on the return journey. This would be no problem with a paper ticket, but I understand that M-tickets are "activated" on the day of travel and de-activate at around 04:30 the following day (and therefore no longer be valid).

Is there an official way to get around this problem or are M-Tickets inferior to paper tickets? The independant ticket retailer is not being very helpful.

Peter.

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M-Tickets 25/11/2018 at 19:48 #113563
Peter Bennet
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I'd have thought that the ticket would be active for as long as it's valid which will be determined by the fare paid not the medium on which it's held. Suggest you try ATOC/RDG or the TOC you are travelling with.

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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M-Tickets 26/11/2018 at 15:59 #113595
pbinnersley
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Thanks for the tip Peter.

I've spoken to Cross Country. They don't know the answer as their "expert" wasn't available. They've taken my details and will get back to me. I'll post an update when I hear from them.

Peter.

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M-Tickets 26/11/2018 at 16:00 #113596
headshot119
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4869 posts
I would not encourage anyone to buy E/M-tickets. They are the same price as a standard ticket and you run into problems like this.
"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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M-Tickets 26/11/2018 at 22:39 #113614
geswedey
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And if your phone dies you are treated as not having a ticket. my advice is as a above avoid M tickets
Glyn Calvert ACIRO
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M-Tickets 26/11/2018 at 22:42 #113615
geswedey
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If the return is valid for a month how can the return portion expire. it does not make sense, especially as you could break your journey more than one in that month.
Glyn Calvert ACIRO
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M-Tickets 26/11/2018 at 23:16 #113618
GeoffM
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headshot119 in post 113596 said:
I would not encourage anyone to buy E/M-tickets. They are the same price as a standard ticket and you run into problems like this.
Not necessarily for us foreigners they're not. $18 P&P for a paper version to here. Applies more to passes that cannot be purchased in the UK than single use tickets but still.

SimSig Boss
Last edited: 26/11/2018 at 23:43 by GeoffM
Reason: None given

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M-Tickets 26/11/2018 at 23:58 #113620
HST125Scorton
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I've not had any technical issue with M-Tickets, most of the time I travel free with my 'pass' if I'm doing local stuff. Long distance is ok but if anything was to go wrong on the return journey then issues can arise as mentioned in some of this post.. I've have noticed with the Northern App is that when I got a return Preston ticket purchased as M-Ticket for an evening out, I decided on the 2038 to Preston and return on the 0105 last train back home to my local station which in turn is same day travel. Yet the app de-activates/expires the ticket at 0000hrs on the next day instead of 0430hrs
I've decided on normal tickets for long distance trips and M-Tickets for other local to medium trips.

Aaron (AJRO) | Timetable Writer
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M-Tickets 04/12/2018 at 23:08 #113828
pbinnersley
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I have been in touch with Cross Country. At the end of the day the ticket was activated it will show "Used" until the expiry date and is still valid for travel after a break of journey. They recommend I print their email in-case there are any problems.

Peter.

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M-Tickets 05/12/2018 at 10:15 #113832
kbarber
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pbinnersley in post 113828 said:
I have been in touch with Cross Country. At the end of the day the ticket was activated it will show "Used" until the expiry date and is still valid for travel after a break of journey. They recommend I print their email in-case there are any problems.

Peter.
So much for a paperless world.

<sigh>

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M-Tickets 01/01/2019 at 17:39 #114526
pbinnersley
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The outward journey was no problem. I activated the ticket for the first part of the return from York to Leeds which was again no problem.

The next morning the M-tickets had greyed out. outward ticket had "expired ticket" and a small no-entry sign across the bar code. The return ticket had the bar code still readable but a note "ticket used".

The gates at Leeds station refused entry with the message "ticket expired - seek assistance". The person on the barrier initially refused me entry until I said I had an e-mail from Cross- Country saying it was OK. She then let me though and said it was up to the train manager whether I had to buy a new ticket.

The Cross-Country train manager queried the ticket, but was fine when I explained the circumstances. He didn't have a scanner for the bar code, but said they don't give any information on where/when the ticket was used. Apparently they have a lot of people who activate the outward and return barcodes when they start their outward journey. His recommendation was not to activate the barcode for the first leg of the return journey and explain the situation if they ask to check the ticket.

Arrival in Birmingham was just in time for a West Midlands train to Coventry so I got off at Canley (my local station) which had the advantage of avoiding any problems with the barriers at Coventry.

I had intended to break my journey on Derby, but decided against having to have a discussion with the barrier staff and another train manager.

In conclusion I felt very uncomfortable despite being assured I had a valid ticket. I will avoid M-tickets like the plague in future.

Peter.

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M-Tickets 01/01/2019 at 18:18 #114527
headshot119
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A friend of mine is a guard at a TOC, and he says he hates the M-Tickets as they cause so much trouble.
"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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