Originally Posted by
Mizter T
And best not to get started on the supposedly revolutionary ITSO smartcard system, which is being rolled out ever so slowly by different train operators in a delightfully incompatible way!
They're starting to roll this out on my line. I thought great - much easier to use a smartcard to open the barriers at King's Cross than a ticket (I'm normally pushing a bike at the time). But then I read the small print.
You have to touch in at the start of your journey, even with a season ticket. My station is barrierless, and has one reader, in a slightly awkward position. If you don't, you are considered not to have a ticket.
You also are restricted as to what trains you can use - no VTEC trains to/from Stevenage, for example, and no using the ticket for a portion of a longer-distance journey on another company.
All for the same bargain price of over £4k per year.
Umm, no. No, thanks. I'll stick with paper if that's how you're going to play it.