How to use a Northern Smartcard at a station with no reader?

[Puffing Devil]

Northern seems happy to sell me a Flexi-season (8 in 28) on a Smartcard from my local station to Manchester, which will work well with a flexible 2 days/week working in Manchester.

However - my station does not have a reader/validator. Am I expected to validate in/out at the solo ticket machine, which is inconveniently placed for the return trip?

 

[Bletchleyite]

If the ticket machine has one, yes, you must use it.

 

[skyhigh]

Or you can use the mobile app, assuming your smartphone has NFC.

Am I expected to validate in/out at the solo ticket machine, which is inconveniently placed for the return trip?

As long as you validate your day of travel on the outwards, you don't need to tap in to make your return trip.

 

[Watershed]

Northern seems happy to sell me a Flexi-season (8 in 28) on a Smartcard from my local station to Manchester, which will work well with a flexible 2 days/week working in Manchester.

However - my station does not have a reader/validator. Am I expected to validate in/out at the solo ticket machine, which is inconveniently placed for the return trip?

Yes. The alternative is to activate a day's validity using the National Rail Smartcard Manager app (or another app with that functionality).

Either way, you only have to do this once, to activate a day's validity before you get on your first train of the day. You don't need to touch in or out after that.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Thanks - looks like I can validate the card for the day using the NR app, then not bother to tap out again at the end of the day. Or maybe use the ticket machine to tap in on the way out, and skip the return tap-out, as my ticket will be valid on the route.

I don't want to rely on my phone for the tickets as we see so many issues here of phone failure and less than forgiving RPIs. Having said that - there's also been issues with Smartcards.......

 

[Haywain]

we see so many issues here of phone failure and less than forgiving RPIs.

The number seen here is tiny.

Or maybe use the ticket machine to tap in on the way out,

Looking at Northern's website, it's not clear that you can tap in to validate a flexi-season at a TVM. They specifically refer to platform validators.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Looking at Northern's website, it's not clear that you can tap in to validate a flexi-season at a TVM. They specifically refer to platform validators.

Which does beg the question, of why they would sell a Smartcard ticket for use at a station where it cannot be validated.

Looks like I'll TOFTT in October and find out.

I've downloaded the Validator App recommended by @Watershed as a backstop.

 

[Starmill]

Which does beg the question, of why they would sell a Smartcard ticket for use at a station where it cannot be validated.

Seems like a very likely thing for Northern to do to me.

 

[cool110]

Looking at Northern's website, it's not clear that you can tap in to validate a flexi-season at a TVM. They specifically refer to platform validators.

NRE does however say that they can be activated "in some cases" at a TVM. I would guess that would be enabled at stations without barriers or stand-alone validators.

 

[Haywain]

NRE does however say that they can be activated "in some cases" at a TVM. I would guess that would be enabled at stations without barriers or stand-alone validators.

I wouldn’t be guessing anything of the sort. NRE saying something doesn’t indicate that it applies to any particular part of the rail network.

 

[Wallsendmag]

The Flowbird TVMs don’t have a facility to activate a Flexi Season

Which does beg the question, of why they would sell a Smartcard ticket for use at a station where it cannot be validated.

simply put, they were told to

 

[Puffing Devil]

Well, this is going to be an interesting conversation with Northern staff in October!

 

[Haywain]

Well, this is going to be an interesting conversation with Northern staff in October!

If you activate the pass using the NRE app I cannot see you having any problems.

 

[mikeg]

If you activate the pass using the NRE app I cannot see you having any problems.

But of course many people dont have an NFC enabled smartphone, nor have they been informed of this issue.

 

[Puffing Devil]

If you activate the pass using the NRE app I cannot see you having any problems.

But of course many people dont have an NFC enabled smartphone, nor have they been informed of this issue.

To @mikeg's point - I'm going to play the part of a regular, naive, passenger without the benefit of this forum and my own knowledge. We'll see what the experience is and I'll update this thread when I start the commute in October.

 

[CyrusWuff]

But of course many people dont have an NFC enabled smartphone, nor have they been informed of this issue.

I suspect Northern's official response to that would be "Buy it as an m-ticket (or is it an s-ticket?) through our app instead" (or something along those lines.)

I do, however, note that the FAQs on the website assume that every station is gated or has standalone validators, with no mention being made of the ability to use an app for activation of Smartcard Flexi Seasons.

 

[Wallsendmag]

To @mikeg's point - I'm going to play the part of a regular, naive, passenger without the benefit of this forum and my own knowledge. We'll see what the experience is and I'll update this thread when I start the commute in October.

Watch out for Penalty Fares if you don't activate it.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Watch out for Penalty Fares if you don't activate it.

It's going to be an interesting ride and I'm prepared for a little fight if I'm not able to activate it through the published methods on the website and/or any instructions coming with the ticket and card.

 

[Haywain]

It's going to be an interesting ride and I'm prepared for a little fight if I'm not able to activate it through the published methods on the website and/or any instructions coming with the ticket and card.

I find it difficult to understand why you wish to invite difficulties on yourself.

 

[Puffing Devil]

I find it difficult to understand why you wish to invite difficulties on yourself.

Because I'm more than capable of defending myself and by highlighting any issues I can prevent those less able to navigate the system from encountering unnecessary problems brought about by the less than competent Northern customer "experience".

 

[Watershed]

Because I'm more than capable of defending myself and by highlighting any issues I can prevent those less able to navigate the system from encountering unnecessary problems brought about by the less than competent Northern customer "experience".

I'm not sure on which basis you intend to defend yourself if you are told you need to activate your Flexi Season before travelling, and have the opportunity to buy a new ticket at the ticket machine if there are no validators and you don't want to use the app.

 

[Puffing Devil]

I'm not sure on which basis you intend to defend yourself if you are told you need to activate your Flexi Season before travelling, and have the opportunity to buy a new ticket at the ticket machine if there are no validators and you don't want to use the app.

We'll see when I go through the purchase process - what is asked and expected of the naive passenger. Maybe they have everything covered and properly explained. Maybe they don't.