On Sunday, 29 March 2015 12:14:37 UTC+1, Clank wrote:
Clive Page wrote:
I don't quite know why those in these long queues don't try to use the
ticket machines (but they often have long queues as well) but I suppose
that if I were just arriving in a foreign city for the first time I might
reckon it easier to get the right ticket from a human than from a
machine, given the complexity of the system. Some of these newly
arriving visitors might even, like me, have had unpleasant experiences in
using ticket machines in foreign cities before.

Personally, whenever I arrive in a foreign city for the first time I always
use ticket machines instead of windows because (a) there's a much higher
chance the machine will speak my language and (b) even if it doesn't, it's
unlikely to make fun of my accent.

I appreciate anecdote doesn't make data though .

Not at Schipol or Amsterdam Central etc. - all the ticket machines throughout the Nederlands refuse to 'speak' English. And now with the new chip-cards you have to pay a premium for personal service at a ticket office window AND for the cost of the card. Rip-off - worse than in the UK. CJB