Lucky me arrived at Heathrow last night. My wife wanted to get a new weekly
travelcard (zones 3-4) so we queued for tickets instead of using the
machines. The line was taking for ever to move due to the fact that there
were only 2 windows serving and there were a number of people registering
for Oyster cards at the counters. Two things annoyed me about that; first
up why did people choose a very busy Sunday night at Heathrow to get a new
Oyster card, and secondly why were they staying at the window to fill in the
forms instead of moving aside for a bit and letting someone else buy a
ticket in the mean time.

When we got to the counter we found out the answer to both questions. The
staff at Heathrow were not issuing weekly travelcards on a paper ticket -
they insisted that the only way to get weekly travelcards now was to use an
Oyster card. I've read through the 2004 fares booklet and it quite clearly
states that you can still purchase weekly travel cards in the old fashioned
way so what was with that???

Having stayed in line for so long (and imagining what a nightmare the Monday
queues would be like given the unadvertised withdrawal of the normal weekly
card) we decided that we'd best get a new Oyster card. We offered to stand
aside while my wife filled in her form but the attendant told us not to,
despite the very long queue of people waiting. So that answered the second
question.

Were the staff at Heathrow mistaken about the weekly travelcard? If so why
does this sort of thing happen? I tried to buy a peak 2-6 daily travelcard
when they were intrduced last year from the Balham station and despite
assuring the attendant of both the availability and cost of the said
travelcard she refused to issue me one. Fortunately the folks behind the
counter upstairs at the BR station knew what was going on so I got what I
wanted but it makes me wonder if LU actually bother to train their staff
about new products. Very annoying!

"John Kirk" typed

snip

but it makes me wonder if LU actually bother to train their staff
about new products. Very annoying!

Given my experiences (in another thread) when I wanted to buy a PrePay
Oyster, LUL do not appear to train their staff about new products. I am
still *very* annoyed!

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

I spoke to the manager at Arnos Grove Station and he informed me that LU
have instructed them
not to sell paper travel cards only oystercards???

Jed
"Helen Deborah Vecht" wrote in message
...
"John Kirk" typed

snip

but it makes me wonder if LU actually bother to train their staff
about new products. Very annoying!

Given my experiences (in another thread) when I wanted to buy a PrePay
Oyster, LUL do not appear to train their staff about new products. I am
still *very* annoyed!

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

In message , g Beattie
writes
I spoke to the manager at Arnos Grove Station and he informed me that LU
have instructed them
not to sell paper travel cards only oystercards???

Depends on what you mean by Travel Card.
All period tickets (month and over are now issued on Oyster) but for 7
Day period tickets you still have the choice of having a magnetic ticket
if you prefer not to pay the GBP3.00 deposit.
--
Kat Me, Ambivalent? Well, yes and no.

On Mon, 5 Jan 2004 21:55:30 +0000, Kat
wrote:


Depends on what you mean by Travel Card.
All period tickets (month and over are now issued on Oyster) but for 7
Day period tickets you still have the choice of having a magnetic ticket
if you prefer not to pay the GBP3.00 deposit.

I thought the deposit was just for pre-pay? I got a weekly on
Oystercard a few weeks ago and didn't have to pay a deposit. I've now
put my annual (from National Rail) on it but they didn't know that at
the time :-)

I thought the deposit was just for pre-pay? I got a weekly on
Oystercard a few weeks ago and didn't have to pay a deposit. I've now
put my annual (from National Rail) on it but they didn't know that at
the time :-)

What do you mean by annual from national rail? Can you get the zone 1-6 part
of a national rail season ticket onto Oyster?

Thanks

Jaime

On Tue, 6 Jan 2004 19:27:27 -0000, "Jaime"
wrote:



What do you mean by annual from national rail?

I bought my Annual 1-4 from Sout West Trains and they loaded it on my
Oyster

Can you get the zone 1-6 part
of a national rail season ticket onto Oyster?

I don't think so - only tickets which are completly in th zones.

"K" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 6 Jan 2004 19:27:27 -0000, "Jaime"
wrote:



What do you mean by annual from national rail?

I bought my Annual 1-4 from Sout West Trains and they loaded it on my
Oyster

Can you get the zone 1-6 part
of a national rail season ticket onto Oyster?

I don't think so - only tickets which are completly in th zones.


I see, thanks. Was just thinking I might be able to get a oyster on part of
my SWT season.

Jaime

In message , Jaime
writes

I see, thanks. Was just thinking I might be able to get a oyster on part of
my SWT season.

I was told by someone with a season ticket bought from SWT but within
the zones that although he'd like an Oyster he'd stick with buying his
season from SWT because they give him free/discounted travel for a
partner at weekends.
--
Kat Me, Ambivalent? Well, yes and no.

On Wed, 7 Jan 2004 15:57:23 +0000, Kat
wrote:

In message , Jaime
writes

I see, thanks. Was just thinking I might be able to get a oyster on part of
my SWT season.

I was told by someone with a season ticket bought from SWT but within
the zones that although he'd like an Oyster he'd stick with buying his
season from SWT because they give him free/discounted travel for a
partner at weekends.

Like the reason I'll keep buying my season ticket from WAGN - the 5%
unmet performace discount (which they *never* meet) is enough to do
without an Oyster.


Cheers,

Jason.