Smart Kiosks are to be installed at 29 stations across East Midlands Railway's (EMR) regional network to make it simpler and easier for passengers to buy the cheapest fares.
The Smart Kiosks provide customers who purchase advance or walk-up tickets with a printed barcode instead of the old-fashioned orange paper ticket. The new machines issue traditional walk-up fares but with the advantage of a full range of national Railcard and local discounts and incorporate Smart Ticketing functionality that allows customers to purchase a ticket and collect them from the machine.
Smart Kiosks will also enable the purchase of Advance Purchase fares for customers who are not travelling immediately and are happy to travel with a little less flexibility.
Later this year, the machines will be upgraded to allow tickets to be applied directly to a Smartcard and for issuing some Season Ticket products.
The kiosks incorporate software that provides a full timetable enquiry service that provides customers with up-to-date information on their next train, and also any price difference between travelling on their selected train and any train in the next 90 minutes.
Simon Pready, Commerical Director at East Midlands Railway, said: “We want to offer customers as much flexibility as possible when purchasing tickets and that's why the introduction of these new Smart Kiosks is great news.
“As well as other features, they offer customers a full range of eTickets and the same fare offers that they would otherwise access online. We hope our regional customers enjoy the benefits of using them when they are introduced across our regional network in the next few months.”
Smart Kiosks are to be installed at the following stations across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire:
Derbyshire
- Langley Mill
- Tutbury and Hatton
- Willington
Nottinghamshire
- Aslockton
- Bingham
- Burton Joyce
- Carlton
- Collingham
- Fiskerton
- Lowdham
- Netherfield
- Radcliffe
Leicestershire
- Bottesford
- Hinckley
- South Wigston
Lincolnshire
- Gainsborough Lea Road
- Hykeham
- Market Rasen
- Metheringham
- Rauceby
- Ruskington
- Saxilby
- Swinderby
- Wainfleet
Staffordshire
- Alsager
- Blythe Bridge
- Heckington
- Longport
- Longton
Reminds me of the ticket machines that have been installed at c2c stations and some have broken down which caused such frustration for commuters. Or are these ticket machines easy and simple to use.