TfL recently sent me an email message to tell me that:

quote
I am writing to let you know that after Easter, we will be carrying out
improvement work at King’s Cross St. Pancras Tube station; this is part
of our plans to modernise the Tube. As a result, we are making changes
to the ticket hall and the ticket windows will be permanently closed.
end quote

Well we all knew of TfL's desire to do away with all these pesky ticket
windows, but on Saturday I happened to walk past the western ticket
office at King's Cross twice. Both in the morning and in late afternoon
the queue for the ticket windows was so full that it didn't all fit in
the zig-zag barriers, there must have been 30 or 40 people waiting each
time. The queue noticeably lengthens soon after a train from Paris or
Brussels arrives.

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.

Whatever the reason, there are going to be a lot of unhappy customers
there after Easter. And TfL shows no signs at all of opening the
refurbished enquiry office near the western ticket hall which was closed
a few months ago.


--
Clive Page

Clive Page wrote:
TfL recently sent me an email message to tell me that:

quote
I am writing to let you know that after Easter, we will be carrying out
improvement work at King’s Cross St. Pancras Tube station; this is part
of our plans to modernise the Tube. As a result, we are making changes to
the ticket hall and the ticket windows will be permanently closed.
end quote

Well we all knew of TfL's desire to do away with all these pesky ticket
windows, but on Saturday I happened to walk past the western ticket
office at King's Cross twice. Both in the morning and in late afternoon
the queue for the ticket windows was so full that it didn't all fit in
the zig-zag barriers, there must have been 30 or 40 people waiting each
time. The queue noticeably lengthens soon after a train from Paris or Brussels arrives.

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.

Whatever the reason, there are going to be a lot of unhappy customers
there after Easter. And TfL shows no signs at all of opening the
refurbished enquiry office near the western ticket hall which was closed a few months ago.


I thought I saw signs saying that the new enquiry office would be opening
shortly?

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 .

In message , at 11:27:26 on Sun, 29
Mar 2015, Clive Page remarked:
quote
I am writing to let you know that after Easter, we will be carrying out
improvement work at King’s Cross St. Pancras Tube station; this is
part of our plans to modernise the Tube. As a result, we are making
changes to the ticket hall and the ticket windows will be permanently
closed.
end quote

"The" ticket hall? There are three.

Well we all knew of TfL's desire to do away with all these pesky ticket
windows, but on Saturday I happened to walk past the western ticket
office at King's Cross twice. Both in the morning and in late
afternoon the queue for the ticket windows was so full that it didn't
all fit in the zig-zag barriers, there must have been 30 or 40 people
waiting each time.

And I've got a photo of the ticket machines with queues of a dozen
people at each. Maybe there are more of the machine now?

The queue noticeably lengthens soon after a train from Paris or
Brussels arrives.

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.

The answer is perhaps to have some "Tourist Oyster" vending machines. I
know the regular machines sell Oysters now, but some dedicated machines
would be simpler.

Whatever the reason, there are going to be a lot of unhappy customers
there after Easter. And TfL shows no signs at all of opening the
refurbished enquiry office near the western ticket hall which was
closed a few months ago.

That was a "travel centre", more to do with selling theatre and tour-bus
tickets. I wonder if they will have a more rail-ticket orientated
approach when it reopens?
--
Roland Perry

On Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:27:26 +0100, Clive Page
wrote:

TfL recently sent me an email message to tell me that:

quote
I am writing to let you know that after Easter, we will be carrying out
improvement work at King’s Cross St. Pancras Tube station; this is part
of our plans to modernise the Tube. As a result, we are making changes
to the ticket hall and the ticket windows will be permanently closed.
end quote

Well we all knew of TfL's desire to do away with all these pesky ticket
windows, but on Saturday I happened to walk past the western ticket
office at King's Cross twice. Both in the morning and in late afternoon
the queue for the ticket windows was so full that it didn't all fit in
the zig-zag barriers, there must have been 30 or 40 people waiting each
time. The queue noticeably lengthens soon after a train from Paris or
Brussels arrives.

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.

Whatever the reason, there are going to be a lot of unhappy customers
there after Easter. And TfL shows no signs at all of opening the
refurbished enquiry office near the western ticket hall which was closed
a few months ago.

I don't know all the ins and outs, not living in London, but I
understood the plan was to redeploy staff to the passenger areas to
assist passengers. I assume there will be staff to assist visitors
and others in operating the machines.

On Sunday, 29 March 2015 12:50:39 UTC+1, Scott wrote:
On Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:27:26 +0100, Clive Page
wrote:

TfL recently sent me an email message to tell me that:

quote
I am writing to let you know that after Easter, we will be carrying out
improvement work at King's Cross St. Pancras Tube station; this is part
of our plans to modernise the Tube. As a result, we are making changes
to the ticket hall and the ticket windows will be permanently closed.
end quote

Well we all knew of TfL's desire to do away with all these pesky ticket
windows, but on Saturday I happened to walk past the western ticket
office at King's Cross twice. Both in the morning and in late afternoon
the queue for the ticket windows was so full that it didn't all fit in
the zig-zag barriers, there must have been 30 or 40 people waiting each
time. The queue noticeably lengthens soon after a train from Paris or
Brussels arrives.

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.

Whatever the reason, there are going to be a lot of unhappy customers
there after Easter. And TfL shows no signs at all of opening the
refurbished enquiry office near the western ticket hall which was closed
a few months ago.

I don't know all the ins and outs, not living in London, but I
understood the plan was to redeploy staff to the passenger areas to
assist passengers. I assume there will be staff to assist visitors
and others in operating the machines.

Since there are almost always non-trivial queues at every King's Cross ticket machine how is that going to work, then?

Last time I had to wait for one of the party to use a King's Cross ticket office it was because he needed to buy a priv ticket. How will that work without a ticket office?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On 29/03/2015 11:27, Clive Page wrote:

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.

Depends.

For city transport, I tend to head for the machines these days. They are
likely to speak a language I can understand (English-speakers have an
advantage with this), be more tolerant of phase-book usage, and in many
cases will spell out the various options.

Also, experience suggests a machine is likely to admit the existence of
singles, returns and travelcards (or even better 24 h tickets), rather
than push me towards some kind of all-inclusive touristic ticket which
involves paying for admission to museums I don't want to go to and
discounts at restaurants I won't be eating at.

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

"Scott" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:27:26 +0100, Clive Page
wrote:

TfL recently sent me an email message to tell me that:

quote
I am writing to let you know that after Easter, we will be carrying out
improvement work at King's Cross St. Pancras Tube station; this is part
of our plans to modernise the Tube. As a result, we are making changes
to the ticket hall and the ticket windows will be permanently closed.
end quote

Well we all knew of TfL's desire to do away with all these pesky ticket
windows, but on Saturday I happened to walk past the western ticket
office at King's Cross twice. Both in the morning and in late afternoon
the queue for the ticket windows was so full that it didn't all fit in
the zig-zag barriers, there must have been 30 or 40 people waiting each
time. The queue noticeably lengthens soon after a train from Paris or
Brussels arrives.

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.

Whatever the reason, there are going to be a lot of unhappy customers
there after Easter. And TfL shows no signs at all of opening the
refurbished enquiry office near the western ticket hall which was closed
a few months ago.

I don't know all the ins and outs, not living in London, but I
understood the plan was to redeploy staff to the passenger areas to
assist passengers. I assume there will be staff to assist visitors
and others in operating the machines.

and (in theory) twice as many machines

tim

On Sun, 29 Mar 2015 08:46:37 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Sunday, 29 March 2015 12:50:39 UTC+1, Scott wrote:
On Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:27:26 +0100, Clive Page
wrote:

TfL recently sent me an email message to tell me that:

quote
I am writing to let you know that after Easter, we will be carrying out
improvement work at King's Cross St. Pancras Tube station; this is part
of our plans to modernise the Tube. As a result, we are making changes
to the ticket hall and the ticket windows will be permanently closed.
end quote

Well we all knew of TfL's desire to do away with all these pesky ticket
windows, but on Saturday I happened to walk past the western ticket
office at King's Cross twice. Both in the morning and in late afternoon
the queue for the ticket windows was so full that it didn't all fit in
the zig-zag barriers, there must have been 30 or 40 people waiting each
time. The queue noticeably lengthens soon after a train from Paris or
Brussels arrives.

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.

Whatever the reason, there are going to be a lot of unhappy customers
there after Easter. And TfL shows no signs at all of opening the
refurbished enquiry office near the western ticket hall which was closed
a few months ago.

I don't know all the ins and outs, not living in London, but I
understood the plan was to redeploy staff to the passenger areas to
assist passengers. I assume there will be staff to assist visitors
and others in operating the machines.

Since there are almost always non-trivial queues at every King's Cross ticket machine how is that going to work, then?

I assume (a) the majority of passengers will not require assistance
and (b) priority will be given to assisting the person at the head of
the queue.

Last time I had to wait for one of the party to use a King's Cross ticket office it was because he needed to buy a priv ticket. How will that work without a ticket office?

At my local station (ScotRail) there is an option to select 'Railcard'
then the appropriate form of Railcard. The fare is adjusted
accordingly and the nature of the Railcard (eg SNR) is printed on the
face of the ticket. I assume a similar system is not beyond the wit
and genius of the southerners.

On 29/03/2015 16:46, wrote:

On Sunday, 29 March 2015 12:50:39 UTC+1, Scott wrote:
[...]
I don't know all the ins and outs, not living in London, but I
understood the plan was to redeploy staff to the passenger areas to
assist passengers. I assume there will be staff to assist visitors
and others in operating the machines.

Since there are almost always non-trivial queues at every King's Cross ticket machine how is that going to work, then?

It's hard to see it being other than something of a calamity.


Last time I had to wait for one of the party to use a King's Cross ticket office it was because he needed to buy a priv ticket. How will that work without a ticket office?


I *think* priv fares will be on the hidden menu on ticket machines,
accessible only by the roving staff.