Rail ticket machines 'confusing', says Which?

Train ticket machines confuse some travellers and fail to provide enough information, according to consumer group Which?

A team of researchers carried out a study into ticket machines located in train stations across London and discovered that while some machines displayed "unhelpful or meaningless information", others failed to show the price of different tickets.

The researchers found the term "any permitted route" particularly confusing in many instances as no details were provided as to which routes the rail company would actually permit customers to use.

According to Which?, about 15 per cent of rail users opt to buy tickets from these machines rather than queue up at the ticket office or purchase directly from an inspector.

After being presented with the findings of the study, a spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies said hundreds of thousands of passengers use the machines each day without experiencing problems.

However, the group added: "Train companies know there are always ways to improve, and are working hard to make the machines more user friendly."

Separate research carried out recently by the Campaign for Better Transport found that some British commuters are paying up to 10 times more in rail fares than their counterparts in other European cities.

Please note, the contents of this news story are not supported or endorsed by The Co-operative Group.