1. What is ITSO Smartcard Ticketing?
2. How does it work?
3. How do I get the key?
4. Where can I use the key?
5. When will my local station become part of the scheme?
6. I have an ITSO card but not a London Midland one - can I use it?
7. Is it the same as Oyster?
8. Will season ticket holders need a photocard?
9. What kind of tickets are available?
10. How do I load tickets onto the key?
11. How do I purchase a ticket online, how does it get onto my smartcard?
12. Collecting the smartcard ticket
13. How do I use the smartcard readers?
14. My station has ticket gates, but no smartcard reader
15. If I forget to ‘touch in’ or ‘touch out’ will I get a fine?
16. How will my smartcard be used during the journey?
17. My smartcard has stopped working
18. My smartcard has been stolen / lost
19. I have an ITSO smartcard which was not issued by London Midland and it has stopped working, but there is a rail product on it
20. How do I get compensation when there is disruption to my journey (Delay Repay)?
21. Why has the Snow Hill route been chosen for the trial?
22. What if I want to cancel my card? Will I get a refund?
23. What if my details are wrong or if I need to change my details?
24. Can I change the products on my smartcard?
25. How much does the key cost?
26. I can’t access my online account?
27. Do I need a new key when my ticket expires?
28. How do I find out when my ticket on the key is due to expire?
29. Why do monthly tickets on the key smartcard cost more than normal ntrain tickets?
30. Why does it cost more to buy tickets on the key smartcard than by direct debit?
31. Can I still get my ‘friends and family’ discount in the Network West Midlands area with the key smartcard?
32. Can I leave and join the train at any station in between those stated on my ticket?
33. When I touch in or out at an intermediate station it displays an error message.
34. How can I find out which station I nominated to load my season ticket onto the key?
35. I am having problems loading my season ticket onto my key smartcard.
1. What is ITSO Smartcard Ticketing?
ITSO Smartcard Ticketing is an electronic system which makes ticket purchase easier, quicker and hassle free. Instead of magnetically encoded, paper based tickets which must be thrown away when they expire, ITSO Smartcards can be recharged again and again. London Midland's ITSO smartcard is called the key.
The key will enable customers to:
- Purchase online and collect at stations in a one-touch transaction;
- Purchase ticket products at self service machines quicker and much easier in the future
- Secure products, which can be quickly cancelled if lost or stolen;
- Enjoy faster journey time through ticket barrier gates;
- Experience fewer season ticket replacements, through the added robustness of smartcards;
- In future, benefit from new products and integrated transport opportunities.
2. How does it work?
If you are participating in our trial scheme and have received the key smartcard you will be able to load tickets on it as soon as you have activated it.
Online purchase is the easiest and quickest way to load a ticket onto the key.
Once you have confirmed the ticket you need, you will be asked where you would like to load your smartcard ticket. When you get to your nominated collection station, look for the smartcard readers or the Automatic Ticket Gates.
The smartcard readers are upright posts with readers fixed onto them. Customers holding the key smartcard should use these readers to ‘touch in’ and ‘touch out’ when they enter or exit the station. To load a ticket which has been purchased online, simply touch the key smartcard on the reader.
At stations with Automatic Ticket Gates, customers should touch the key on the smartcard reader located on top of the gateline walkways. You do not need to take your smartcard out of its wallet to do this. This is also how you enter and exit the station using the key.
You won’t be able to get an ITSO Smartcard from a station ticket office, or buy smartcard tickets at the ticket office window. Smartcards can only be applied for online or over the phone.
3. How do I get the key?
Following several months of testing by our own team, the system is now ready. However, it’s always sensible to roll out new technology gradually. This is why we are trialling the scheme over the next couple of months with around 100 of our customers who are due to renew monthly or annual passes during late January/early February.
Unless you have been contacted directly by our Smartcard team you will be unable to apply for the key. Once we have completed this trail we will be making the scheme available to everyone.
4. Where can I use the key?
The trial phase of the key is currently taking place between Worcester and Kidderminster. the key is available to season ticket holders along this route, replacing their existing paper based tickets.
5. When will my local station become part of the scheme?
The key will be rolled out on a phased basis across London Midland routes. Exact dates are still to be confirmed but we anticipate that the majority of stations will become part of the scheme between 2010 and early 2012.
6. I have an ITSO card but not a London Midland one - can I use it?
The principle of ITSO is that you will be able to use cards bearing the ITSO logo even if they are not issued by London Midland. However, before you can use an ITSO card that hasn’t been issued by London Midland, you will need to register your details with us first. It should also be noted that the only tickets currently available in our trial are season tickets for journeys along the route between Worcester and Kidderminster. If you would like to participate in the trial with an ITSO card that isn’t a London Midland issued card, please get in touch with us at smartcardcomments@londonmidland.com
7. Is it the same as Oyster?
The key is similar in principle to Oyster in that it is an electronic card capable of storing a season ticket. It only needs to be touched onto a smartcard reader or Automatic Ticket Gate reader at the start and end of a journey or when collecting pre-purchased tickets from the web.
The key will not be the same as Oyster Pay As You Go as it will not be able to be ‘topped up’ with money for pay-as-you-go travel. This development may come at a later stage as we recognise that this is an attractive option but the National Rail fares structure outside London is very complex so a Pay As You Go option cannot be introduced straight away.
8. Will season ticket holders need a photocard?
Season tickets will continue to need to be supported by photographic ID, but smartcards give more flexibility on what types of photographic ID can be used:
- Existing season ticket holders can continue to use their paper based photo card;
- Alternatively, customers holding a valid photo based UK Driving Licence can use this as their Photo ID; or
- NUS Student ID or other nationally recognised photo ID cards can also be used.
Season ticket holders eligible for reduced rate (concessionary) travel such as Children or Scholars will need to apply for an integrated photographic smartcard, as per point 3 above.
9. What kind of tickets are available?
The product range we will offer on the key will include the following ticket types on Snow Hill lines:
- Annual, monthly, weekly Adult point-to-point season tickets.
Additional ticket types will be added in the future.
Please note: you can buy a smartcard season ticket for any journey on the Snow Hill lines (where launched) but not ntrain passes. However, if you don’t need the flexibility of an ntrain pass, we have introduced a new range of season tickets between any two points on the Snow Hill lines. These are cheaper than ntrain tickets and can be loaded onto your smartcard.
10. How do I load tickets onto the key?
- Online, through the London Midland ticket sales website by clicking here. We would recommend this as the quickest and easiest option; or
- In the future, through a smartcard enabled Self Service Ticket Vending Machine at London Midland managed stations.
11. How do I purchase a ticket online, how does it get onto my smartcard?
Online purchase is the easiest and quickest way to load a ticket product onto the key. A link from this page will take you to the login screen.
Enter your email address, together with your password you chose when you applied for your smartcard. This will take you to your personal homepage, which will contain details on the contents of your card and all recent ticket purchases so that you can quickly renew them.
Alternatively, click the "Buy a New Ticket" link and enter your journey requirements in the boxes provided and the website will display the whole range of smartcard enabled tickets which are available for purchase.
Once you have confirmed the ticket you need, you will be asked where you would like to load your smartcard ticket. You will probably want to do this from the station closest to where you live or work or from any location convenient to you, as long as it is a smartcard enabled station. Your ticket will be available to load onto your smartcard within 2 hours of purchasing the ticket online, except if you are loading it on at Birmingham Snow Hill or Birmingham Moor Street, where it will be available next day.
12. Collecting the smartcard ticket
When you get to your nominated collection station, look for the smartcard reader.
The majority of London Midland stations within the trial area of the Snow Hill lines will have smartcard readers. The smartcard readers are upright posts with a reader fixed onto them (circled in red, right). They will be clearly signposted so that they can be easily located by customers. To load a ticket which has been purchased online, simply touch the key on the smartcard reader’s yellow target. The ticket previously purchased online will be automatically loaded onto the smartcard and a confirmation message will be displayed on the screen, together with a green light and an audible confirmation tone.
That’s all you need to do – your smartcard will now contain the ticket you purchased online and at the same time a ‘touch in’ will have been carried out so you only need to touch the smartcard reader once.
At stations with Automatic Ticket Gates, the only way of getting onto the platforms with a smartcard is to touch it on the yellow target on top of the gateline posts (circled in red, left). Simply touch the key on the target in the same way as you would do if you were entering the platforms. The ticket you purchased online will be automatically loaded onto your card and the gateline paddles will open to let you onto the station. A confirmation message will also be displayed on the gateline screen, together with a green light and an audible confirmation tone. That’s all you need to do – your smartcard will now contain the ticket you purchased online and you can enter the station to travel. Please note, collections from Birmingham Snow Hill or Birmingham Moor Street will be available next day following purchase.
13. How do I use the smartcard readers?
Simply hold your card against the target and wait for audio and visual confirmation of a successful ‘touch in’, ‘touch out’ or ticket collection. You don’t have to take it out of your wallet as the target is contactless and can read cards through wallets.
The smartcard reader will provide audio and visual confirmation as follows:
- Audio – clearly audible ‘beep’ will sound
- Visual – a green or yellow LED will briefly light up
- Visual – a confirmation message on screen will be displayed
If the validation is unsuccessful, audio and visual indication will also be provided, with a red LED lighting up instead and a message on screen displayed, explaining why the validation has failed.
If this happens, please seek assistance from a member of staff at the first available opportunity.
14. My station has ticket gates, but no smartcard reader
If a station has had automatic ticket gates installed, it doesn’t need smartcard readers as all the functions that are performed by a smartcard reader can be found on an automatic ticket gate walkway.
Customers still need to ‘touch in’ and ‘touch out’, but they can do this by simply touching their card against the smartcard reader on the gateline walkway, which will also open the gates.
15. If I forget to ‘touch in’ or ‘touch out’ will I get a fine?
London Midland is not currently proposing to levy fines on customers failing to ‘touch in’ or ‘touch out’.
16. How will my smartcard be used during the journey?
On board and at station ticket checkers will be issued hand held smart card readers.
The hand held readers can read a card through your wallet, so simply hold your wallet or smartcard out when you get your ticket checked and the staff member will place the reader against it to check your smartcard.
17. My smartcard has stopped working
Station and on board staff will be able to assist in the first instance if your card stops working.
London Midland also has a dedicated the key helpline 0121 634 2040 (option 3) which will be able to assist with more specific problems.
18. My smartcard has been stolen / lost
When you report your card as stolen or lost London Midland can cancel it remotely so that it stops working. We can then produce a new card for you and load onto it all the products you had on your original card.
Simply phone the key helpline 0121 634 2040 (option 3) to report a stolen or lost card and we will do the rest. Note that there may be an administration charge levied for this service.
19. I have an ITSO smartcard which was not issued by London Midland and it has stopped working, but there is a rail product on it
You should report this to your card issuer (the contact details for which should be printed on the back of the card).
20. How do I get compensation when there is disruption to my journey (Delay Repay)?
Delay Repay can be applied for through a web-based form, which is accessible via www.londonmidland.com/delayrepay.
You must ‘touch in’ and ‘touch out’ when you use the key in order to be eligible for Delay / Repay compensation after times of disruption to the train service.
This is so the times of travel recorded by the card can be reconciled with any major delays or disruption occurring on the network at the same time, which would lead to you being compensated for the poor quality of their journey.
If you do not ‘touch in’ and ‘touch out’ we cannot see if you are eligible for a refund so you may not receive all that you are entitled to.
21. Why has the Snow Hill route been chosen for the trial?
The Snow Hill line is a self-contained network with gated and non-gated stations, together with an interface with another train operator.
22. What if I want to cancel my card? Will I get a refund?
Yes, like you would with a normal ticket. Simply log into your account online and follow the process.
23. What if my details are wrong or if I need to change my details?
Log into your account online and you’ll be able to change these.
24. Can I change the products on my smartcard?
If you wish to change any of the products on your smartcard, please call 0121 634 2040 (option 3).
25. How much does the key cost?
The key is completely free of charge.
26. I can’t access my online account?
If you’re having difficulty logging into your account, please call 0121 634 2040 (option 3).
27. Do I need a new smartcard when my ticket expires?
No, one of the benefits of having the key is that it can be reused again and again.
28. How do I find out when my ticket on the key is due to expire?
Simply log into your account online.
29. Why do monthly tickets on the key smartcard cost more than normal ntrain tickets?
They don’t. Point-to-point smartcard season tickets are valid for a calendar month (up to 31 days), whereas – unlike any other season ticket - ntrain tickets are valid for exactly 4 weeks (28 days). On a ‘per day’ basis, smartcard tickets are therefore cheaper.
30. Why does it cost more to buy tickets on the key smartcard than by direct debit?
The ntrain direct debit scheme is administered by Centro and prices are based on the annual ticket price. With an annual ticket, you get 52 weeks for the price of 40 weeks.
31. Can I still get my ‘friends and family’ discount in the Network West Midlands area with the key smartcard?
Yes, this discount is available if you have a monthly or annual season ticket on the key smartcard. Simply present the card at the ticket office.
32. Can I leave and join the train at any station in between those stated on my ticket?
Yes, you are allowed to break your journey at any station between the origin and destination stations of your ticket. However, due to an issue with the current software, if you touch in or touch out at stations en route your journey will not be registered, and the smartcard reader will display a red light / error message and make an audible alert. We are currently developing a solution for this.
33. When I touch in or out at an intermediate station it displays an error message.
This is due to the current software not recognising intermediate stations, although a solution is being developed. Despite the error message, the season ticket is still valid when breaking your journey at intermediate stations.
34. How can I find out which station I nominated to load my season ticket onto the key?
Log in your online account and look in 'your bookings'. Click on the relevant booking to see which station you nominated.
35. I am having problems loading my season ticket onto my key smartcard.
To load a season ticket onto your smartcard takes about 3 seconds. You must wait until the smartcard reader indicates that the ticket has loaded. Moving your smartcard away before the process has finished will cause the season ticket to become corrupt. If this happens please contact our 'key' helpline on 0844 811 0133 or 0121 634 2040 (option 3) from a mobile between 0700-2200hrs, 7 days a week.
