Can't buy the ticket I need

[Traincustomer]

I thought the Customer First programme, which the NTA have apparently splashed millions on, was supposed to address issues such as that raised in this thread?

Aside:

Originally Posted by danm14

Not in the slightest bit unreasonable. If I go to a ticket machine in the UK, not only can I buy a simple train ticket to any station in the UK, I can also, among many other things:

• Buy a ticket to any port or railway station in Ireland, covering the train in both countries as well as my choice of ferry route. Likewise for the Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Netherlands and Scottish islands.

It has been my experience that tickets to ports and stations in Ireland can only be issued from staffed booking offices in the UK or purchased online.

[danm14]

Originally Posted by Traincustomer

It has been my experience that tickets to ports and stations in Ireland can only be issued from staffed booking offices in the UK or purchased online.

I've never bought one at a machine, just online, but I do know the Merseyrail ticket machines in Liverpool (at least used to) list DUBLINPORT STENA, DUBLIN FYPT IF and BELFAST NI as destinations, and have the correct fares - I went all the way through the motions of purchasing one to see whether it'd work, and got all the way to paying (didn't actually pay as I already had a ticket).

Not sure how they'd work as regards a ferry reservation for a specific sailing as it didn't ask me to pick a time, but even though it's compulsory the reserved sailing time is generally unimportant for a non-advance ticket once the day is correct and can easily be changed by phone so it mightn't matter if you don't get one.