Query about collecting tickets

[thejuggler]

I have just booked a return ticket Cork-Dublin through work. In other words they have booked the ticket and asked me to tell them the name on my credit card so that I can collect it from the machine in Kent Station Cork before my journey.
Is this standard practice - ie will the machine issue the ticket just based on the name on the credit card and not the number? (the ticket was not booked using my credit card)
Additionally if I was to go to the station say a day or two before the journey will the machine print the ticket for me in advance or will this only work on the morning of my journey.

[Mark Gleeson]

Irish Rail have a special online portal for company accounts which allows funny things like this.

It may come as a suprise but track 1 on the mag stripe on your credit card contains the full name as printed on the front of the card.

Once you have a credit card or laser card with a matching name the automatic ticket collection will work. Otherwise just present the card at the booking office and they wil issue the ticket

Tickets can be collected from the booking office or machine within a few minutes of online purchase regardless of the date of travel. If you have multiple reservations to collect the automatic machine will list them and ask you to choose which one you want. I've done this personally

[Thomas Ralph]

The machine will match the card number and print immediately (or ask you to choose if you have multiple reservations unprinted on that card), or match the name on the card if you enter the reservation number.

Reservations can be collected within an hour or less of being made, assuming the station you're going to has a collection machine or booking office with the relevant computer (most of the available station options do, bar a couple on the Dublin-Rosslare line).

You can alternatively present photo ID or the card used to make the booking at the ticket office and they'll print it off.

[thejuggler]

Thanks for the info folks. I've gotten a printout with a reservation number from the person who made the reservation for me so if all else fails with the ticket machine I can take it to the ticket window and let them print it for me.

Seems like a security issue though. What if someone with the same name as yourself put their credit card in the machine and printed off your ticket.

Thanks again

[Mark Gleeson]

I was thinking that, however

1. You tell the system where you want to collect the tickets, so I can't collect your ticket in Dublin even if the names matched

2. We can't replicate the scenario of two people same name, though same person two credit cards with two different ie accounts will do. I've had the machine ask me for the reservation number so there may be an extra level of checks if there is a match

[Thomas Ralph]

Originally Posted by thejuggler

What if someone with the same name as yourself put their credit card in the machine and printed off your ticket.

Aside from what Mark mentioned, a card name match without a number match also will trigger a request for the reservation number to be entered.