Turning up at the railway station to catch the Bathurst Bullet with a heavy pocketful of coins is now a thing of the past.
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From now on passengers will be able to purchase their tickets from the travel centre at the station using notes, coins, credit or EFTPOS cards on the day of travel. The travel centre opens at 5.15am.
Customers will still be able to use the current outdoor ticket machine if they prefer.
The improvement in service follows a visit to Bathurst by NSW Trains chief executive Rob Mason who saw first-hand customer’s frustration with their coin-only ticket vending machine.
Mr Mason met with Member for Bathurst Paul Toole and John Hollis from Rail Action Bathurst in early July and all agreed the coin-only ticket machine was inadequate to meet customers’ needs.
Mr Toole said he was contacted by a number of constituents in relation to the ticketing problems they were experiencing.
“It is a credit to NSW Trains that they have addressed this issue in such an expedient manner,” Mr Toole said.
“It very clear that consumers wanted less queues and a faster way to buy tickets and the outcome is one that I am sure will be welcomed.
“If customers wish to purchase tickets before the day of travelling, they can do so at the Bathurst Post Office up to a year before they travel.
“These actions are certainly reflective of the value that is given to regional consumers who undertake to travel and support the Bathurst Bullet,” Mr Toole said.
Mr Mason said the changes mean Bullet passengers won’t need to worry about arriving at the station extra-early to battle with the machine and the exact amount of coins.
“Customers can now either purchase their Bathurst Bullet ticket over the counter in the travel centre, which opens at 5.15am, or use the existing ticket machine on the platform,” the chief executive said.
“The new ticket machine makes travelling easier and more convenient for customers catching the Bathurst Bullet.”
Both Mr Toole and Mr Mason thanked the Western Region Manager, Michael Meredith, now based in Bathurst, for his efforts in fast-tracking this initiative.