FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. — Train riders at three large stations in Connecticut just lost a bit of the personal touch on Metro-North — at least when it comes to buying tickets.
Do you agree with the decision to close the Metro-North ticket booths?
- Yes, the APP will be easier
- No, sometimes you just need a ticket booth
- I never take the train
Metro-North closed its ticket booths in Greenwich, South Norwalk and Bridgeport as of Saturday, Sept. 10.
The stations are all along the New Haven Line, the biggest railroad line in the nation. The closure is set for Saturday, Sept. 10.
Now the ticket offices, which were staffed by MTA employees, are permanently shuttered, train riders will have to purchase tickets either from machines or use the MTA's new eTix smartphone app.
The new app works for tickets on the whole New Haven Line - including the New Canaan, Danbury, and Waterbury branches.
Train riders can purchase tickets via the app on their mobile devices, then once on board, show the digital ticket on their screen to the conductor.
"This is another step forward in customer service and convenience for Connecticut's commuters, who rely on a modern and effective transportation system to get to work and go about their daily routines each and every day," Gov. Dannel Malloy last month in announcing the app. "On the busiest commuter rail line in the country, this new smartphone app will save everyone time and add convenience."
The "MTA eTix" can be downloaded, with versions available for both Apple and Android devices using those key words.
App users can also check train schedules and see their train's service status. It also offers account management tools, giving customers the ability to secure refunds for unused mobile tickets, request duplicate receipts, and manage account information.
To use a digital ticket with the app, commuters will need to create an account and then follow three steps:
- Purchase a ticket by entering information about origin and destination, select the type of ticket (one way, round trip, ten trip, or weekly), and enter credit card or debit card information. The ticket is then saved in an electronic "Ticket Wallet" feature in the app.
- Before boarding a train, the commuter should pull up the ticket from the device's "Ticket Wallet" and activate it by tapping the "activate ticket" button.
- When a conductor walks through the train to ask for tickets, the commuter should have the activated digital ticket displayed and show the smartphone screen to the conductor. The conductor will visually inspect the mobile ticket, which incorporates digital anti-counterfeiting features.
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