On the London Underground there are a number of different sorts of tickets that you can buy, but there is one ticket that works at just one station, and you can’t buy it.
You can however download it from the TfL website, and if presented at the ticket barrier will let you though to see something interesting.
It is in fact a rare platform ticket, and while you can still buy platform tickets, such as this 20p pass to go through Southwark tube station to get to Waterloo East, the one I am talking about is rather different.
This mysterious platform ticket can only be downloaded from TfL’s website — and thanks to an error on their website, it’s not where you are told it is — and then it will only work at Canary Wharf tube station on the Jubilee Line — and only so that you can go to the little used far eastern end of the upper ticket hall.
For back here can be found a work of art, and some benches if you want to sit down and admire the art.
It’s one of those video art installations that tends to be very Marmite in its appeal.
The video art runs Mon – Fri 8.30am – 7.30pm and Sat – Sun 10am – 6pm
You can download the free platform pass to go and watch the art from here
But would you even need to download the ticket at all? After all, most people can just use their Oyster card to go in and out of the station at will.
However, any tube geek worth the title is now busily downloading a Canary Wharf platform pass simply to have the chance to wave it at the ticket barrier and be one of the probably fairly few people to actually do so.
The station access document says: “Anyone wishing to see the exhibition does not need to possess a valid travelling ticket. You can access the exhibition by asking a member of staff to you let you past the ticket barriers. After viewing the exhibition you must exit the barriers (which a staff member will also help you do).”
http://art.tfl.gov.uk/file-uploads/fck-files/AOTU_Station%20Access_Canary%20Wharf%20Station.doc
But where’s the fun in that?
Download the platform pass and use it!