Buying train tickets = utter fucking shite

[beesonthewhatnow]

Currently trying to buy a ticket to Manchester for this Thursday.

Never mind the fact that the national rail website is a shit bit of design, and that I can't get my head around the various ticket options, but myself and aqua have just put identical search terms in on two different laptops and have been given totally different prices back

Then I get told that my ticket if only valid on one service, but that service isn't then available on the list I need to select from.



Utter fucking shite.



This is why cars are better.

 

[editor]

Go to www.thetrainline.co.uk and be sure to look up 2x single fare options.

And cars aren't better.

 

[Roadkill]

No, don't use trainline! Nationalrail.co.uk is far better IME. Or better still, look at the website of the train operating firm, since you may well find ticket deals there that aren't available elsewhere.

And yes, it goes without saying that the railway ticket system is an over-complicated bag of crap, recent reforms or no!

 

[Grandma Death]

Ive been hearing a lot about megatrain.com. I did try booking tickets for a trip to wales mid august but its limited to certain operators.

Went to trainline and got two singles from Manchester to Cardiff...£10 each. Bargain

 

[soulman]

You could go in to your nearest manned, oops staffed, station and let them sort it all for you.

 

[Roadkill]

Ive been hearing a lot about megatrain.com. I did try booking tickets for a trip to wales mid august but its limited to certain operators.

South-West Trains only, at present.

All it is, is a cleverly branded way of shifting spare capacity on underused off-peak trains. Nowt wrong with it - except it's Stagecoach - but it's no great innovation.

 

[geminisnake]

And cars aren't better.

Depends on where you live and where you want to travel to.
I'm with bees on this one, buying train tickets online can be a total nightmare and lottery

 

[scifisam]

It took me about three hours last night to get tickets to Plymouth from London - of which about about an hour was persuading the website to accept my railcard discount.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

So we have thetrainline, megatrain, nationalrail and fuck knows how many other websites flogging tickets, all at different prices, all with different restrictions, and at the end of it all you'll be sat ON THE SAME FUCKING TRAIN

This system is a fucking shambles.

 

[moomoo]

So we have thetrainline, megatrain, nationalrail and fuck knows how many other websites flogging tickets, all at different prices, all with different restrictions, and at the end of it all you'll be sat ON THE SAME FUCKING TRAIN

This system is a fucking shambles.

Add in Bookotel who I have to use for work and you've got the whole set of imbeciles.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

And cars aren't better.

Until they sort out the shambolic mess that is the railway network at the moment, then cars are quicker, easier and often far cheaper by a country mile, which is a shit state of affairs.

 

[aqua]

train tickets booked for £13 return

 

[moomoo]

train tickets booked for £13 return

Thank god for that!

 

[scifisam]

It's roughly £55 each before the railcard discount down to Plymouth, and then there's a long (15 mile) taxi ride at the other end. If any of us could drive, we probably would hire a car.

 

[SpookyFrank]

If you think the trains are fun wait until they privatise the NHS as well:

"Well the next ambulance is the express ambulance so you won't be able to get the saver ticket for that one I'm afraid. If you've got the £85 on you in cash that'll be fine, otherwise you'll need to go to the ambulance depot and prebook your pulmonary embolism if you want to pay by card. Ah, I see you've written in your own regurgitated blood on the pavement that you're happy to pay by cheque, so you should be fine with the express service. Oh dear, it seems you've just missed that one while we were talking. Not to worry, the super saver ambulance should be along shortly. That one takes a little bit longer as it goes round via Walthamstow, Inverness and Tierra del Fuego but it should still get you there, ooh, just four days after you've died. The good news of course is that on this service you can get the off-peak fare, and you should be able to pay by card for that one as well. So it all works out in the end you see, isn't it wonderful that we have so much choice these days? Don't you think so sir? Sir? Aah, it looks like you've died. Don't worry sir, I'll just contact your estate to settle the enquiry fee. Have nice day."

 

[lenny101]

Cheap train tickets to Manc:

http://www.mobitix.thetrainline.com/vt/advancePurchase.aspx

 

[mattie]

The first great western website which deals with ticketing is identical to thetrainline, but doens't charge delivery or credit card fees. thetrainline is therefore on my shitlist for being a ripoff.

 

[mhwfc]

The first great western website which deals with ticketing is identical to thetrainline, but doens't charge delivery or credit card fees. thetrainline is therefore on my shitlist for being a ripoff.

IIRC all the train companies' websites apart from Virgin and National Express East Coast use the same system as the Trainline so it takes the piss that www.thetrainline.co.uk charges fees for credit cards, postage and even using those pissawful "Fast" Ticket machines that barely ever work.

 

[DG55]

I think most of these sites just reuse the same timetable/ticketing system, the trainline and national rail look exactly the same.

I've had the same thing in the past, usually the fare changes when you click the 'earlier' and 'later' link on the prices page, if you go backwards and forwards you might find the cheaper tickets being exposed.

Also remember to check whether you're looking for two singles (can be much cheaper in advance, such as £10 each way), and not returns.


The Trainline did piss me off the last time I used it, trying to flog me insurance, charging a percentage to use a credit or debit card, and even charging me for picking my tickets up from the machine (£2!)!!

Almost as bad as the low budget airlines! Soon they'll be flogging 'priority' boarding, and charging for luggage!

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

utter fucking shite.
went to book tickets from paddington to the west country. Ran into the following issues:
can't book tickets more than three months in advance, so in order to get an idea of the price I chose the furthest date I could book. Just inside the three month period. Returns were extortionate, cheap singles were only one way, the return single fare was 5 times as expensive as the fare out there.
not sure how the cheap singles were sold out on the return journey? This is three months away.

They wouldn't then accept a foreign address for registration.
THe total cost is more expensive than my flight to England.

What remains the cheaper alternative that ensures us a seat and some degree of comfort?

Renting a car.

Nice one first great western. You fucked up.

 

[baldrick]

not sure how the cheap singles were sold out on the return journey? This is three months away.

Nice one first great western. You fucked up.

The cheap tickets wouldn't have been released yet.

You need to look for them 8-6 weeks before you travel.

D'oh.

 

[baldrick]

Never mind the fact that the national rail website is a shit bit of design, and that I can't get my head around the various ticket options, but myself and aqua have just put identical search terms in on two different laptops and have been given totally different prices back

the national rail website is a piece of piss to use.

i know the train service isn't perfect, but i don't agree that cars are better.

and look!!! return tickets for £13. You couldn't do that in a car

 

[felixthecat]

Nice one first great western. You fucked up.

Believe me, thats nothing new

 

[Epico]

I've given up on the cheap fares anyway - there are so many, and if you get delayed for any reason you're not necessarily going to get any flexiblitily if you miss your train.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

The cheap tickets wouldn't have been released yet.

You need to look for them 8-6 weeks before you travel.

D'oh.

yeah cos that makes perfect sense.

Outgoing single is £23

Return Single is £112

Each.

There is nothing on their website that details that buying their tickets is a lottery where you have to guess the best time to buy them.

Price for a car for four days is £93

 

[Cobbles]

What remains the cheaper alternative that ensures us a seat and some degree of comfort?

Renting a car.

You forgot to mention flexibility.

I've given up on booking cheapo fares in advance as that just ties you down to a limited selection of times - miss it and it's full-fares-ville anyway.

 

[editor]

can't book tickets more than three months in advance, so in order to get an idea of the price I chose the furthest date I could book. Just inside the three month period. Returns were extortionate, cheap singles were only one way, the return single fare was 5 times as expensive as the fare out there.
not sure how the cheap singles were sold out on the return journey? This is three months away.

Unless it's a Bank Holiday, it's highly unlikely that all train tickets are going to sell out three months in advance.

The 'two singles' number is a bit of a pain, but I've just got a first class single to Bury for £18 which sure seems worth the minimal effort needed to source it.

 

[Idaho]

So we have thetrainline, megatrain, nationalrail and fuck knows how many other websites flogging tickets, all at different prices, all with different restrictions, and at the end of it all you'll be sat ON THE SAME FUCKING TRAIN

This system is a fucking shambles.

Contrast with 40,000 cars driving from Brimingham to Manchester that day all with one driver in them

Which is the true shambles?

 

[baldrick]

yeah cos that makes perfect sense.

Outgoing single is £23

Return Single is £112

Each.

There is nothing on their website that details that buying their tickets is a lottery where you have to guess the best time to buy them.

Price for a car for four days is £93

that's generally been my experience though. i buy a lot of rail tickets, because i don't drive.

that return price is hideous though where are going and what dates?

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Well it will be during half term week (but that's half term here, not sure about England - since my gf is a teacher). I was just trying to scope for approximate price. But apparently it seems you can't which is crazy.

I don't want to rent a car since it won't be necessary and I don't really agree with it but if it works out cheaper, it just shows transport strategy in the UK is bonkers.