Comments on: How to avoid TheTrainLine fees http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/ Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:50:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Iain http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-125087 Iain Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:51:54 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-125087 I have recently paid for a ticket with with a debit card and they insisted that I had paid with a credit card, incurring a £2.50 fee. I have to send them my bank statement to claim the money back. How many other people have they caught out with this scam and how much are they raking in from those who don't reclaim the money or the interest they earn on it all? I bet it happens too often for it to be a mistake!! I have recently paid for a ticket with with a debit card and they insisted that I had paid with a credit card, incurring a £2.50 fee. I have to send them my bank statement to claim the money back. How many other people have they caught out with this scam and how much are they raking in from those who don’t reclaim the money or the interest they earn on it all? I bet it happens too often for it to be a mistake!!

]]> By: Keith Mansfield http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-114716 Keith Mansfield Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:23:04 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-114716 Well said - surely they must be steadily losing business? When thetrainline first started I used it all the time and thought it was great. Now I use it as the basic first step for my journey, see who's operating the trains I want and then go to their site (powered by thetrainline) to buy from them instead (without any fees). Though the other thing to worry about is the appallingly designed and over-complicated user interface on the fast ticket machines at the stations! Well said - surely they must be steadily losing business? When thetrainline first started I used it all the time and thought it was great. Now I use it as the basic first step for my journey, see who’s operating the trains I want and then go to their site (powered by thetrainline) to buy from them instead (without any fees).

Though the other thing to worry about is the appallingly designed and over-complicated user interface on the fast ticket machines at the stations!

]]> By: Frank http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-104733 Frank Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:54:19 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-104733 They are indeed taking the ****, but instead of complaining here I think we should be writing to the trainline.com... They are indeed taking the ****, but instead of complaining here I think we should be writing to the trainline.com…

]]> By: Clive http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-93110 Clive Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:11:55 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-93110 The trainline are now trying to charge 50p for the use of debit card! The trainline are now trying to charge 50p for the use of debit card!

]]> By: Ellie O'Mahoney http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-90048 Ellie O'Mahoney Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:16:09 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-90048 Thanks so much for this post. Am beyond livid with thetrainline.com HOW arrogant to think they can just start charging customers for old rope? 50p to pick up a ticket from a train station? Pah. Have also TOTALLY had it with their overseas call centres. I'm only 28, but they've prematurely turned me into a grumpy, letter-writing old lady! Thanks so much for this post. Am beyond livid with thetrainline.com HOW arrogant to think they can just start charging customers for old rope? 50p to pick up a ticket from a train station? Pah.

Have also TOTALLY had it with their overseas call centres.

I’m only 28, but they’ve prematurely turned me into a grumpy, letter-writing old lady!

]]> By: John Ackers http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-84985 John Ackers Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:45:10 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-84985 I agree with Bill, the http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com web site is really excellent. It's a much better site than trainline. However, assuming it works with same back end, it will still find the same fares. I agree with Bill, the http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com web site is really excellent. It’s a much better site than trainline. However, assuming it works with same back end, it will still find the same fares.

]]> By: globus http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-82417 globus Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:15:55 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-82417 globus has found that by using the virgin trains site rather than thetrainline site, one can still book rail online but avoid thetrainline's booking fees. the site uses the same platform but has yet to introduce a fee per card :-) globus has found that by using the virgin trains site rather than thetrainline site, one can still book rail online but avoid thetrainline’s booking fees. the site uses the same platform but has yet to introduce a fee per card :-)

]]> By: Alison De La Pena http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-79908 Alison De La Pena Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:09:21 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-79908 Thankyou for the article - I have used the trainline.com for years but couldn't believe it when I saw the new fees! 50p to pick up the ticket yourself from a machine....er no thankyou! Instead I had booked my tickets through the Virgin website, as you say this can be for any train company and no fees charged at all. I complained to the trainline and just received a standard response. I hope you publicise this further - I think its one for Watchdog surely? Alison Thankyou for the article - I have used the trainline.com for years but couldn’t believe it when I saw the new fees! 50p to pick up the ticket yourself from a machine….er no thankyou! Instead I had booked my tickets through the Virgin website, as you say this can be for any train company and no fees charged at all.

I complained to the trainline and just received a standard response. I hope you publicise this further - I think its one for Watchdog surely?

Alison

]]> By: Jonathan http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-78880 Jonathan Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:21:03 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-78880 The "book another journey" button's still there as I tried it. It's not at the most intuitive stage of the buying process, though. I doubt station staff will look at every combination of separate tickets to find the cheapest one unless you push them to. I actually prefer booking online as it means I am able to do this for myself. It takes a great deal of patience, though, as the web interface isn't great as you point out. I for one would be interested in developing a website to find the cheapest fare automatically. But the problem is getting access to the data. That would no doubt involve paying big licensing fees to ATOC, who have an interest in such a site not existing. MoneySavingExpert has an article full of tricks to find cheap tickets (including splitting the journey): http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-train-tickets They say they are working on a web interface to do it, but it's said that for a couple of years now so don't hold your breath. The “book another journey” button’s still there as I tried it. It’s not at the most intuitive stage of the buying process, though.

I doubt station staff will look at every combination of separate tickets to find the cheapest one unless you push them to. I actually prefer booking online as it means I am able to do this for myself. It takes a great deal of patience, though, as the web interface isn’t great as you point out.

I for one would be interested in developing a website to find the cheapest fare automatically. But the problem is getting access to the data. That would no doubt involve paying big licensing fees to ATOC, who have an interest in such a site not existing. MoneySavingExpert has an article full of tricks to find cheap tickets (including splitting the journey):
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-train-tickets
They say they are working on a web interface to do it, but it’s said that for a couple of years now so don’t hold your breath.

]]> By: Steve http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-78864 Steve Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:08:16 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/#comment-78864 I take your point and am very aware of how dysfunctional the UK travel network can be. I just feel that as a customer asking for advice on travel I should be able to trust the people who's job (read: professional responsibility) it is to find the best value fares. TheTrainline advised me that the cheapest option available was £33 - and that is simply wrong it's £13.50! Whether this is incompetence, laziness, a fault in the system or malicious is largely irrelevant - I am still being given incorrect information and am potentially out of pocket! All this means is that I can't trust them as they are clearly not providing the service they claim to - this is devastating for their business (certainly from my perspective; I have no stake here and I really couldn't care less) as the end result is that I will simply go elsewhere - probably to the kiosk in the station where I can talk to a real live person and investigate all available options - to their credit they are usually very helpful; the lady who helped me yesterday was lovely, better than any of the ticketing web sites any day! All that help, the best value tickets, a friendly natter and no booking fees, postage costs, registration forms, failed queries, naff design, broken web pages, insurance offers, hotel offers, hire car offers or divulgence of personal information and subsequent marketing harassment... anywhere in sight :-) I've come over all nostalgic, remember the days when none of this was available - do computers really make our lives better? I didn't find the 'book another journey' button when I tried. I'll take your word for it! All the best Steve I take your point and am very aware of how dysfunctional the UK travel network can be.

I just feel that as a customer asking for advice on travel I should be able to trust the people who’s job (read: professional responsibility) it is to find the best value fares. TheTrainline advised me that the cheapest option available was £33 - and that is simply wrong it’s £13.50! Whether this is incompetence, laziness, a fault in the system or malicious is largely irrelevant - I am still being given incorrect information and am potentially out of pocket! All this means is that I can’t trust them as they are clearly not providing the service they claim to - this is devastating for their business (certainly from my perspective; I have no stake here and I really couldn’t care less) as the end result is that I will simply go elsewhere - probably to the kiosk in the station where I can talk to a real live person and investigate all available options - to their credit they are usually very helpful; the lady who helped me yesterday was lovely, better than any of the ticketing web sites any day! All that help, the best value tickets, a friendly natter and no booking fees, postage costs, registration forms, failed queries, naff design, broken web pages, insurance offers, hotel offers, hire car offers or divulgence of personal information and subsequent marketing harassment… anywhere in sight :-) I’ve come over all nostalgic, remember the days when none of this was available - do computers really make our lives better?

I didn’t find the ‘book another journey’ button when I tried. I’ll take your word for it!

All the best
Steve

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