Refund from trainline.com

nasalcherry

:oHi

Last weekend i bought 2 advance single tickets to travel from london to cornwall and then back - a single ticket for each way.
But now i do not want to use them! And because they are 'advance single' tickets, the trainline.com won't give any refund! They cost £66!
Has anyone got any advice as to how to get a refund, if it's possible, or perhaps you'd like to travel to cornwall this weekend??!! If i do push for a refund, reading around it seems the normal thing to do is send the unused tickets to thetrainline.com refunds department, and hope that they come to there senses and realise that it would make sense to give a partial refund! Has anyone tried this before?? Currently i haven't collected my tickets from a ticket machine at the station - should i do this to pursure a refund, or not colect them demonstrate that i have not used them????
Or perhaps it's possible to sell them on ebay?

Thanks for any money saving advice

NC

robt_2

They are non-transferable and eBay *will* remove them, they are pretty hot on that.

As long as you know from the outset that you are not entitled to a refund (which you seem to know) then anything will be a bonus, but I really wouldn't get your hopes up.

nasalcherry

Hi was not aware from the outset that the tickets were not refundable - this was not mentioned and it seems when you first look at the refund section on their website that most tickets are - but it turns out that the cheapest advance tickets (the ones that most ppl will buy) aren't. I do not see why they cannot be partly refundable if unused. I'll try to get a refund by post but it seems unlikely.
thanks


NC

omelette451

nasalcherry wrote: »

Hi was not aware from the outset that the tickets were not refundable - this was not mentioned and it seems when you first look at the refund section on their website that most tickets are - but it turns out that the cheapest advance tickets (the ones that most ppl will buy) aren't. I do not see why they cannot be partly refundable if unused.

When you booked your tickets you will have been asked if you agreed with the terms and conditions that apply to that type of ticket. You must have clicked 'yes' because the system won't let you book the tickets if you don't, but did you actually read them? (The full rules can be found here.)

All advance tickets are non-refundable, and you won't get a refund no matter how much fuss you make. They can, however, be exchanged for any other ticket, minus a £10 administration fee.

Finally, on a point of information, I think it is actually very unlikely that 'most people' will buy advance tickets. I don't have the exact figures, but I'd be very surprised if anywhere near half of all train tickets issued were advance fares.

nasalcherry

mmm i was asking for help rather than criticism, but thanks you anyway.
i think i'll move the date of the ticket a couple of months and try to use them then.
Thanks for your time

NC

cazzanotcaz

Would just like to post an update to this thread which is that when earlier today I made a simple mistake of getting the date wrong, I phoned up within 5 mins of making my booking but Trainline wouldn't refund my ticket - and would only exchange for another single ticket, value £80. I had booked the first single ticket because on the (wrong) date of travel 2 singles were cheaper, but on the real date the return single ticket was very expensive. So the deal open to me was to change the first single ticket for an equivalent price . . but instead of the single ticket for the return journey costing approx £28 it would cost £108. Since I could get a return journey for much less, this is what I wanted to book, but I wasn't allowed to because I could only book for another single ticket. Surely this can't be right .. and also shouldn't there be some protection for internet bookers who just make a mistake!!?

dzug1

It's right.

Maybe there should be, but there isn't.

thescouselander

This is just another example of train companies ripping people off - there really is no justification for it. Just because its in the terms and conditions doesn't make it right.

Why can't the trainline rufund the ticket? There is no reason except that now there is one less cheap ticket available it increases the chances of someone else having to buy a more expensive ticket later on. Also they get to pocket the OP's cash without providing anything. A nice little earner I think.

The train is best avoided IMHO.

vikingaero

Trainline is easily the worst company I've used. Everyone should stick to the main operators websites and avoid Trainline even if it's the cheapest. Actually even if travel was free I wouldn't use them.

I booked to go London to Manchester for £60ish. Got to station and put in my card to collect my ticket and the cost had magically shot up to £95. I asked a rep and he "assured" me that I would only be charged the original amount. It took about 6 months of emails and letters to get a refund.

robt_2

thescouselander wrote: »

This is just another example of train companies ripping people off - there really is no justification for it. Just because its in the terms and conditions doesn't make it right.

Why can't the trainline rufund the ticket? There is no reason except that now there is one less cheap ticket available it increases the chances of someone else having to buy a more expensive ticket later on. Also they get to pocket the OP's cash without providing anything. A nice little earner I think.

The train is best avoided IMHO.

To be fair, you are not entitled to a refund from a shop either if you buy the wrong size. This isn't really that different.

thescouselander

robt wrote: »

To be fair, you are not entitled to a refund from a shop either if you buy the wrong size. This isn't really that different.

Yes but most retailers will give you a refund if the item is in resaleable condition - its called looking after your customers. Only yesterday I took a lightbulb back to Sainsburys because it wouldn't fit in my light fitting, my fault but they gave me a refund no questions asked.

In the OP's case the tickets hadn't even been sent out so really it shouldn't be a big deal to cancel the transaction.

The company would have kept their customer on side and would have had allowed someone else to buy a cheaper advance ticket. If they dont refund the ticket potentially two customers will lose out.