Rail bods, need your help please

Bogof_Babe

Hi, got a slight emergency. OH has fallen off a ladder and damaged his leg (not broken thank goodness but he's all strapped up so can't drive or walk much).

I'm in Southport and there is no facility for collecting Advance tickets at the station here. I feel I ought to go home (to Hereford), but it looks like a £42 walk-on fare is my only option, and I am holding a £11 ticket home for next Sunday, which will be wasted.

Any ideas? He's telling me not to bother, but if there was a way without breaking the bank I think I ought to go.

jd87

Could you give us a little more information? Where are you trying to get to and when?

The most obvious solution would be to get a walk on fare to somewhere like Liverpool and pick up an advance ticket from there. If it's Hereford you are trying to get to, then you could get a walk-up ticket for £4.15 to Liverpool and then an £11 advance ticket which you could pick up from there. Remember advance tickets need to be booked before 6pm the day before travel, so if you want to go tomorrow you need to book the ticket online now. I'd recommend https://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com

Bogof_Babe

Thanks, I was editing my post to put the destination in while you were replying! Yes it is Hereford.

I've looked on the National Express site but most of the Liverpool to Hereford fares are £21 (if I remember correctly, been playing with options for ages), and the only £11 one is too early in the morning, both for practicality and for getting from Southport to Liverpool (peak time rates).

I've tried splitting at Manchester, Chester, Liverpool South Parkway, but not having much luck.

Is there any way of viewing which stations you can collect Advance tickets from without having to go through the motions of buying one? I'm surprised Southport doesn't do this, it seems a bit backward.

jd87

You can check station facilities by searching the station name here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/

Info on if you can collect tickets or not is in the "Ticket buying and collection" section. I agree it's ridiculous you can't collect advance tickets at Southport. Shame on Merseyrail.

[EDIT] Forgot to mention, on the national express east coast website, after you have done the search and have all the options on the screen, click on "show slower routes" on the left hand side and tick the other options there and click update. This brings up more ticket options that don't necessary take longer. You'll find an £11 ticket from Lime Street at 1604 tomorrow.

Bogof_Babe

Well I've missed the 6.00 p.m. deadline for buying Advance, but found I can get Southport to Crewe for £14.60 and Crewe to Hereford for £21.10, total £35.70, so saving £6.30 on the stated through fare.

Will see how things are in the morning. I can go on any trains on those tickets as they are not Advance timed ones.

Bogof_Babe

Do station ticket office staff have any discretion about refunds on pre-booked tickets? I know the t&c's say non-refundable, but might they take pity on me as it's due to a family crisis that I'm not able to use my ticket for next Sunday?

I won't hold my breath. Would be nice to get £11 back though as I'm spending three times that for the same journey.

dzug1

What sort of ticket have you pre-booked? If it's an 'advance' ticket you won't get a refund (station staff have no discretion) but you may be able to change the date/time of travel - for a £10 fee and the difference in fare. You must do this before the original journey time.

If you have prebooked a 'normal' ticket then T&C do allow a refund - again for a £10 fee.

Bogof_Babe

Thanks Dzug. Oh well, it was an Advance, and as it only cost me £11 it's not worth the hassle.

Lemonade_Pockets

National express east coast let me change my ticket once after i booked the wrong ticket by accident. They waived the £10 fee as a goodwill gesture, so it might be worth an ask.

Bogof_Babe

I did ask, and they were very apologetic but couldn't do it. I didn't have much time for a sob story as there was a queue behind me!

I went with the Southport > Crewe and Crewe > Hereford plan, saving £6.30 on the Southport > Hereford fare even though it would use exactly the same trains. Madness :huh:. I bought both tickets as the Southport ticket office, and the chap agreed it was a saving, but didn't seem too surprised!

Anyway I'm home now, so all is well.

Oh and if anyone works for Arriva, please can you ask them to sort out the aircon on their trains - it was absolutely perishing cold again today despite being t-shirt weather outside.

Humphrey10

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I went with the Southport > Crewe and Crewe > Hereford plan, saving £6.30 on the Southport > Hereford fare even though it would use exactly the same trains. Madness :huh:.

I assume it's cheaper because you have to use a train stopping at Crewe, with the more expensive ticket you could use a fast train.