MSE News: Rail strike: your rights if your train is cancelled

Bogof_Babe

Well it seems I could have used my 6th ticket on 5th, and I've already bought a new one for then . I couldn't take the chance of not getting there at all, so it was a gamble. £12 put down to experience.

No doubt the trains on 5th will be packed to the rafters now too .

Livingthedream

epm-84 wrote: »

However, advance singles issued for services where there is no service on strike days will be accepted on any day between 3rd and 10th April, except if they are for East Coast services, in which case they may not be used on the 10th April. However, you must use it at the same time of day as the time on your ticket.

Just a little incorrect, from the National Rail website;

Advance tickets may be used on any other suitable service on one of the strike days (6, 7, 8 or 9 April); if the chosen alternative day is not a strike day, you should travel within one hour of your original booked time, or on the nearest service either side of the original booked departure time if this is more than an hour different.

Bogof_Babe

Livingthedream wrote: »

Advance tickets may be used on any other suitable service on one of the strike days (6, 7, 8 or 9 April); if the chosen alternative day is not a strike day,

This didn't really make sense to me. It says the ticket may be used on any other suitable service on one of the strike days, but then says "if the alternative day is not a strike day", only they haven't explained what they mean by "the alternative day", as in the previous line it implies that the alternative day has to be one of the other strike days.

I'm not surprised people are confused.

Livingthedream

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I'm not surprised people are confused.

Your confused Bogof_Babe, I think there's a lot of confused people out there at the moment. I, like you was a bit worried about my train journey, North Wales to Edinburgh via Glasgow (cheaper advance ticket to go via Glasgow:D) on the 9th, but will use the guidelines quoted from the National Rail website to get a cheap direct train on the 10th as the Crewe to Glasgow train doesn't run on a Saturday.

But back to the point, my personal view is that for the 7 days after the strike I think Advance singles for the Strike period will be honoured (except East coast?:mad: for some reason)

Bogof_Babe

Livingthedream wrote: »

Your confused Bogof_Babe, I think there's a lot of confused people out there at the moment. I, like you was a bit worried about my train journey, North Wales to Edinburgh via Glasgow (cheaper advance ticket to go via Glasgow:D) on the 9th, but will use the guidelines quoted from the National Rail website to get a cheap direct train on the 10th as the Crewe to Glasgow train doesn't run on a Saturday.

But back to the point, my personal view is that for the 7 days after the strike I think Advance singles for the Strike period will be honoured (except East coast?:mad: for some reason)

I believe the East Coast restriction is due to some major track works going on.

It's not so bad if you are booked for 9th, being the last strike day, so the obvious thing to do is go the next day instead (although I hope you like playing sardines!), but I have definitely seen something somewhere during my research today saying about tickets being valid for travel from Saturday 3rd, if your original journey isn't running. If I'd known that I'd not have bought another ticket for 5th but just turned up on 5th with my ticket for 6th.

Not much point leaving it until 10th as I've got a ticket back for 13th so hardly worth going.

Livingthedream

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I believe the East Coast restriction is due to some major track works going on.

Thanx for the info.

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

although I hope you like playing sardines!

Me, the wife and 2 kids I'm looking forward to the journey already, luckily Its an early morning train (6.53 from Holyhead) and I will try to book some seats from Crewe to Edinburgh.

Simon11

Livingthedream are you travelling during the strike dates and travelling from Holyhead to Edinburgh? I couldn't understand your post

glider3560

frames1_uk wrote: »

it's one ticket, it says 'EC and connections'

Ah, that means that if only one of your trains is cancelled, you are entitled to a refund on the entire ticket.

Livingthedream

Simon11 wrote: »

Livingthedream are you travelling during the strike dates and travelling from Holyhead to Edinburgh? I couldn't understand your post

Yes, was travelling on the 9th, but as there's no trains operating along the North Wales coast will use the guidelines quoted by National Rail to get a train on the 10th.

epm-84

Livingthedream wrote: »

Just a little incorrect, from the National Rail website;

Advance tickets may be used on any other suitable service on one of the strike days (6, 7, 8 or 9 April); if the chosen alternative day is not a strike day, you should travel within one hour of your original booked time, or on the nearest service either side of the original booked departure time if this is more than an hour different.

I did say in the next line that if you had a ticket for a 10am service then you should use it at around 10am. I didn't quote directly off the NRE website as I thought it might get confusing as the one hour rule you quoted then has peak and off-peak restrictions appiled still so a 10am advance may not be valid on a service departing at 09:29 even if the next service is 11:30.