Thetrainline no train ...can I get compensation?

Clemnise

Hi there - I wonder if anyone can help me with this.

I booked a return ticket over xmas from London to the midlands, outward journey on the 23rd Dec and return on the 26th Dec (I needed to be on the eurostar on the morning of the 27th Dec).

I booked through the trainline, and I have a confirmation of those dates (and the times) on an email. However (and this is where I was prob a bit dim) trains don't run on a 26th Dec! Which I realised on the 25th Dec when I was checking the times.

Well I managed to get back to London, but my parents had to drive me half way and then I had to get a coach the rest of the way.

It took about a month for trainline to even respond to my (numerous) emails and today they have just emailed me to say that they will refund the £14 it cost me for the coach and that they are 'sorry'.

No mention/ reimbursement for the inconvinence of my parents driving me half way, the worry of wondering whether I was going to be able to get back, the irritation, the time spent writing emails/ sending a letter with the details of my coach journey/ even the stamp I used!

Does anyone if I have any rights to ask for compensation..? At the end of the day they did sell me a train ticket for a non-existant train.

Sorry for the rant!

Esqui

And they compensated you for your out-of-pocket expenses and said sorry.

I don't think there's much mileage in anything further

Laz123

It's unfair but you'll have to notch it down to 'that's life'.

dzug1

They should refund you the cost of the ticket for the non-existent train.

If the coach ticket was more than that then you've had your compensation anyway.

I'm curious as to what sort of ticket they sold you. It's difficult to see how they could sell you an advance ticket for a train that doesn't exist, and an open ticket isn't for a specific train anyway, so it's not sold for a specific train. Could the ticket actually have been for the next train after the time you wanted - ie next day? I think that's what they show if there are no trains

Or maybe they just screwed up.

Laz123

dzug1 wrote: »

They should refund you the cost of the ticket for the non-existent train.

If the coach ticket was more than that then you've had your compensation anyway.

I'm curious as to what sort of ticket they sold you. It's difficult to see how they could sell you an advance ticket for a train that doesn't exist, and an open ticket isn't for a specific train anyway, so it's not sold for a specific train. Could the ticket actually have been for the next train after the time you wanted - ie next day? I think that's what they show if there are no trains

Or maybe they just screwed up.

I think they're not very efficient. I paid for return fares to margate last year and paid with an Electron card. When I went to Waterloo station as per instructions to collect the tickets from the machine no machines take Electron. So I then had to queue up for half an hour at the ticket booth to get them. No where did it say that card wasn't accepted, otherwise I would have paid with Visa.

pinkshoes

I'm also curious as to how you could book the ticket, as normally it asks you to specify trains nowadays, and shows you the times.

I've bought a next day return ticket before on the train (no ticket office), and then on the return trip realised there was no trains that day to my home station, so had to get off the stop before, and take a 30 minute taxi ride. They eventually coughed up for it.

How much was the ticket?

Zinger549

Laz123 wrote: »

I think they're not very efficient. I paid for return fares to margate last year and paid with an Electron card. When I went to Waterloo station as per instructions to collect the tickets from the machine no machines take Electron. So I then had to queue up for half an hour at the ticket booth to get them. No where did it say that card wasn't accepted, otherwise I would have paid with Visa.

Are you sure you just can't pay with Electron for tickets that day. I book train tickets with my solo card online. I can't purchase tickets at the machine with it but it's just used to verify the transaction.

Clemnise

Thanks you your advice everyone.

I'm still not sure that I agree with the concept of being refunded for something I shouldn't have had to buy (ie the coach ticket) as being compensation.

However the general feeling seems to be that I may be overreacting so I will go take a chill pill.

In answer to your questions, yes when I booked the ticket I choose a specific train time on the 26th, and had an email confirmation to that effect. The train ticket was specified on the way out but open on the return. Which I now understand is code for 'your train does not exist '

And no the train ticket wasn't hugely expensive .. however that is not the point!

ariarnia

You could reasonably ask them for the mileage at a rate of say 15p per mile (not sure what the current tax mileage is) for a one way journey to where you caught the coach.

WhiteHorse

Some years ago, I was sold a ticket for a non-existent train. The whole journey turned into an utter nightmare. I had to stay over, buy another ticket and more. I sued the rail company concerned and won.

In this case, they should refund the coach fare and the duff part of the rail ticket. You are also entitled to compensation for the inconvenience. Assuming you paid your parents petrol, they should reimburse that too.

However ...

Given that they have issued an apology and refunded the coach fare, they are unlikely to go further, although you could try. A refusal would mean that you would have to sue in the Small Claims Court, but but it may not be worth it. You would have to cost it out. Bear in mind that the Court doesn't like what it considers pettifogging claims.

Laz123

Zinger549 wrote: »

Are you sure you just can't pay with Electron for tickets that day. I book train tickets with my solo card online. I can't purchase tickets at the machine with it but it's just used to verify the transaction.

Well I put the card in the machine and tapped in all the details but it said card not recognised. I tried various things and gave up. Then I queued up at one of the ticket offices which said for 'advance tickets' for 20 mins and was told to go to another office round the side. I waited another 10 mins and explained to the grumpy guy who said no Network Rail machines accept Electron. That's even though I'd paid online with it.

So I emailed Thetrainline, explaining but got no response. I didn't expect one either.