Co-Op and Trainline

faithcecilia

This is a bit frustrating and wondered if anyone knew if it was a common problem or if I have just been unlucky.

I bank with Co-Op and one of the few negatives is that on their internet banking the available balance doesn't show earmarkings and I have to check that at the cashpoint. 99% of the time thats fine, I keep well on top of my finances. The last week or so, however, I have needed to book quite a lot of travel tickets (being MSE I mix and match train/coach/ferry/hovercraft/split ticket etc) so it had got a bit more complicated than usual.

I logged on this morning and the payments had come out, leaving me the figure I more or less expected. But when I nipped out to get cash the available balance was substantially less:eek: As I run a tight ship, there simply isn't room to suddenly overspend by this amount.

I phoned Co-Op and asked them to run through the earmarkings on my account and found the amount - one earmarking exactly matched the amount that went out to Trainline today. Fair enough, it will probably drop off tomorrow becoming 'available' again, and I know this sometimes happens, but it always seems to be Trainline, and always when its a larger payment!

Does anyone else have this with Trainline/Co-Op please?

dzug1

It can be a problem with any bank and any on line purchase - whether the Coop and thetrainline are worse than average - no idea

But don't use the trainline anyway - avoid their fees by using a train company site - they all sell each other's tickets with in nearly every case no fees and at the same price.

faithcecilia

dzug1 wrote: »

It can be a problem with any bank and any on line purchase - whether the Coop and thetrainline are worse than average - no idea

But don't use the trainline anyway - avoid their fees by using a train company site - they all sell each other's tickets with in nearly every case no fees and at the same price.

Thanks

I shop about for tickets and actually find, with cashback, Trainline can be cheapest, but definately worth pointing out for those who don't know there are the other options.

ironlady2022

East coast don't charge a fee are you sure the cashback outweighed the difference as prices otherwise are the same.

faithcecilia

mayling03 wrote: »

East coast don't charge a fee are you sure the cashback outweighed the difference as prices otherwise are the same.

On this occasion, yes, as I bought nearly £200 worth of tickets!:eek:

faithcecilia

Oh great, it still hasn't dropped off today. The bank say Trainline need to remove the earmarking, Trainline say the bank. I have 90p in cash:(

johnmoney05

It might take 5 working days...just a guess.

I found it "First TransPennine Express" was a better site to use for train ticket with cash back and no card charge.

Voyager2002

It sounds as if you have discovered yet another reason for not using Trainline.

I usually pay for travel by credit card rather than debit card, so that this kind of thing is not an issue. Of course, Trainline fees for credit card probably make doing so uneconomic.