National Express refusing to sell me off-peak Easter rail tickets!

MarkBargain

Am I right in thinking that rail companies are obliged to sell off-peak rail tickets on Bank Holidays? The National Express website will only sell me standard tickets, please see emails below.

MY EMAIL TO NATIONAL EXPRESS
I have tried many times to book tickets from Manningtree to Shanklin for my Easter break (out 22nd April, return 25th April), but the cheapest tickets the website offers me are standard singles at £60.50 each way, so for two of us it would cost £242.00 return!! I should be able to buy off-peak tickets, as both days are bank holidays. Furthermore I should be able to use my Network Railcard for a discount. Please can you tell me who I can complain to in respect of this? I think we are going to have to travel by coach due to this.

NATIONAL EXPRESS REPLY
Thank you for your email.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused.

We would like to inform you, the Off Peak Return are not available for your journey. We request you to check at the station if that tickets are available, it would be the same cost on the day of travel.

We have already forward your feed back to the development review team regarding your complaint.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

AirlieBird

The National Express website will only sell you Anytime tickets because there is no Off Peak fare for that journey on any day. You may want to consider buying tickets to Portsmouth Harbour where there is an Off-Peak Return and buying the ferry IoW rail tickets separately.

MarkBargain

Thanks for your comments, but are they not required to sell me off-peak tickets? I looked up London to Shanklin and they sell off-peak tickets for that, so the ferry bit doesn't seem a problem (except when travelling from stations near me such as Manningtree or Colchester!)

Hammyman

No they are not required to sell you off peak tickets. They don't have to sell you a ticket at all.

MarkBargain

Hammyman wrote: »

No they are not required to sell you off peak tickets. They don't have to sell you a ticket at all.

I think you are wrong, as train companies have to operate within the requirements of the rail franchaises and passengers' charter. Ticket prices are regulated by the government, so I don't think they can just choose not to sell off-peak tickets on bank holidays!

AirlieBird

I think you are missing the point. They are not choosing not to sell you an off-peak ticket because it's Easter. There isn't an off-peak fare available for that route... ever.

There are no requirements for an off peak fare to be set for any journey. There are only anytime fares available for most local journeys in and just outside of London for example.

MarkBargain

There may be a few localised exceptions for short journeys.

I don't see how if Manningtree to Portsmouth Harbour (via London) is off-peak and London to Shanklin (via Portsmouth Harbour) is off-peak, how Manningtree to Shanklin is not off-peak!

alanrowell

MarkBargain wrote: »

I think you are wrong, as train companies have to operate within the requirements of the rail franchaises and passengers' charter. Ticket prices are regulated by the government, so I don't think they can just choose not to sell off-peak tickets on bank holidays!

But they aren't choosing not to sell off-peak tickets on bank holidays, on that route there isn't any off-peak tickets AT ANY TIME

dzug1

MarkBargain wrote: »

I think you are wrong, as train companies have to operate within the requirements of the rail franchaises and passengers' charter. Ticket prices are regulated by the government, so I don't think they can just choose not to sell off-peak tickets on bank holidays!

They are only obliged to sell you off peak tickets if off peak tickets exist - for that particular journey they don't. Ever. Nothing to do with not selling them for bank holidays at all

The network rail card should be valid though - bringing the total fare down to £160 (less a few pence) return for 2. A quick check confirms this.

Or split the tickets as suggested elsewhere - haven't checked this out though.

alanrowell

MarkBargain wrote: »

There may be a few localised exceptions for short journeys.

I don't see how if Manningtree to Portsmouth Harbour (via London) is off-peak and London to Shanklin (via Portsmouth Harbour) is off-peak, how Manningtree to Shanklin is not off-peak!

I can't see off-peak tickets for Manningtree to Portsmouth Harbour.

alanrowell

dzug1 wrote: »

Or split the tickets as suggested elsewhere - haven't checked this out though.

Victoria to Portsmouth Harbour - from £7.50, or cut the cost even more with Megatrain