Megabus coach tickets

macaud

Wonder if anyone can help me. My daughter bought a student ticket on megabus Aberdeen to perth. She has an NUS card and as it is the first time she has used Megabus she thought that was accceptable as another of her friends said it was. It turns out to get a discount on Megabus you need a card called an NUS extra card and when she came to return to Aberdeen on Sunday night, she was told her ticket was invalid as she had the wrong student card. She told the driver she had travelled down on that card and no-one told her it was the wrong card but he said too many students are using the wrong card and it's costing the company a fortune so you will have to buy another ticket. She asked what the difference between a student fare and an adult fare was so she could pay the difference and was told she couldn't do that as the ticket was invalid and she would have to purchase a completely new ticket. They would accept a young scot card on a citylink booking and she could book a new ticket for £14.40, on the same bus but Megabus don't accept young scot cards. My daughter was embarassed by all the fuss and a bit upset as she was going back to Uni after her first weekend home so she paid it but I'm appalled by the way she was treated. Megabus tickets are non- refundable so she can't get her money back for the unused Megabus ticket and whilst £11 might not be a lot to Megabus, it is a huge amount to lose when you are a student on a tight budget. Help! Any ideas what I can do or say to get a refund for her?

PS Sorry this is a bit long-winded. Hope you can understand it all!

I_luv_cats

I am afraid you need to read the "terms and conditions" of Megabus bookings.

I know it is agonising reading BUT if it is buried there you won't be able to do much about it.

She's lucky she managed one leg of her journey ok.

Beetlemama

macaud wrote: »

Megabus tickets are non- refundable so she can't get her money back for the unused Megabus ticket

I think it's worth writing in, I'll tell you my story.

I only work three days a week but its the same price if I buy three returns or a weekly ticket, so I'd bought a Gold Rider to go to work on the Wednesday, and when I got to work my boss told me I had so much unused holiday I had to go home, horray!! - but I'd just spent £25 on a bus ticket.

I asked the driver if I could get a refund, he said I had to fill in a form at the bus station office and hand it in with my ticket...so I went home and phoned them, told them I couldn't fill in the form and relinquish my ticket at the office or I wouldn't have been able to get home, so what do I do?

I got a letter the next day saying sorry but we don't refund part used weekly tickets, only the monthly ones, but since I'd been incorrectly advised (by the bus driver) they would do it as a good will gesture.

Now they didn't have to do anything, they could have just said Sorry that was wrong advice, and let it go. But getting in touch and asking was good for me. I think you should at least try. If you're planning to make a complaint, I always start small saying I don't think it was fair and I hope they plan to make things right - and see what they say, you can always work up to "disgusted and appalled" as time goes on if they are not forthcoming. Send photocopies of the tickets.

wealdroam

You really do not need to read any small print to find out that you need a NUS Extra card to get a student discount.

No need to rely on friends either.

The booking page on their website couldn't be much clearer...




However, there is of course no harm in asking fo a refund but be prepared for a refusal.

mikey72

When we put in the NUS cardholder it went up by £1.

macaud

Thanks for your replies everyone. Think I'm going to give it a try anyway and keep my fingers crossed. Her friend has actually been travelling on megabus for the last academic year and doesn't have this nus extra card and never been asked for one. I know that doesn't change the fact that she made an error and should have had the card but I think not being able to pay the difference is a bit harsh. I'll let you know how i get on