The Train Line

hike2life

Just a real vent for my first post!!

I use the website app to book trains on a regular basis!!! I have enjoyed it for months to book train journeys between home and my place of work.

However just tried to book a trip, and I am outraged!!! After all this time I have just realised, in time I might add, that they have just started applying a £1 booking fee!!!!

Not only have the fares risen, this adds insult to injury!! I think they are just trying to fund their next daft advert....

Readers beware and warn your friends, I'm going back to the station to buy my tickets.....

Rant over.

bradfordboy

They have always charged a booking fee(or atleast since i started regularly booking trains about a year ago).

Just book using a train operators website (virgin, east coast, etc) as they dont charge and they all use the same system so its no cheaper to book through thetrainline. I've never understood why people use them

melancholly

they started charging a few years ago. however, if you go directly to the website of the individual rail companies you can get the same reduced fares without the fee. this is usually much cheaper to use in advance to get cheap tickets than the station ticket office.

ETA - great minds............

hike2life

they must have slipped up I've been using the iphone app and there was definitely no booking fee!!! Seriously!

I phoned them today and they stated that it all changed on the 29th November

bradfordboy

I use the virgintrains app on my android, i imagine they will have one on iphone

MsSupertech

If you really want to be mis-informed about the best tickets, prices etc - try the station by all means.. In my experience you'll overpay by more than a pound. Had station staff deny tickets available at best price - even with a printout in hand!

System

redspottedhankey are a newish version of the trainline and don't charge for tickets. However the interface is a bit rubbish. Doubt they have an iphone app yet either

heretolearn_2

trainline is just a ticket sales agency, they have nothing to do with setting train fares.

If you don't want to pay a booking fee, book direct with the train companies - trainline aren't any cheaper anyway.

Badger_Lady

Yep - either go straight to the train operators, or use an alternative like redspottedhanky.com (which also has little loyalty rewards and uses Tesco vouchers). You can still benefit from advance fares by booking online, rather than going to the station. AND you can avoid the booking fee

rachhh

nationalrail.co.uk
No fees at all and finds the best prices then directs you to book with the appropriate operator directly.
The train line is a total rip off when national rail offer a better service for free.

Humphrey10

MsSupertech wrote: »

If you really want to be mis-informed about the best tickets, prices etc - try the station by all means.. In my experience you'll overpay by more than a pound. Had station staff deny tickets available at best price - even with a printout in hand!

I've never had that experience. In fact, more than once I've asked for a specific ticket from the station staff, only for them to say 'get this other ticket instead, it's cheaper'.