Getting a cheap ticket without having your card

laserattack

Next Friday I need to get from London to Newcastle.
I have a problem however- I don't have a debit card with me and I know with trainline and the like you need to have the debit card you bought the ticket with in order for it to be valid. I know my debit card number but don't have the card (I have been working away from my registered address and my old card expired, my new one was sent to my home and my mam told me the new info but didnt send the card).

Does anyone know how much such a ticket would cost on the day? I'm kinda worried that the crappy British train system may absolutely gouge me...
Anyway to get it cheaper in advance without having my card?

p00hsticks

laserattack wrote: »

Anyway to get it cheaper in advance without having my card?

I've never used these options myself, but Virgin Trains offer the option of e-tickets (where they mail them to you and you print them off). According to the website you " Print it out and bring it along with the form of ID selected during booking" - I'm not sure what ID options are given.

Also 'm-tickets' which are downloaded to your mobile. There's no mention of any id needed for that - presumably the fact that it's on your phone is sufficient. These are only available for advance fares.

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/

I'm not sure if they also still give an option to have tickets posted to you, but at this time of year and with only a week to go I'd consider that a bit of a risky option.

As a general aside - re your comment that "you need to have the debit card you bought the ticket with in order for it to be valid." Once I've purchased a train ticket online or at a ticket office, I've never been asked on the journey itself to show the card I purchased it with, although if you order and pay for tickets online and choose to pick them up at the station you need to present your card in order to collect them.

For Kings Cross - Newcastle on 21st, Virgin are currently showing an Advance single for £48 (buy in advance and restricted to a particualr train) , compared to £116.20 for an off-peak single (buy on the day but only valid at particular times of day) and £150.50 for an anytime single (buy on the day and valid on any train)

laserattack

Thanks, shall have to book on virgin's site!
I've got my passport and driving license and everything so should have enough ID.

You definitely don't get checked all the time but once I remember on a cross country train from Edinburgh to Newcastle the inspector asked to see my bank card as well as my trainline print out.

p00hsticks

laserattack wrote: »

You definitely don't get checked all the time but once I remember on a cross country train from Edinburgh to Newcastle the inspector asked to see my bank card as well as my trainline print out.

We're obviously talking about different sorts of tickets - with Virgin, I usually book on line and then collect the paper card tickets at the station using the credit card I made the booking with. But once I have those tickets, there's nothing on them to indicate how I paid for them, and no need for any accompanying proof of ID - it's just as if I'd walked up to the ticket office and paid for them over the counter in cash.

dzug1

Virgin don't run between Newcastle and London so their rule won't help you in the slightest. It only applies on their trains

If you can get to a station you can buy the advance ticket now over the counter, no ID needed

You won't get a ticket posted to you now unless you pay for next day special delivery

LexyBoy

Buying at the station is the easiest option. On East Coast's website you can buy "e-vouchers" which can then be used to buy tickets - tickets bought this way can be collected from the machine using any card, not just the one used for payment. Mobile and print at home tickets are best avoided in my view as they have less flexibility and more chance of things going awry with no price advantage. East Coast do offer print at home tickets however, but these need
the card used to be shown (not sure if other ID can be used)
Never use Thetrainline by the way, it's always more expensive than booking at the ticket office. All the train companies websites sell tickets for any journey with no booking fees, and sometimes have offers for journeys on their trains.

Dazzler36

p00hsticks wrote: »

...there's nothing on them to indicate how I paid for them...

There is, actually. Next to the price paid will be an "M" for cash, "X" for credit/debit card, "W" for warrants, and you used to get "Q" for cheques.

It makes a quick check when you think someone may be trying to pull the wool over your eyes to use the ticket fraudulently.

katejo

Dazzler36 wrote: »

There is, actually. Next to the price paid will be an "M" for cash, "X" for credit/debit card, "W" for warrants, and you used to get "Q" for cheques.

It makes a quick check when you think someone may be trying to pull the wool over your eyes to use the ticket fraudulently.

I have never noticed that before. I travelled from London Kings X to Peterborough last week and bought my ticket online/collected it from the machine. I have just had a look at the used ticket and it does have X against the price. However I have never been asked to show the credit card in the train or seen anyone else asked to do so.
Has anyone ever been fined for having the ticket, seat reservation and sales voucher from the machine but not the actual debit/credit card? I always collect my ticket from the machine in advance of the day of travel so could possibly leave the card at home by accident on the day.

Dazzler36

As far as I'm aware there is nothing in the Conditions of Carriage requiring you to show the card on which the ticket was purchased, although it is some years since I was a Guard checking tickets!

rdwarr

21st is going to be rammed so I suggest you get an Advance and get it ASAP tomorrow. It's the only way you can be sure of getting there by train.
I did note a bit of hostility towards the trains in your post. Why not go by coach which should be cheaper anyway?

Edit: There is still a £16.50 fare showing on the 4pm coach from Victoria. Seven hour journey but for £16 you can't complain.

laserattack

rdwarr wrote: »

21st is going to be rammed so I suggest you get an Advance and get it ASAP tomorrow. It's the only way you can be sure of getting there by train.
I did note a bit of hostility towards the trains in your post. Why not go by coach which should be cheaper anyway?

Edit: There is still a £16.50 fare showing on the 4pm coach from Victoria. Seven hour journey but for £16 you can't complain.

12 hour flight from Japan before hand. Don't fancy sitting on a bus for another 8 hours.

I like trains. Just the British system sucks. The having to buy in advance and get on specific trains and multiple companies and all that is a pain. Plus the price.


Think I'm going to have to take the hit and pay the full 116 pound on the day. Ouch.