Train fare increase

opl73

Hi, I wonder if you can help?

I was half way through booking a ticket on a CIV website for a train back to Yorkshire after my Eurostar train from Paris arrives at St Pancras/Kings Cross.

Half way through the booking, the train price had increased by £40, from £68 to £108! Now I know prices fluctuate, but surely not half way through a booking? I waited an hour to see if there was a problem, but the prices stayed the same. Plus,there wasn't anyone to contact as they only worked during office hours, and I needed to book it as soon as possible.

So, I ended up cancelling that train, and booked the next one an hour later at £86. Now my problem is that I have looked at that same website again and the original train fare I was half way through booking is now available a week later at the original price!

I contacted the company to ask why this was, and they acknowledged that there may have been an error at the time of my booking, and that their techies' are going to look into it.

Unfortunately I have a non transferable and non refundable ticket, but I did still ask if I could transfer the ticket I have to the earlier time at the £84 price I paid for a later train, offering to pay £18 more than the £68 ticket that is currently available.

They advised that unless an error is found on the booking system, then they are bound by the fare condition set by the rail operator and cannot amend.

I understand this, and my question is surely there can be some discretion or flexibility on a case by case basis?

Anyone else experienced anything like this?

Totally frustrated by this……

Cheers.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

It may have been that the ticket at the original price had been taken by the time you went to check out.

If anyone is ever going to buy tickets like this then ring E* direct for the tickets you need to/from St Pancras. Its much simpler

martindow

I thought CIV tickets were at fixed prices - are you sure you were looking at CIV tickets? I also have always booked directly with Eurostar.

opl73

Thanks for the reply guys' Yep I will book on Eurostar next time. Thing is I had already booked my Eurostar ticket, and didn't think I could book a separte train ticket through them.

Yes it was defineitely the CIV price I selected. Mind you I best check with them, incase that was on the "system error" too!

Jeff_Bridges_hair

Who was it you booked your ticket with then? And where too?

opl73

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

Who was it you booked your ticket with then? And where too?

Hi Jeff, it was Loco2.com, back to Leeds. They have come back now and admitted there was a software error at the time of my booking, but because I booked another ticket (and mine isn't transferable), they said they cannot do anything.

They have been very good with the replies and investigation actually, and I understand the decision, but it still galls me that they cannot in this instance transfer my ticket to the earlier train (that is still showing at the original price incidentally), at the same price I paid (£20 more!) for the later train.

Surely it is at their discretion, and they are not bound by the "non transferable" rule. Is that black and white?

Jeff_Bridges_hair

http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=LNE&dest=LDS

Thats the prices for CIV to Leeds so yes I would say they were charging too much for that ticket. Im not sure but I do believe they are set fares for the CIV too - maybe Yorkie2 could help you out on that one. I think they may have just charged you for a normal ticket from London to Leeds but I am not to sure on that.

yorkie2

By "not transferrable", I think you/they mean "not refundable except by paying a £10 admin fee"?

Can you either type up exactly what is printed on both tickets, or even better, take a photo or scan please and upload it as an attachment?