Lost Train Ticket

mathslegend

First post so go on easy on me please!

Looking for similar experiences to one I had recently and any positive outcomes people have had. I recently bought 2 advanced return train tickets but lost them the day before travel - even though I could prove I'd paid for them and I had a copy of the email purchase/seat reservations, the agent I booked them through said I had to buy new tickets which cost over £400. It was explained to me on several occasions by various people that the tickets were like cash.

I can understand the logic as to why they can't be replaced - I could be lying and two extra people get to travel for free. But what I'm finding difficult is that in this modern digital age we still use tickets for advance purchases which require you to be on a specific train. There is no doubt a system can (and probably will) be brought in which would help in situations like this. The train company has made an extra £400 in turnover and that is probably subsidising all those that do cheat the system.

I'll probably regret posting with no doubt several replies saying I was stupid to lose the tickets and they are probably right. However, I'm still interested to hear of any similar incidents and if they managed to get some money back.

bengalknights

How did you buy them?

If online you would have the ticket or reservation numbers to prove you could travel and could have reprinted them at the station.

mathslegend

Through an intermediary agent which we use for work travel. We are given a code to use to print them at station ticket offices - they would not let me reprint them. I had the conversation with the agent to ask them to reprint but could not.

KeithP

bengalknights wrote: »

If online you would have the ticket or reservation numbers to prove you could travel and could have reprinted them at the station.

If the tickets were reprinted there would then be two sets in existence.

As the OP surmised, that means that the original tickets, or indeed the replacements, could be used fraudulently.

Biggles

The agent doesn't seem inclined to be very helpful. I would have got on the train with the receipts and argued my case; I doubt they'd have fined you, the worst thing they'd have been likely to do is to make you pay the fare again, which is what you did anyway.

Now you've already paid twice, I would ring National Rail, tell them the story and argue it from there. But just don't take 'No' for an answer this time, if the person you're speaking to can't help, ask for their manager.

elverson

National Rail (Rail Delivery Group) won't be able to help as they just provide information - the OP needs to sort it with the retailer as their contract is with them.

Biggles

elverson wrote: »

National Rail (Rail Delivery Group) won't be able to help as they just provide information - the OP needs to sort it with the retailer as their contract is with them.

Quite, but I thought NR might be able to give more info about the legal position with the need to buy a second ticket than the agent has so far; sounds like the agent is holding their hands up and saying 'not me'. May just be a case for S75 if they carry on that way.

elverson

Just to save you time, this is the relevant condition from the NRCoT:

4.5 If you lose or mislay a Ticket or it is stolen, it will only be replaced or (subject to the specific conditions associated with the Ticket) refunded provided that the original Ticket can be cancelled. In such cases you should apply to the Train Company or Licenced Retailer from where it was purchased.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/46427.aspx

stclair

mathslegend wrote: »

First post so go on easy on me please!

Looking for similar experiences to one I had recently and any positive outcomes people have had. I recently bought 2 advanced return train tickets but lost them the day before travel - even though I could prove I'd paid for them and I had a copy of the email purchase/seat reservations, the agent I booked them through said I had to buy new tickets which cost over £400. It was explained to me on several occasions by various people that the tickets were like cash.

I can understand the logic as to why they can't be replaced - I could be lying and two extra people get to travel for free. But what I'm finding difficult is that in this modern digital age we still use tickets for advance purchases which require you to be on a specific train. There is no doubt a system can (and probably will) be brought in which would help in situations like this. The train company has made an extra £400 in turnover and that is probably subsidising all those that do cheat the system.

I'll probably regret posting with no doubt several replies saying I was stupid to lose the tickets and they are probably right. However, I'm still interested to hear of any similar incidents and if they managed to get some money back.

Most train companies give you the option now to download the tickets to your smart phone.

Voyager2002

Biggles wrote: »

Quite, but I thought NR might be able to give more info about the legal position with the need to buy a second ticket than the agent has so far; sounds like the agent is holding their hands up and saying 'not me'. May just be a case for S75 if they carry on that way.

No, S75 would not help and the agent has given correct information about the legal position.

Manxman_in_exile

Biggles wrote: »

The agent doesn't seem inclined to be very helpful. I would have got on the train with the receipts and argued my case; I doubt they'd have fined you, the worst thing they'd have been likely to do is to make you pay the fare again, which is what you did anyway.

Now you've already paid twice, I would ring National Rail, tell them the story and argue it from there. But just don't take 'No' for an answer this time, if the person you're speaking to can't help, ask for their manager.

This might work but I think it's unlikely. As the OP has already said - rail tickets should be treated like cash because they can be used fraudulently. If you mislaid a couple of fivers from your wallet, do you think you could just go to the bank and ask for them to be replaced as you had lost them. And would you not take their "No" for an answer?