Unfairly penalised by Trainline?!

Flikflak1

Hello everyone - would just like a little bit of advice please if at all possible?

My train to work yesterday was cancelled due to snow. I normally book my tickets through The Trainline app and as soon as the train was cancelled, I got the option to get a refund on my ticket.

All going well so far...

I then phoned up Trainline today to confirm my refund after I didn't receive an email acknowledging that it had been successful. They then said they would only part refund me. I'm loosing out on £10 because I didn't phone them 'straight away' and cancelled my ticket through the app... when I had an option to do this in the first place?!

It seems ridiculous that I have been penalised for not phoning up Trainline for a refund and instead requesting it through the app when they gave me this option in the first place.

Is there a way of ensuring that I get my full refund back?

elverson

Two things:

1. Don't use the Trainline, you can get the same tickets elsewhere without their fees

2. It appears to be in their T&Cs:

If you want to cancel your booking and your ticket is refundable, you can make an application for a refund online or by telephoning +44 871 244 1545. Calls are answered between 0800 and 2200 each day based on local UK time. It is each customer?s responsibility to adhere to time zone differences if calling from outside the UK. We will (unless the cancellation/refund is required due to our breach of these terms or our negligence) charge you a refund fee per ticket to process a cancellation or refund. Please note that that where a refund is made it shall be for the ticket price only, and any associated booking fees are non-refundable.

Neil_Br

Seems ridiculous to me ....."you can make an application for a refund online OR by telephoning", OR being the important word here. Unless they can argue that using the app does not count as "online", which which would be pretty incredible.

Johno100

The £10 isn't the refund fee referred to in the part in blue above is it?

Flikflak1

Looking back, I think it probably is! What's the best app to book train tickets through then without their fees?

Voyager2002

There is usually a charge if you cancel a booking because you change your mind. A refund because a service has been cancelled is obviously different, and clearly the Trainline app has not been set up to deal with this situation.

Anyway, you have a right to a full refund: perhaps you need to complain to the Office of the Rail Regulator.

Cornucopia

Flikflak1 wrote: »

What's the best app to book train tickets through then without their fees?

Your local TOC (train operating company), or the TOC you plan to travel with, or a TOC that has a useful special offer.

Flikflak1

A little update for you on this one. Trainline refunded me this morning. However, I was still unsatisfied with the fact they did not refund me my admin fee too. After a few social media messages, they agreed to refund me the full amount. So that extra £10 will be mine! Proof if you are polite when you complain, you can get something back!

Flikflak1

Cornucopia wrote: »

Your local TOC (train operating company), or the TOC you plan to travel with, or a TOC that has a useful special offer.

Thank you very much!

macman

Buy your tickets from any TOC site-they all sell tickets to/from anywhere in the UK, so it doesn't matter if you are travelling with them or not. I use East Coast, which works well.

Voyager2002

Flikflak1 wrote: »

A little update for you on this one. Trainline refunded me this morning. However, I was still unsatisfied with the fact they did not refund me my admin fee too. After a few social media messages, they agreed to refund me the full amount. So that extra £10 will be mine! Proof if you are polite when you complain, you can get something back!

I agree with your message, but will say that in this case you did have a legal right to the full refund, which may also have made a difference.