Trainline won't refund advance ticket

Missmarple

The PM today said not to take un necessary travel. I want to cancel my trip to London for the Ideal Home Exhibition (which will probably be cancelled). Trainline said I can only change the tickets to a future date from the same station. As I was going to London for a particular show I have no need to go anywhere, do I have any right to insist on a refund? I know the tickets under normal circumstances are not refundable but things are not exactly normal. 

k3lvc

Missmarple said:

The PM today said not to take un necessary travel. I want to cancel my trip to London for the Ideal Home Exhibition (which will probably be cancelled). Trainline said I can only change the tickets to a future date from the same station. As I was going to London for a particular show I have no need to go anywhere, do I have any right to insist on a refund? I know the tickets under normal circumstances are not refundable but things are not exactly normal. 

No - and unfortunately it's not relevant to trainline why you were using the tickets. 
Unless Trainline choose to offer free cancellation for non-refundable tickets then you either take the hit or you book for some future time

daveyjp

Trainline may well be bust within a few short weeks as their sales will now begin to dwindle very quickly.
It is therefore highly unlikely they will be refunding the cost of a non-refundable ticket.

yorkie2

To be clear, the train companies will NOT allow Trainline to refund advance tickets.

Trainline have no say in the matter.

DilH

I would like to amend my booking to a later date, but the information states that this is possible "except if you have chosen to print your own e-tickets or have chosen for your tickets to be delivered to your mobile phone" . How can this be right when Trainline encourage you to do so and you do thinking you are helping to save the planet?

KeithP

DilH said:

I would like to amend my booking to a later date, but the information states that this is possible "except if you have chosen to print your own e-tickets or have chosen for your tickets to be delivered to your mobile phone" . How can this be right when Trainline encourage you to do so and you do thinking you are helping to save the planet?

Well it 'can be right' because whatever you do you will always have a copy of the ticket on your phone.

So if it were possible to get a refund you could do that and still use the ticket on your phone.

How can that be right?

DUTR

DilH said:

I would like to amend my booking to a later date, but the information states that this is possible "except if you have chosen to print your own e-tickets or have chosen for your tickets to be delivered to your mobile phone" . How can this be right when Trainline encourage you to do so and you do thinking you are helping to save the planet?

I had printed the tickets including a plusbus, I still got a refund for a trip to London.
read the T&Cs, amend the tickets to as far ahead in the future.

devadot

I’ve just changed my Advance ticket for a future date. If I chose a time slot more expensive they asked me to pay the difference but would not refund me if I chose a cheaper time slot. The new ticket they have given me is for a station 15 miles away from my original booking. Completely unhelpful

thedogwalker1234

Hi, this week Trainline refunded my non-refundable Advance return tickets from London to Manchester  (purchased to see a football game which was cancelled). Apparently Avanti have said that they will refund advance tickets if a new ticket is purchased, but the new ticket can be refunded immediately. Its a bit creative and needs a little effort but I think that's what this site is all about! I was 168 in the queue when I called Trainline and it took around 40 minutes to speak to someone but it was worth it, all completed on one call with me using the Trainline app to book the new ticket whilst on the phonecall. Refunds were confirmed by email in minutes. Good luck!

daveyjp

OP.  You may now have a chink of light.

If any service you were due to catch is now not scheduled to run at the time your ticket is for you are entitled to a full refund.  

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/National%20Rail%20Conditions%20of%20Travel.pdf

Paragraph 30 is whee your rights lie.

Alan_Bowen

LNER issued a notice this morning confirming that advance tickets could be refunded to an e voucher for future use, but then they are a good company and don't add fees to the fares like Trainline. Go to the website of the rail company you would have been travelling with and see what their policy is, normally Advance tickets are not refundable under any circumstances