New charges when booking train tickets online

Voyager2002

bonzer wrote: »

Just used this National Express East Coast site to buy a train ticket recommended on this other thread.

No hidden extras. No postage charges, no collection charges and no credit card surcharges. Quite a nice site too.

Cheers

Bonzer

This is good advice.

Most of the train operating companies have ticket-selling websites like this: all of them sell tickets for all trains, not just their own. Personally, I usually buy tickets from fgw (FirstGreatWestern) and sometimes from Virgin trains, who allow you to reserve a seat in the quiet carriage. I have never had to pay for collection, nor for using a credit card.

jrawle

I have written an article on this subject here:
http://jonathan.rawle.org/2007/12/31/how-to-avoid-thetrainline-fees/

As others have said, book via one of the operators' websites instead. They are mostly operated by TheTrainLine so are identical to use, but don't have the rip-off fees. I have done this for a long time now to avoid the credit card fee. Remember that you can buy any rail ticket from any outlet, so it doesn't matter which company's site you use.

Mordik

I just purchased a ticket on QJUMP or https://www.qjump.com. Not only they make you pay 50p to collect your ticket, not only you'd pay 2.50 for paying by credit card, but ALSO they charge you 50p for paying with a debit card. Honestly, this has not been mentioned to me prior to completing transaction. Yeah, maybe it is in the terms & conditions which i didn't read. This is a little illegal to me anyway. They should have made it more obvious, bas***rds! Just want you guys to know.

moonrakerz

If you are close to the station you can use the web to find the cheapest ticket then go to the station and ask for your "super-duper-advance-bluesaver-cheapday-excursion" -and quote the fare you are expecting, the station ticket office should be able to give you the ticket.