Why Vast Difference in Train Prices?

Bicycleman22

17 june 0615 Temple Meads.... Manchester Piccadilly

26 June 0825 Manchester Piccadilly.... Temple Meads..... flexible (limited) return no railcard £105 with splitmy fare

Have used them loads of times I cannot see any advantage at all in using the train company. All rights and refunds exactly the same.

Bicycleman22

having looked again £84 with the  10.25 Manchester to Bristol same dates

RealGem

Thanks guys. The thing is it's different train companies that do the routes, so how do I know which company I'm getting. The booking fee seems negligible for the convenience of being able to book ANY train to and from where I need. I would hate to be stuck on the platform with a train there with my destination on the front, and I can;t get on it!

I can't add Quote boxes, so can't reply to each of you, but I am very grateful for all your help!


Moderators / Forum tech people:  Why can't I click Quote and then add my reply underneath as I am supposed to?

It won't let me type outside the Quote box, and then it won't post, as it says the body of my post is too short! ...And it's clear others are having similar issues too. Please fix this issue, thanks

oscarward

If you use national rail journey planner, which is free, then it will show all available times, how many changes and each train operator providing that service.  If you decide to buy then it takes you to the operator website to purchase.

if there is a big discrepancy between options it’s usually because one of the operators is slower but cheaper vs fast but expensive. 

Andy_L

RealGem said:

Thanks guys. The thing is it's different train companies that do the routes, so how do I know which company I'm getting. The booking fee seems negligible for the convenience of being able to book ANY train to and from where I need. I would hate to be stuck on the platform with a train there with my destination on the front, and I can;t get on it!

I can't add Quote boxes, so can't reply to each of you, but I am very grateful for all your help!


Moderators / Forum tech people:  Why can't I click Quote and then add my reply underneath as I am supposed to?

It won't let me type outside the Quote box, and then it won't post, as it says the body of my post is too short! ...And it's clear others are having similar issues too. Please fix this issue, thanks

It doesn't matter. You can book a ticket from any departure station to any destination via any train operating company's website (even a TOC that doesn't have any services in that area) and it will be valid via any company's trains (unless you choose to buy a, cheaper, ticket that limits you to a specific time train ETA or a few niche exceptions like the London-Scotland overnight sleeper)

RealGem

Andy_L said:

RealGem said:

Thanks guys. The thing is it's different train companies that do the routes, so how do I know which company I'm getting. The booking fee seems negligible for the convenience of being able to book ANY train to and from where I need. I would hate to be stuck on the platform with a train there with my destination on the front, and I can;t get on it!

I can't add Quote boxes, so can't reply to each of you, but I am very grateful for all your help!


Moderators / Forum tech people:  Why can't I click Quote and then add my reply underneath as I am supposed to?

It won't let me type outside the Quote box, and then it won't post, as it says the body of my post is too short! ...And it's clear others are having similar issues too. Please fix this issue, thanks

It doesn't matter. You can book a ticket from any departure station to any destination via any train operating company's website (even a TOC that doesn't have any services in that area) and it will be valid via any company's trains (unless you choose to buy a, cheaper, ticket that limits you to a specific time train ETA or a few niche exceptions like the London-Scotland overnight sleeper)

OK thanks but what website would you start with instead of The Trainline?

I can't be bouncing from one site to another. I have ADHD. It's taken me all day to edit two 3 minute videos!

KeithP

RealGem said:

OK thanks but what website would you start with instead of The Trainline?

I would start here...

National Rail Enquiries

NBLondon

RealGem said:

OK thanks but what website would you start with instead of The Trainline?

I used to always use Hull Trains because you got Nectar points.  They dropped that a while back though and I can't find any train co that still does.

Andy_L

RealGem said:

Andy_L said:

RealGem said:

Thanks guys. The thing is it's different train companies that do the routes, so how do I know which company I'm getting. The booking fee seems negligible for the convenience of being able to book ANY train to and from where I need. I would hate to be stuck on the platform with a train there with my destination on the front, and I can;t get on it!

I can't add Quote boxes, so can't reply to each of you, but I am very grateful for all your help!


Moderators / Forum tech people:  Why can't I click Quote and then add my reply underneath as I am supposed to?

It won't let me type outside the Quote box, and then it won't post, as it says the body of my post is too short! ...And it's clear others are having similar issues too. Please fix this issue, thanks

It doesn't matter. You can book a ticket from any departure station to any destination via any train operating company's website (even a TOC that doesn't have any services in that area) and it will be valid via any company's trains (unless you choose to buy a, cheaper, ticket that limits you to a specific time train ETA or a few niche exceptions like the London-Scotland overnight sleeper)

OK thanks but what website would you start with instead of The Trainline?

I can't be bouncing from one site to another. I have ADHD. It's taken me all day to edit two 3 minute videos!

Any train operating company's website you like. If you really can't choose between then whichever TOC's serves the station you live closest to but, as said previously, it doesn't matter which you use

MilesT6060842

The various train websites do vary a bit as to what ticket collection options they support (ticket on app, ticket by email as a PDF, collection from a machine using a code number, or applying the ticket to a operator smart card).

Rough rules: 

• Use the train company website of the first train you need in a multi-train/company journey, or the only train you need.  
• Maybe use the train company operating the station you plan to collect the ticket from if not your start station (doesn't matter for network rail operated stations/machines, but this is only for a few bigger stations). In theory not absolutely necessary but makes it easier to deal with any problems.
• If you have a train company app on your phone, then use that train company's website to get the ticket into the wallet on the app
• Ditto smart card, use the website of the company who issued the smart card so it will load onto the card
• If you have a train operator specific discount rail card (e.g. Greater Anglia Club 50) then you need to use that website to get the discount (usually).
• If you have some discount (via a retailer loyalty scheme, workplace scheme etc.) then you will be told which website to use to get the discount.