Rail strikes trainline booking

allycat11

I have recently had the unfortunate experience of dealing with the trainline customer service people. Booked tickets for 11 of us to go to Manchester. Had to use 2 bookings as you can only book a limited amount of seats in one booking. Paid £1.99 fee per booking. Trains are on strike so I assumed we would get a full refund. Nope the booking fee is non refundable. My argument is the product is not fit for purpose, I didn’t cancel the trains cancelled, it is out of our control. We couldn’t use these tickets even if we wanted to. I don’t see why we should stand to the booking fee. I would like to see a change in this policy. Either the booking company gets its money back from the train companies or the train companies refund the customers. I know it’s only £3.98, but it’s the principle. I advise anyone to book directly in the future. Train strikes are a part of life now and they must be making a fortune. No one is paying my booking fee to rebook and find alternative transport which has proved almost impossible. A hen weekend almost ruined. Not a happy bridesmaid! Anyone fought this and won, I’d be interested to hear your stories. Thanks

TheMilkmansDad

think this is a non starter.

you used a 3rd party (Trainline) to book tickets. they charge a booking fee to cover admin costs.

Trains don't run which is not the fault of Trainline and they still needed to process the transaction so fee should still stand.

As you say - book directly next time to avoid this occurrence. Granted, hindsight is a wonderful thing....

PHK

Also trainline aren't responsible for "No one is paying my booking fee to rebook and find alternative transport which has proved almost impossible. A hen weekend almost ruined. Not a happy bridesmaid! "

As Trainline did what they said they'd do in making the booking I think you'll  struggle to prove that wasn't worth £3.98

daveyjp

As one of the rail magazines regularly advises readers,  Don't use Trainline.

This is no different to theatre tickets being cancelled.  You will get a ticket refund but not the booking fees as the costs have been incurred in providing the tickets.

martindow

Agree, that going direct and buying from a train company would hsve been better.  With 11 of you there may also have been better options such as groupsave available.  

Hope the hen weekend and your marriage to follow go more smoothly than the ticket buying!

soolin

I can only echo the above and say to anyone reading this, don’t use Trainline. I travel a lot and being a lazy traveller having the app or even using it on the PC was so easy, it showed me all the options and it felt an easier way to book as some of the train operator websites are more cumbersome . 

However a few years ago we started hitting issues with cancelled or massively delayed trains and using Trainline was a nightmare getting re routed , refunded or compensation - and after one particularly aggravating telephone call the CS rep said I’d always be better off buying direct from the train operators. It’s got to be bad if Trainline tell you not to use them! 

Since then I’ve booked direct, I’ve made several delay repay claims all so easy if you’ve bought direct from a company, a few clicks on an online form, a few names and times added and money hits your bank account a week or so later. My latest claim was approx 3 weeks ago on the HST Kent to London , claimed the same day I got back (delayed due to trains cancelled) and my delay repay money was in my bank 3 days later. 

twopenny

And yet again   always book direct. NationalRail https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ takes you direct to the company.

Then any problems they will refund or move your ticket.

I had a cancelled train in both directions on my way to the airport resulting in a very cold  hours wait each time.

I was fully refunded for both trips, an appology and a voucher for further travel.