Beware - increased costs to get your tickets from TheTrainline

Caroline2CV

Apols for not just putting a link but in my weekly email from Working Links (BBC2 daily lunchtime programme) WAS THE COSTS that TheTrainline now charges you: £1 to post 1st class and 50p to collect tickets from the Fast ticket machine

WORKING LINKS, SENIOR PRODUCER JENNY CULSHAW WRITES....

When I buy train tickets I do so online from TheTrainline (I don't like it when companies call themselves all one word with capitals in the middle but they do so I'll go with it).
It's quick and efficient and, most importantly, if you time it right it seems like the way to get the best deals.
I like the fact you can either ask them to post you the tickets or, if your journey is imminent, you can pick them up from a ticket printer - a Fast Ticket machine - at the station.
I did this just last week. But what was this? £1 for first class post or 50p to collect them from the Fast Ticket machine? A change of policy since mid December.
TheTrainline have told Working Lunch that "to continue funding innovations using cutting edge technology that provides ease, convenience and the cheapest fares to travellers, we now need to pass on a minimal charge to our customers".
Am I wrong to be annoyed with what I see as a compulsory premium on my purchase? I'd much rather costs were absorbed in my ticket price so I knew from the start what I was paying. Or should I be grateful for such transparent pricing?
On principle I'm off now to queue at a kiosk window... well maybe not...it's raining.

All the best,
Jenny.

++++

caliston

This is because the booking commision received on tickets (by stations, websites, the guard on the train etc) has reduced from 9% to 5% and Trainline are trying to claw back money somehow.

I haven't checked this for all of them, but I think if you go to a Train Operating Company's website (Virgin trains, Scotrail etc) and use their booking page, you aren't charged these fees. The same goes for Qjump, which also allows you to do most of the searching without registering, unlike Trainline. While all of these are operated by Trainline (same backoffice people) they have different policies on fees, and some don't have credit card surcharges either. If something goes wrong you also have slightly more leverage as you can complain to the TOC as well as Trainline (who are in India). You don't have to book tickets from the TOC you're travelling on (eg can book Isle of Wight tickets from Scotrail).

A new booking system which is a competitor to Trainline is National Express East Coast (what was GNER) who don't charge the fees. It can also show cheap fares much more easily than the Trainline-based systems - it'll show you the cheapest ticket on each train, or select a cheap fare and it'll show the trains it's valid on. You can also choose not to have seat reservations if you don't want to.

chuckley

y not just use a fast ticket machine? its the same as the trainline, bar reservations i think... and then doesnt icur the fee...

caliston

On a machine you can't book tickets in advance for specific trains (which is many of the cheap ones), and you can't book them to start from somewhere other than the station you're at (handy for splitting tickets). Well, I haven't tried all the types of machine but that's my experience. Trainline will let you collect from FastTicket machines but they've introduced the 50p charge, except if you use one of their TOC-branded sites.

chuckley

i dont use trainline anymore (due to the long ridiculous tickets and not being able to pick up my ticket until euston, when my journey starts before then!), i just use the machine now at my starting station. if i need advance (rare) i use the counter.

maybe as i have a YP railcard its only an xtra £8 on my advance fares for saver return, so i can buy it the day i need to travel...