Best way to book train tickets
- Thread starter rikwakefield
- Start date
Idaho
blah blah blah
I've found Trainline to be a bit shit and expensive in the past. I wonder how their ticket splitting compares to trainsplit (the app I usually use)?
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Trainsplit is without question better.
Winot
I wholeheartedley agree with your viewpoint
Downside is that it can't cope with buying tickets for two people, one of which has a railcard.
lazythursday
Well-Known Member
Virgin (feel like a shill for them now) do split ticketing, no booking fee and you build up points so you get a quid off every now and then.
That advance price is pretty good ska, you rarely see those kinds of discounts round here. Usually the advance tickets are about a third cheaper.
That advance price is pretty good ska, you rarely see those kinds of discounts round here. Usually the advance tickets are about a third cheaper.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Oh yeah, they can't do that yet.
They are working on it I believe.
I think it all gets horrendously complicated to compute because they look at more options than other split ticket sellers - I think trainline will generally only offer you journeys with one or two splits (is that right?) whereas trainsplit will offer more than that.
editor
hiraethified
They're now offering to refund the difference of you fid cheaper fares (and if you can be arsed, of course).
Winot
I wholeheartedley agree with your viewpoint
Not sure - I rarely care about the split saving as it never seems to add up to much - my main concern is ease of use.
Idaho
blah blah blah
Split saving works best for long distance when there are no advance fares available/left
lazythursday
Well-Known Member
Or if you just don't want an advance fare. They can be risky as fuck, especially if the first leg of your journey to get to the station is a bus.
Idaho
blah blah blah
Not risky at all. If I'm delayed by other transport I just get on the next service
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
because the whole system is bloody crackers.
does that help?
some 'special offer' / advance fares aren't subject to railcard discounts.
not sure they will accept that if it's a bus / something else, rather than another train. and even if it is another train, it can be difficult if it's another train operator's service.
another thought, with this being about comparing a normal ticket from crowborough with an advance from hastings - with most advance tickets, you're technically not allowed to make a shorter journey within that advance ticket, so using an advance from hastings to charing cross is probably technically not allowed for (for example) a journey from crowborough to london bridge, even though the train goes through and stops at both, and it's a shorter journey.
i don't know how likely you would be to get checked either at the station at crowborough or on the train, but if you are checked, you risk being told that ticket's not valid, you need to buy a single for the journey you're actually making, and possibly even at the risk of penalty fares and all that sort of bollocks. ultimately your choice.
Idaho
blah blah blah
I just go and tell the train conductor as soon as I see them and stay on the train. They always seem to be polite and happy that I've notified then. If they ever have a problem with it, they can send me something in writing.
lazythursday
Well-Known Member
If you don't get on the correct train because of a previously delayed train you're fine, but a no-show bus, or traffic jam, or other reason doesn't really count. You may have been lucky with nice conductors but strictly speaking you can be made to buy a new ticket, which has happened to me before and I've watched it happen to others.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Unfortunately, if they feel like it, in many cases they can also unleash a whole process of threatened prosecution against you for travelling without a valid ticket. I don't think it's right that they can, just saying, be careful.
