[Hornby APT]

I am new to this forum so please go easy on me!

I booked a trip last night from Newcastle to York on 24/5 travelling on the 1440 departure. Normally I book my tickets on NXEC website but some reason I was having trouble loading it up so I went onto thetrainline and found my trip would be £7 (£8 including arrangement fee and card processing fee). Before I completed the transaction I managed to load up the NXEC website and for the same journey their website was £13.50!!! I have just checked again and it is now coming up as £20 and the trainline still £7.

Can anyone tell me why their is this big pricing anomalie? I always thought that although they had different front ends they essentially looked at the same database for availability. If anyone could shed some light I would be most grateful.

Thanks

[theblackwatch]

Bizarre - now thetrainline is offering £9 (std) and £16.50 (1st) tickets on that train, and still £20 on NXEC. I can't offer any explanation for it, but I'm sure our resident walking fares manual will be along later!

[me123]

It's happening everywhere, apparently. XC in particular are all over the place with their Advance fares. The simplification process appears to have confused tickets all over the country.

[Ascot]

Originally Posted by theblackwatch

I'm sure our resident walking fares manual will be along later!

classic

Having the same problems, it's a national problem by the looks of it as some tickets are not available on some trains on thetrainline but they are at stations and vice versa.

[Daniel]

This is a bad time to read this considering I have just spent £33 on train tickets through National Express.

Just checked TheTrainLine, prices are the same for me, so *phew*

[digitaltoast]

More evidence of different sites, different fares here:
http://www.digitaltoast.co.uk/more-s...scams-and-lies

In summary, since the 18th of May the £21 has become £21 except it's not, it's £16, but it's not because it should be £12 still, except that the "cheapest advance fare" system is showing £19.50 but this ticket doesn't exist, so you only have the £21 fare left, except the system won't let you book it as it doesn't exist.

To clear things up, I went into a ticket office, and a helpful man looked at his official fare book, scratched his head, looked at something else, scratched his head again, looked puzzled and explained:

“I don’t understand this - according to the official fare book from ATOC, your ticket has gone up from £12 to £16 but that £16 fare isn’t shown as existing in the ticket system, another part of which says that the cheapest fare is £19.50 but that doesn’t exist either, and the cheapest ticket I can now find on the system is £21 which is an incorrect fare which it won’t let me book”.

He then rubbed his head in his hands and explained that basically, the whole thing had been a nightmare and that just today they had found another anomaly which meant that a certain Cross Country first class fare was £72 more than it should have been!

[87015]

What a superb railway system we have!!!!!!!!

[Hornby APT]

So would I be right in saying that this is caused by the attempts to 'simplify' the ticketing system but has in fact caused even more confusion? LOL

[theblackwatch]

Originally Posted by Ascot

classic

So there is someone out that that understands my daft sense of humour!

[Max]

National Express were aware of problems with their site on Monday, seems nothing has been done to rectify it! I'm guessing a large number of people will have been overcharged.

[Daniel]

It would be good if companies contacted those they know they have overcharged once everything is sorted out to arrange a refund.

Sadly, I severely doubt they will do so unless the passenger finds out for themselves.

[digitaltoast]

Originally Posted by Daniel

It would be good if companies contacted those they know they have overcharged once everything is sorted out to arrange a refund.

Sadly, I severely doubt they will do so unless the passenger finds out for themselves.

I have a recording done just 2 days ago of AXC specifically saying they will NOT be refunding these overcharges unless passengers make the initiative to
a: know about it
b: write in

I was careful to ask specific questions and drill them down. Don't worry, it'll be making its way into another podcast soon enough!

[djw1981]

I'm just amazed that these customer service staff agree to be recorded. When I worked in a government press office we refused to be recorded ever.

[digitaltoast]

Originally Posted by djw1981

I'm just amazed that these customer service staff agree to be recorded. When I worked in a government press office we refused to be recorded ever.

Who said anything about agreeing to be recorded?
I didn't agree to be overcharged by £9 on my ticket.

[Max]

Originally Posted by digitaltoast

Who said anything about agreeing to be recorded?
I didn't agree to be overcharged by £9 on my ticket.

Indeed, aren't most of these consumer programmes where they expose rougue traders and such like based around secret filming?