Introducing RailUK Tickets - support the forum when booking your rail tickets!

[BenS123]

However the Seat reservations allocated for Derby-Sheffield part weren't on the train seat displays (it showed as available).

XC sadly is quite random with their reservations - I use their services pretty frequently on their South Coast route and I'd say reservations haven't shown more than they have. This has happened with a variety of retailers.

It's also worth being aware that CrossCountry do turn off their reservations system intentionally from time to time - for example on strike days all reservation screens intentionally showed "Available" (source: DM from CrossCountry social media team)

I don't think it's a problem with RailUK tickets, but it's with CrossCountry as the voyagers seem to have extremely unreliable reservation screens.

 

[Adam Williams]

Can confirm @Snow1964's reservations were successfully made, structured correctly and were not cancelled. Does indeed sound like a more general XC problem.

 

[jrh2254]

Will start using this in future as it helps the forum. Assume the share of savings cost(fees) are the same?

 

[hkstudent]

It seems that the TfW - WMR only. Manchester to Euston fare is directly available from the cheapest ticket option but require specifying operators required

 

[Adam Williams]

It seems that the TfW - WMR only. Manchester to Euston fare is directly available from the cheapest ticket option but require specifying operators required

Invariably an hour wait at Crewe - making the whole journey take 4 hours instead of the 3 hours for the next cheapest (XC/WMT) which in itself is 1 hour slower than Avanti's direct services (2h); I'm not really surprised it's getting trimmed out.

Will start using this in future as it helps the forum. Assume the share of savings cost(fees) are the same?

Yes.

 

[SickyNicky]

It seems that the TfW - WMR only. Manchester to Euston fare is directly available from the cheapest ticket option but require specifying operators required

What times are you searching? I've just had a look and the fares do seem to be being offered - for example the Super Off-Peak Single "OPS" is offered on the 1030 from Manchester on Monday. You need to select "cheapest" to see them.

Invariably an hour wait at Crewe - making the whole journey take 4 hours instead of the 3 hours for the next cheapest (XC/WMT) which in itself is 1 hour slower than Avanti's direct services (2h); I'm not really surprised it's getting trimmed out.

The minimum connection time at Crewe is 10 mins, but there's only 5 minutes between the arrival of the TfW train and the departure of the WMR train, so it's not a valid connection. In reality, you're likely to make the connection, making the journey length tolerable considering the saving.

 

[mjc]

I’ve been using the forum booking tool regularly for nearly a year but today come across a new problem with e tickets in Apple wallet.

I purchased a batch of tickets for regular commute for the next few weeks last week and thought I’d added them all to my wallet at the time. Friday’s worked fine but this morning on the way to the station it occurred to me that id not seen the wallet notification for upcoming journey. I was cycling so couldn’t check en-route, but arriving at station no ticket. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d thought id booked but hadn’t, but the tickets were there in my account on the booking site, anytime day return SOT-STA and STA-BHM for 24 Apr but when I try to add to wallet it comes up as expired and for 21 Apr. Same for the same booking for Thursday too.
The pdf version got me through the barrier so not urgent but is inconvenient so any help would be welcome.
Screen shots attached; unfortunately because it thinks the ticket is expired I can’t get the details through the wallet to find out the details of what ticket it’s trying to download…

 

[OscarH]

I’ve been using the forum booking tool regularly for nearly a year but today come across a new problem with e tickets in Apple wallet.

I purchased a batch of tickets for regular commute for the next few weeks last week and thought I’d added them all to my wallet at the time. Friday’s worked fine but this morning on the way to the station it occurred to me that id not seen the wallet notification for upcoming journey. I was cycling so couldn’t check en-route, but arriving at station no ticket. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d thought id booked but hadn’t, but the tickets were there in my account on the booking site, anytime day return SOT-STA and STA-BHM for 24 Apr but when I try to add to wallet it comes up as expired and for 21 Apr. Same for the same booking for Thursday too.
The pdf version got me through the barrier so not urgent but is inconvenient so any help would be welcome.
Screen shots attached; unfortunately because it thinks the ticket is expired I can’t get the details through the wallet to find out the details of what ticket it’s trying to download…

We've had a look at this, and can't see anything obvious. Could you double check its the email where the subject ends 24/04/2023 that you're clicking the Apple Wallet link in? If it is we'll dig further

 

[hkstudent]

Would the system be technically feasible in future to act similar to LNER / Avanti, to allow the mix of Advance outbound and flexible single return (which some TOCs offer a genuine single leg pricing online)

 

[mjc]

We've had a look at this, and can't see anything obvious. Could you double check its the email where the subject ends 24/04/2023 that you're clicking the Apple Wallet link in? If it is we'll dig further

Ah, thank you. That’s worked. I had been accessing the link to download through the ‘Account’ part of the website which shows upcoming and past bookings, and the e-ticket wallet links from there were causing the problem. The links in the emails worked as intended. There may still be a glitch but the email is the workaround; thanks.

 

[OscarH]

Ah, thank you. That’s worked. I had been accessing the link to download through the ‘Account’ part of the website which shows upcoming and past bookings, and the e-ticket wallet links from there were causing the problem. The links in the emails worked as intended. There may still be a glitch but the email is the workaround; thanks.

We've managed to reproduce the bug in the website, thanks for reporting it!

 

[Fivenines]

Just like to say I used the railforums booking site last weekend & it was probably the easiest site I've used. No stupid sign-up/have I already registered/forgotten password cycle, good display of travel options & unlike the GWR site it could actually book the trains/timings of the option I wanted from nationalrail.com. So, thanks!

 

[Class172]

I've across a slight curiosity where I'm not getting any itineraries showing for a basic point-to-point ticket.

The journey I was looking at was a single from Polsloe Bridge to Bromley Cross, which (with railcard discount) has three different available point-to-point tickets:

• SOS via Bristol £123
• SVS via Bristol £114.90
• SOS via Hereford £57.80

Strangely however the via Hereford ticket stubbornly doesn't show in the results page; this includes when selecting the 'cheapest' option and looking at the timeline view, which is where I thought it might be hidden. I can force the ticket in question to appear by providing a via point at Hereford, but otherwise it refuses to show any itineraries, which was a little unexpected given there is a valid ticket via that route—it even appears to be cheaper than splitting via Birmingham, which might be considered the other plausible route.

I haven't tested a return ticket nor other nearby combinations, but I'm a little surprised this ticket isn't offered. I'm aware it's a slower route but a ticket exists explicitly to cater for it.

 

[Adam Williams]

Strangely however the via Hereford ticket stubbornly doesn't show in the results page; this includes when selecting the 'cheapest' option and looking at the timeline view, which is where I thought it might be hidden. I can force the ticket in question to appear by providing a via point at Hereford, but otherwise it refuses to show any itineraries, which was a little unexpected given there is a valid ticket via that route—it even appears to be cheaper than splitting via Birmingham, which might be considered the other plausible route.

Hmmm. I can get it with this search: https://trainsplit.com/results?From...3&OutboundTime=13:30&UseSplits=0&Railcard=YNG

No forced via point at HFD.

Seemingly as soon as splits are enabled, though, the route isn't surfaced.

 

[Class172]

Hmmm. I can get it with this search: https://trainsplit.com/results?FromStation=7034220&ToStation=7026970&Adults=1&OutboundDate=11/05/2023&OutboundTime=13:30&UseSplits=0&Railcard=YNG

No forced via point at HFD.

Seemingly as soon as splits are enabled, though, the route isn't surfaced.

Curious how it doesn't appear with splits enabled (i.e. the default option), even though it's one of the cheapest flexible options.

 

[yorkie]

Hmmm. I can get it with this search: https://trainsplit.com/results?FromStation=7034220&ToStation=7026970&Adults=1&OutboundDate=11/05/2023&OutboundTime=13:30&UseSplits=0&Railcard=YNG

No forced via point at HFD.

Seemingly as soon as splits are enabled, though, the route isn't surfaced.

Curious how it doesn't appear with splits enabled (i.e. the default option), even though it's one of the cheapest flexible options.

For me, the route does appear with splits enabled:

 

[Adam Williams]

Ah yes, I see it. And the SOS isn't offered because it's cheaper to split at Crewe

 

[infobleep]

I have booked a ticket from Surbiton to Crewe for tomorrow morning leaving at 7.11. It is an advanced purchase one.

To get the routing and fare I put in the following advanced options:
Change or stop at:
Shepherd's Bush
Watford Junction
Milton Keynes.

This put me onto the following trains:
Surbiton dep 07:11 [South Western Railway]
Clapham Junction arr 07:27
Clapham Junction dep 07:29 [Southern branded service]
Watford Junction arr 08:20
Watford Junction dep 08:30 [West Midland Trains]
Milton Keynes Central arr 09:16
Milton Keynes Central dep 10:19 [West Midland Trains]
Crewe arr 11:54

Note the 63 minute wait at Milton Keynes Central. I was prepared to do that as it was an advanced purchase ticket.

However if ask the RailUK ticketing system to do all of the above and also exclude Avanti West Coast, it then routes me onto the below trains and I can leave Surbiton an hour later and still arrive into Crewe at the same time.

Surbiton dep 08:11 [South Western Railway]
Clapham Junction arr 08:28
Clapham Junction dep 08:40 [Southern branded service]
Watford Junction arr 09:21
Watford Junction dep 09:38 [West Midland Trains]
Milton Keynes Central arr 10:07
Milton Keynes Central dep 10:19 [West Midland Trains]
Crewe arr 11:54

Is someone able to look into why this is occurring and can I do anything about it as I'd like to leave an hour later? Neither journey that is returned is using Avanti West Coast and the ticket prices are the same, if you want to arrive into Crewe at 11:54, as I do.

Thanks in advance for any advice and help.

 

[SickyNicky]

@infobleep I think you mean the second itinerary departs at 08.11 - if it departed at 09.11 it would arrive at Clapham before it departed Surbiton!

 

[Haywain]

can I do anything about it as I'd like to leave an hour later?

That will depend on what your ticket/booking says about your reserved trains (if any of the first 3 trains are reserved, then you have to stick with it), or whether the retailer who sold the ticket will allow fee free changes.

 

[SickyNicky]

For future reference, I don't think you need the complicated set of via points. Just search excluding Avanti and it finds the 08.11 journey just fine.

 

[infobleep]

@infobleep I think you mean the second itinerary departs at 08.11 - if it departed at 09.11 it would arrive at Clapham before it departed Surbiton!

Thanks, I have updated it.

That will depend on what your ticket/booking says about your reserved trains (if any of the first 3 trains are reserved, then you have to stick with it), or whether the retailer who sold the ticket will allow fee free changes.

I booked via the forum ticketing site, which is affiliated to Train Split.

I've looked in my wallet but it only says no specific seats, obviously along with the times of the trains. Nothing about whether they are optional or mandatory. It does say to see reservations but you can have those optionally too.

I have now opened my e-ticket PDF that was e-mailed to me and it says mandatory reservations at the top so I can only assume they all are.

Although now it has been raised, it seems odd for the 7:11 to be mandatory as it is a metro service.

Update: Actually, I've now read the second e-mail I received and that explains that seats cannot be reversed on any train save the final one. Thus I can travel an hour later.

I am so used to putting in route options to find different routes that I simply forgot about restricting the operator.

It is still interesting though how putting that in or leaving it out, changes ehat comes back, even though that operator isn't running any of the trains.

I do appreciate the booking system is a very complex beast so it's not a criticism. More a fascination.

 

[Watershed]

Thanks, I have updated it.


I booked via the forum ticketing site, which is affiliated to Train Split.

I've looked in my wallet but it only says no specific seats, obviously along with the times of the trains. Nothing about whether they are optional or mandatory. It does say to see reservations but you can have those optionally too.

I have now opened my e-ticket PDF that was e-mailed to me and it says mandatory reservations at the top so I can only assume they all are.

Although now it has been raised, it seems odd for the 7:11 to be mandatory as it is a metro service.

Update: Actually, I've now read the second e-mail I received and that explains that seats cannot be reversed on any train save the final one. Thus I can travel an hour later.

I am so used to putting in route options to find different routes that I simply forgot about restricting the operator.

It is still interesting though how putting that in or leaving it out, changes ehat comes back, even though that operator isn't running any of the trains.

I do appreciate the booking system is a very complex beast so it's not a criticism. More a fascination.

This is one of the disadvantages of using an e-ticket when buying an Advance ticket - it specifies all of the services in your itinerary (including non-reservable ones) and thus ties you to using them. By contrast, with paper tickets, reservations are usually printed on separate tickets for each train and nothing is printed for non-reservable services.

 

[NorthWestRover]

using an e-ticket - it specifies all of the services in your itinerary (including non-reservable ones) and thus ties you to using them.

Is that right? Surely only if they are Advances.

 

[Watershed]

Is that right? Surely only if they are Advances.

Yes - I was responding in the context of a query about an Advance. Walk-up tickets issued in conjunction with an itinerary containing one or more trains marked as "reservations compulsory" will also mean that an e-ticket (wrongly) shows "mandatory itinerary", but that can of course be ignored.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Phew. I read it that you were saying e-tickets with an itinerary tied you to that itinerary whatever the ticket. And I know you know your stuff, so I was very worried. Panic over.

 

[Watershed]

Phew. I read it that you were saying e-tickets with an itinerary tied you to that itinerary whatever the ticket. And I know you know your stuff, so I was very worried. Panic over.

No worries. Sorry, perhaps my original post should have been clearer.

 

[infobleep]

This is one of the disadvantages of using an e-ticket when buying an Advance ticket - it specifies all of the services in your itinerary (including non-reservable ones) and thus ties you to using them. By contrast, with paper tickets, reservations are usually printed on separate tickets for each train and nothing is printed for non-reservable services.

So do I have to take the precise trains because the second e-mail from TrainSplit seems to suggest otherwise? It is confusing.

I could have selected paper tickets for this but that means TrainSplit make less profit and they are a useful resource so I chose tickets

I also purchased a second ticket for tomorrow, elsewhere as I needed a plus bus. I third will be purchased from a ticket machine as I want one without an itinerary and it's faster to use a ticket machine.

For the return journey I did use TrainSplit throughout to Earlsfield and to support them gave them the £5 split saving, even though I knew where to split myself. I only know one of the splits thanks to TrainSplit in the first place though. The rest is my own work.

 

[Watershed]

So do I have to take the precise trains because the second e-mail from TrainSplit seems to suggest otherwise? It is confusing.

I could have selected paper tickets for this but that means TrainSplit make less profit and they are a useful resource so I chose tickets

I also purchased a second ticket for tomorrow, elsewhere as I needed a plus bus. I third will be purchased from a ticket machine as I want one without an itinerary and it's faster to use a ticket machine.

For the return journey I did use TrainSplit throughout to Earlsfield and to support them gave them the £5 split saving, even though I knew where to split myself. I only know one of the splits thanks to TrainSplit in the first place though. The rest is my own work.

The fact that seats can't be reserved doesn't change the fact that the e-ticket shows every train you're "supposed" to be on, including non-reservable legs. Whereas with paper tickets, depending on the way they're printed there is no indication of the non-reservable legs so there's nothing to hold you to. It's a purely practical matter.

Personally, I wouldn't choose e-tickets over paper tickets just to save the retailer a few pence, when that degree of loss of flexibility is at stake. But you must decide that for yourself.

 

[infobleep]

The fact that seats can't be reserved doesn't change the fact that the e-ticket shows every train you're "supposed" to be on, including non-reservable legs. Whereas with paper tickets, depending on the way they're printed there is no indication of the non-reservable legs so there's nothing to hold you to. It's a purely practical matter.

Personally, I wouldn't choose e-tickets over paper tickets just to save the retailer a few pence, when that degree of loss of flexibility is at stake. But you must decide that for yourself.

Well, I wasn't expecting there to be a faster route so I just assumed these were the fastest trains at the price I was paying, so was happy. I thought retailers like TrainSplit might make a loss on some tickets when collecting CCST.

I also wasn't aware there would be a loss of flexibility if some of the tickets were not compulsory reservation. So many people go on here about how great e-tickets are and it is the way everything is going. People who love CCST can print their e-tickets so shouldn't be stuck in the past and on it goes...... I kind of agreed, except for when I wished to buy a ticket without planning a journey, which is most of the time as I buy a lot of walk up tickets.

And now this.

I also hadn't realised excluding Avanti West Coast produced other services, even though no Avanti West Coast services were ever suggested.

I'm travelling in the morning peak and there aren't so many trains available from my starting station so I guess it was a perfect storm.

If I travel an hour later from Clapham Junction could I be fined for not holding a valid ticket? The OBS must surely know you cannot reserve the train, unless they are new to the job.