Issues with XC's method of admending an Advance ticket for no admin fee online

I am trying to amend an advance ticket (which I booked while signed in), but when I go to the “my account” page, I don’t see an option to “view your bookings”. The my account page just seems to be a way of updating contact details.

EDIT: Turns out you have to fill in the form with 'updated' account details before you can get to the page. Not great UI design but at least it's solved the problem! Hopefully it helps others who have the same issue.

Cdd89 said:

I am trying to amend an advance ticket (which I booked while signed in), but when I go to the “my account” page, I don’t see an option to “view your bookings”. The my account page just seems to be a way of updating contact details.

EDIT: Turns out you have to fill in the form with 'updated' account details before you can get to the page. Not great UI design but at least it's solved the problem! Hopefully it helps others who have the same issue.

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I agree; the UI is not very good on CrossCountry. They appear to be trying to patch together too many different systems and UIs; it could really do with some simplification

Given someone resurrected this thread, I note Transpennine Express do the same thing - however you have to go via their old interface not their new one as that tries to charge you £10?

Also they will only post you the new tickets as far as I can tell, effectively meaning you can only change them 7-8 days before (unless you want to pay £6 for special delivery).

Might give Crosscountry a go in future when I need the flexibility, if it definitely allows a ticket machine collection of an excess. Neither XC or TPE explain this very clearly, I had to call TPE to find out I couldn't print my excess at a ticket machine!

trek said:

Might give Crosscountry a go in future when I need the flexibility, if it definitely allows a ticket machine collection of an excess

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With XC the tickets are not excessed, instead you buy the replacement ticket (through the Amend Booking option), and are then refunded for the original ticket. So TVM collection is fine as it's a new ticket.

If you already hold the original ticket you'll have to post it to them before they'll refund it, whereas if you selected ticket on departure and haven't yet collected it, you'll get an immediate refund.

DeparturesBeck said:

With XC the tickets are not excessed, instead you buy the replacement ticket (through the Amend Booking option), and are then refunded for the original ticket. So TVM collection is fine as it's a new ticket.

If you already hold the original ticket you'll have to post it to them before they'll refund it, whereas if you selected ticket on departure and haven't yet collected it, you'll get an immediate refund.

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So... just buy, don't collect it, if I need to change it, no problems, will get a new ToD reference?

And remember to buy any return trips as two separate bookings so the return ticket can remain uncollected on a separate ToD (usually I want the flexibility on the return portion of a journey, in case I decide to extend a trip)

Too much to consider now when booking tickets, given Crosscountry doesn't offer me the cashback benefits I get elsewhere. Wish there was just one perfect booking site...

trek said:

So... just buy, don't collect it, if I need to change it, no problems, will get a new ToD reference?

And remember to buy any return trips as two separate bookings so the return ticket can remain uncollected on a separate ToD (usually I want the flexibility on the return portion of a journey, in case I decide to extend a trip)

Too much to consider now when booking tickets, given Crosscountry doesn't offer me the cashback benefits I get elsewhere. Wish there was just one perfect booking site...

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CrossCountry is often my booking site of choice for Advance tickets, due to the fee-free ToD (or e-ticket, where available) changes, and the fact that there are certain discounts available there which aren't available elsewhere, plus a seatmap for XC services (useful for keeping the same seat if splitting tickets!). I'll usually only use another booking site where I can't get the itinerary (or tier of Advance) I can get elsewhere, e.g. on sites like TrainSplit with lots of advanced settings!

For walkup tickets I tend to use Southern, as you can get a fee-free refund on walkup bookings if you don't collect them. Again, I'd usually only use TrainSplit etc. if there's an itinerary and/or route which I can only get to work with the multiple via points offered there.

TrainSplit offers a great service for people who are looking for a simple solution, but unfortunately there are some other booking sites which sometimes offer advantages that independent retailers simply can't be expected to offer (e.g. the fee-free Advance changes on CrossCountry's website are 'priced' into their franchise bid - i.e. it is 'subsidised' in a way).

And yes, I agree that it's a shame that there isn't one perfect retailer. I suppose it's case of economics; how could a booking site have to offer cashback (which is a substantial percentage of their retailer's commission) as well as fee-free changes and so on.

Also, not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it's disappointing that there doesn't appear to be a way of changing an advance ticket to a walkup with railcard using the XC site. Unless I've missed it...

Is that with a railcard discounted advance?

Cdd89 said:

Also, not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it's disappointing that there doesn't appear to be a way of changing an advance ticket to a walkup with railcard using the XC site. Unless I've missed it...

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You can only change the date and time of your journey when doing a change like this; everything else is greyed out.