In the evening on last Monday I went onto the TrainLine.com website to purchase a return ticket from Basingstoke to Gatwick Airport, leaving that evening, and returning a week later at around 07:30am. I put the details into the search page, adding the fact that I have a network railcard.
From:
https://www.thetrainline.com/en/hel...ilcard-discount-has-been-included-in-the-fare
says regarding the use of railcards: "If you're eligible for a discount, it will automatically be applied to your booking when you select your ticket."
It came back with a return fare of £33.40 which sounded very reasonable.
When I went to book it, it said that a discount for the network card had been applied to both legs of the journey. While the outbound leg was OK, the return leg was before 10am on a weekday, and I didn't think the railcard was valid then.
So I went onto the chat function on the website to query it, and the person on there said both that the network card is not valid before 10am, but that Trainline is able to mix and match fares to get you the best deal, and that the ticket was valid for my journey.
I was still suspicious, but decided to go ahead with the purchase.
So I bought the ticket, receiving a confirmation email stating the return train booked at 07:37am on Tue 25th Jun.
I collected the ticket machine at Basingstoke station. Both tickets had written on them "With Network Railcard"
I showed the tickets to the chap in the ticket office at Basingstoke, and he agreed with me that at face value the return portion of the ticket does not appear to be valid and "guaranteed to" not open the gates at Gatwick.
When I got to the airport and had some time to spare, I emailed Trainline again with the query, because I wanted to get something in writing.
"I wonder whether you could clarify whether you nonetheless think the return portion of the ticket is valid on the service I specified in the booking, the 07:37 from Gatwick Airport on 25th June?"
After dodging the question once, I got the reply: "Under the reference number XXXXXXXXX, I see that you have booked an Anytime Return ticket for your journey. I have just checked and see that the tickets are booked using Network railcard discount and the tickets indeed valid to travel."
I strongly suspect that when I try to use the return portion, that the gates will refuse access, and gate staff will do the same.
Is the ticket valid for the 07:37am train I booked it for, or not? And what should be my next course of action to resolve?
If staff refuse access to the train, can I get that refusal in writing, so that I can prove to TrainLine or the courts that the ticket was not accepted?
BTW the problem is still there on the website - search for any evening trip from Basingstoke to Gatwick, returning early morning a week later, and the fare is there.
(dates slightly changed for anonymity).
Many thanks.
From:
https://www.thetrainline.com/en/hel...ilcard-discount-has-been-included-in-the-fare
says regarding the use of railcards: "If you're eligible for a discount, it will automatically be applied to your booking when you select your ticket."
It came back with a return fare of £33.40 which sounded very reasonable.
When I went to book it, it said that a discount for the network card had been applied to both legs of the journey. While the outbound leg was OK, the return leg was before 10am on a weekday, and I didn't think the railcard was valid then.
So I went onto the chat function on the website to query it, and the person on there said both that the network card is not valid before 10am, but that Trainline is able to mix and match fares to get you the best deal, and that the ticket was valid for my journey.
I was still suspicious, but decided to go ahead with the purchase.
So I bought the ticket, receiving a confirmation email stating the return train booked at 07:37am on Tue 25th Jun.
I collected the ticket machine at Basingstoke station. Both tickets had written on them "With Network Railcard"
I showed the tickets to the chap in the ticket office at Basingstoke, and he agreed with me that at face value the return portion of the ticket does not appear to be valid and "guaranteed to" not open the gates at Gatwick.
When I got to the airport and had some time to spare, I emailed Trainline again with the query, because I wanted to get something in writing.
"I wonder whether you could clarify whether you nonetheless think the return portion of the ticket is valid on the service I specified in the booking, the 07:37 from Gatwick Airport on 25th June?"
After dodging the question once, I got the reply: "Under the reference number XXXXXXXXX, I see that you have booked an Anytime Return ticket for your journey. I have just checked and see that the tickets are booked using Network railcard discount and the tickets indeed valid to travel."
I strongly suspect that when I try to use the return portion, that the gates will refuse access, and gate staff will do the same.
Is the ticket valid for the 07:37am train I booked it for, or not? And what should be my next course of action to resolve?
If staff refuse access to the train, can I get that refusal in writing, so that I can prove to TrainLine or the courts that the ticket was not accepted?
BTW the problem is still there on the website - search for any evening trip from Basingstoke to Gatwick, returning early morning a week later, and the fare is there.
(dates slightly changed for anonymity).
Many thanks.
