Amending a Virgin Trains Booking On-line

[Hadders]

I'm having issues amending a booking I've made with Virgin Trains and I'd appreciate advice.

I'd booked an Advance plus an Off Peak Single (SVH) to travel from Euston to Manchester. I booked this through Virgin as I need a degree of flexibility on the return and East Coast (who I usually use for my tickets don't sell SVH tickets).

My plans have changed and I now need to change the date of my travel. I logged into my account last night to make the changes, expecting it to cost me a £10 fee for each leg plus any difference in the Advance fare.

I managed to amend the outward Advance with no problems but the return SVH is more problematic. It seems that it can only be refunded (less the £10 fee). Problem is the SVH can only be purchased at the same time as another ticket travelling in the opposite direction.

I phoned customer services who were completely useless, they told me that They could refund the SVH less the £10 fee but they could only sell a full priced flexible single at £80. They can't sell me an SVH to accompany my amended Advance.

Seems there's a flaw in the system somewhere here. It looks like I'm going to have to take this up formally with Virgin but would appreciate any thoughts from forum members.

 

[yorkie]

Agreed.

It may be better value to ask them to upgrade both singles into an Off Peak Return. The admin fee applies twice sadly but at least you get flexibility.

 

[Hadders]

I think it might have been possible if I'd requested a refund on the SVH first, then amended the outward portion which might have given me the option to purchase a new return portion at the same time.

Can't do it anyway as it won't allow further changes.

What disappointed me more was customer services lack of understanding, Declining my request to speak to someone more senior. I even called back to see if was a one off with the person I spoke to.

I will be writing to Virgin.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Another thing that would not be an issue if we just moved to single fare pricing for all long-distance trains.

But absent that...is refunding the SVH and finding an Advance for your return journey an option?

Neil

 

[Hadders]

Another thing that would not be an issue if we just moved to single fare pricing for all long-distance trains.

But absent that...is refunding the SVH and finding an Advance for your return journey an option?

Neil

I'd agree as long as a move to single fare pricing is not used to increase the cost of a return or restrict the times at which off-peak tickets can be used.

Unfortunately I need a degree of flexibility on my return so I'd really like to get the SVH ticket if possible. I don't understand why I can't get that, I realise it's only available if you have an on-line ticket in the other direction but this is exactly what I have.

Does anyone have a contact address for Virgin Trains as I can't find one on their website. I know it might be quicker to email them but call me old fashioned - I do believe that nothing beats an old fashioned letter when it comes to a complaint.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd agree as long as a move to single fare pricing is not used to increase the cost of a return or restrict the times at which off-peak tickets can be used.

Realistically there would be a small increase in the price of returns to cover the loss from those who would only have purchased a single and would cease being ripped off. But as very few people purchase only singles, as most journeys of any kind are return journeys, it would likely be a small sum.

I would anticipate return tickets to remain for those who require the one month flexible validity. But if you want to do a different thing each way (e.g. peak or off peak, Standard or First, different routes) just purchase two singles at no cost penalty over a return.

Does anyone have a contact address for Virgin Trains as I can't find one on their website. I know it might be quicker to email them but call me old fashioned - I do believe that nothing beats an old fashioned letter when it comes to a complaint.

They rather hide that, don't they?

Meridian, 85 Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham B5 4HA

Neil

 

[island]

The SVH is only available at the time of purchase of a corresponding Advance so they were correct in that situation.

I would suggest printing all the tickets and taking the whole lot down to a staffed station asking to change to what you need.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Unless it can be done as an excess, they won't be able to, will they? You have to go back to the point of purchase (though in some cases if you purchase at one ticket office of a given TOC any ticket office of that TOC will be able to resolve).

The SVH is a messy solution to a problem that shouldn't exist if they stopped ripping off one-way travellers.

Neil

 

[Hadders]

The SVH is only available at the time of purchase of a corresponding Advance so they were correct in that situation.

I would suggest printing all the tickets and taking the whole lot down to a staffed station asking to change to what you need.

Surely I have a corresponding Advance? My original purchase was an Advance + SVH. All I want to do is a mend the date of travel on both of these. I accept it will cost 2x£10 to do this but the crack handed way their website deals with changes appears to prevent this from being done.

My expectation was that I would be able to sort it over the phone but they wouldn't/couldn't do it because an SVH can only be purchased at the same time as an Advance. Errr... I've got the Advance and the SVH it's only their system that prevented me from amending the date on both... and so the conversation went round in circles.

I'm not sure a ticket office could assist as I don't think they deal with SVH's and I think an excess would be to the SVS.

Got be fair I perhaps should have done what yorkie suggested further up the thread but I'm not sure the website would have allowed me to do this for the same reasons as it won't allow me to change the SVH.

 

[bb21]

Try a Virgin ticket office who might be able to endorse your original SVH ticket for travel on a different date if you explain the problem. New Street in my experience are quite helpful with unusual problems so if you could go there, I would say give them a try.

No guarantee but worth a try.

 

[Hadders]

An update on this. Virgin refunded the value of my SVH which I was not able to use.

They've also sent me one of their 'we get too many complaints to deal with them properly so here's £50 in RTV's to keep you quiet' letters.

So, a sort of result although no progress on the root cause of the problem.