Booking Tickets on a Business Account

[joke2711]

Hi

My Company have to sort a lot of travel arrangements out for our trainers who travel the Country. Currently we tend to book direct from the Virgin Trains website. Is there a TOC that will offer a business account?

Any advice greatly appreciated,

Thanks
Jonathan

 

[Starmill]

Is there something specific you're looking for? I think several operators offer business accounts, e.g. Northern Rail's Specialised Sales Team based in Leeds http://www.northernrail.org/page/6/46120

 

[Hyphen]

My Company have to sort a lot of travel arrangements out for our trainers who travel the Country. Currently we tend to book direct from the Virgin Trains website. Is there a TOC that will offer a business account?

I'm not sure about competitors or what, if anything, the TOCs offer, but my organisation uses Trainline Business.

It has the advantage that they're able to give regularly-travelling staff their own web accounts for booking their own tickets on the company account (though I get the impression most staff here don't have that, they just got fed up of me sending them lists of splits...!).

Unfortunately they still do apply their usual booking fee, as well as a £3 on-account charge on top. Works for me though - it's one less thing to put on expenses!

 

[joke2711]

Is there something specific you're looking for? I think several operators offer business accounts, e.g. Northern Rail's Specialised Sales Team based in Leeds http://www.northernrail.org/page/6/46120

Hi, my mind was thinking along the lines of an account where each month there is an invoice issued to the Company which can be paid by Direct Debit. I know about the Trainline Business account but would like to avoid the constant booking fees ...

 

[Starmill]

If you're travelling with Virgin often, have you tried giving them a call? According to the poster at Leeds Northern's scheme doesn't charge fees, but you'd have to call them and ask them if they can do what you want.

 

[andrewkeith5]

Hi, my mind was thinking along the lines of an account where each month there is an invoice issued to the Company which can be paid by Direct Debit. I know about the Trainline Business account but would like to avoid the constant booking fees ...

The problem is, businesses are far too willing to pay booking fees...most 'business use' accounts have fees for everything

 

[centraluser]

Chiltern Railways have a small Business Travel team.

http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/business-travel

 

[willas00]

Hi

My Company have to sort a lot of travel arrangements out for our trainers who travel the Country. Currently we tend to book direct from the Virgin Trains website. Is there a TOC that will offer a business account?

Any advice greatly appreciated,

Thanks
Jonathan

We use Red Spotted Hanky.

They don't charge booking fee's to business accounts and you get invoiced monthly and pay by Direct Debit

http://www.redspottedhanky.com/rail-business-travel-solutions/solutions-for-businesses/

 

[pdq]

My previous employer used Redfern Travel. Usually companies are happy to pay the booking fees because in return they get automated invoicing including cost centres, nominals etc, which is far easier - and therefore cheaper - to process than any number of single claims or invoices. Redfern were also able to provide stats on carbon footprint, purpose of journey etc, which are important to many companies these days.

 

[Bletchleyite]

My Company have to sort a lot of travel arrangements out for our trainers who travel the Country. Currently we tend to book direct from the Virgin Trains website. Is there a TOC that will offer a business account?

Quite a few, and other wider-travel services like ClickTravel. But they do often come at a fee, so if you won't benefit from the extra facilities they offer (e.g. no need for staff to pay and claim expenses, the ability to lock down to travel policies) they may have no actual benefit for you.

Personally, working for quite a small company, I prefer the way we are allowed to book things directly (within an expense policy) rather than being forced to use a corporate portal which may not be more convenient.

 

[Skie]

Just beware that travel companies like redfern and the trainline business wont have access to ToC specific discounts.

For example only Virgin offer group discount for their services. Going direct via Virgins own group booking page will get you 20% off the journey if it involves 3 or more passengers if they travel on advance tickets, which is a hell of a saving. Yes its a bit more of a pain to manage but saving nearly £100 per journey means it pays for itself.

 

[najaB]

Hi, my mind was thinking along the lines of an account where each month there is an invoice issued to the Company which can be paid by Direct Debit. I know about the Trainline Business account but would like to avoid the constant booking fees ...

Depending on the number of bookings your company makes you may not have to pay Trainline any booking fees.