Can't book the GWR train I want - system inflexible

[Essexman]

I'm trying to book from Paddington to Torquay early evening on Sunday. Due to engineering works there is a reduced service with trains running via Bristol.

GWR's website will allow me to book the 17.33 changing at Bristol (to Cross Country) and Newton Abbott but I can find no way of booking on the 17.27, which arrives at Torquay at the same time but just with a change at Newton Abbott. I'd prefer to catch this train but as Sunday eveing is busy want a seat reservation, however assume it isn't offered as departure is 6 minutes earlier for the same arrival time. One of the many problems with inflexible online booking.

Can anyone suggest how I can book on the 17.27?

Thanks.

 

[Darandio]

Not sure if you are willing to use another booking engine but LNER lets you select the 17.27 by specifying via Newton Abbot. It then offers you an advance at £51.50 making one change at Exeter St Davids.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

TrainSplit is very flexible in terms of letting you specify a maximum number of changes and specifying up to three stations where you do, or don't, want to change (three for each). The combination of these two (plus control over the TOCs the journey uses) should enable you to get exactly the itinerary you want, as well as potentially saving you some money if there is a cheaper combination of tickets available than the through fare.

 

[Essexman]

Not sure if you are willing to use another booking engine but LNER lets you select the 17.27 by specifying via Newton Abbot. It then offers you an advance at £51.50 making one change at Exeter St Davids.

That's great. Thanks.
Not sure why LNER can be more flexible than GWR or why is suggests change at Exeter not Newton Abbot, but I'll book with them.

 

[Essexman]

TrainSplit is very flexible in terms of letting you specify a maximum number of changes and specifying up to three stations where you do, or don't, want to change (three for each). The combination of these two (plus control over the TOCs the journey uses) should enable you to get exactly the itinerary you want, as well as potentially saving you some money if there is a cheaper combination of tickets available than the through fare.

That's even better. Far more flexible. Allows the customer to make choices not the computer.

 

[Darandio]

In this case I think you will just get the same £51.50 fare at TrainSplit but with the change at Newton Abbot instead. I agree though, it's a much more flexible way to book tickets.

 

[Silver Cobra]

If you haven't already booked your ticket and do want to use GWR's website to book it, you can get the 1727 departure to come up. I did a quick test using the 'Mixing Deck' interface on GWR's website (http://tickets.gwr.com) and by changing the route to 'GREAT WESTN ONLY', it offered the 1727 departure in place of the 1733.



Though it does seem to still allocate the change to Exeter St Davids instead of Newton Abbot.

**EDIT: Using NRE, I was able to get an itinerary for the 1727 from Paddington and changing at Newton Abbot. So again, if you haven't already booked the ticket, it may be worth trying that.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Is this possibly because most booking engines show the fastest options by default, and the GWR service being 6minutes slower, is automatically hidden?