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How do I buy "Games Day Tickets" for travel on Virgin?

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MKB

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I want to buy the special "Games Day Tickets" that allow me to travel back from Euston to Nuneaton on the additional late-night Virgin services, but with the flexibility that these tickets offer. (And, yes, I do qualify as I have event tickets.)

Virgin's page here http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/updates/2012-games-train-tickets/ says I should be able to buy these, but when you follow the link through to http://www.nationalrailgamestravel.co.uk/ the only tickets available from EUS-NUN or EUS-COV on VT are Advance only. The Games Day Tickets are LM only. Surely, this can't be right?

Has Virgin withdrawn all of its Games Day Tickets, or is it offering the Games Day Tickets t&c's on its Advance tickets?

Cheers for any advice.

As a side issue, I notice that (i) the late trains to NUN (23:45 and 02:00) are not showing in some booking engines, e.g. LM, and (ii) the games tickets website is attempting to sell advance tickets that are more expensive than some flexible tickets (e.g. SVR) without making it clear that cheaper (and more flexible tickets) may be available. By not showing the full range of tickets on the games website, they present a highly misleading picture to the non-savvy.
 
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Deerfold

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I want to buy the special "Games Day Tickets" that allow me to travel back from Euston to Nuneaton on the additional late-night Virgin services, but with the flexibility that these tickets offer. (And, yes, I do qualify as I have event tickets.)

Virgin's page here http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/updates/2012-games-train-tickets/ says I should be able to buy these, but when you follow the link through to http://www.nationalrailgamestravel.co.uk/ the only tickets available from EUS-NUN or EUS-COV on VT are Advance only. The Games Day Tickets are LM only. Surely, this can't be right?

Has Virgin withdrawn all of its Games Day Tickets, or is it offering the Games Day Tickets t&c's on its Advance tickets?

Cheers for any advice.

As a side issue, I notice that (i) the late trains to NUN (23:45 and 02:00) are not showing in some booking engines, e.g. LM, and (ii) the games tickets website is attempting to sell advance tickets that are more expensive than some flexible tickets (e.g. SVR) without making it clear that cheaper (and more flexible tickets) may be available. By not showing the full range of tickets on the games website, they present a highly misleading picture to the non-savvy.

The special fares available to holders of Olympic tickets have been available for many months - and few of the ones that are left are particulalry good value. As far as I know the only special games tickets offered by Virgin have all been advances (http://www.nationalrailgamestravel.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/2012-games-advance-train-ticket/) whilst some operators offered discount versions of other tickets).
 

MKB

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As far as I know the only special games tickets offered by Virgin have all been advances (http://www.nationalrailgamestravel.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/2012-games-advance-train-ticket/) whilst some operators offered discount versions of other tickets).

I think you might have answered, but I'm not sure. Are you confirming that Virgin's Advance tickets bought through the games website are subject to the same terms as the "Games Day Tickets" ticket type?

If you do a search for *EUS-NUN on 27 July for example, you'll see that you are offered both Games Day Tickets (LM only) and Advance, so two standard-class ticket types and two first-class ticket types.

The Games Day Tickets have an "i" link to their T&Cs, but the Advance tickets do not, so it's not clear that the Advance ones have any additional flexibility as they have not been categorised as "Games Day Tickets". Furthermore, underneath the Advance fare, it does say: "Valid only on your chosen service. Not refundable. Changeable prior to date of travel for a fee." So that would appear to suggest that Virgin are not offering Games tickets.

EDIT: (*) Actually, you have to select "Euston (for the Games)" not EUS.
 

MKB

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Could they be sold out?

Well, that's what I am trying to find out! If you do Euston to Coventry, there's nothing on any service, even though cheap Advance fares are available via the normal booking engines. It seems more likely they've been withdrawn rather than completely sold out. Or were they ever available?

Anyone with evidence/insight know?
 

Deerfold

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Well, that's what I am trying to find out! If you do Euston to Coventry, there's nothing on any service, even though cheap Advance fares are available via the normal booking engines. It seems more likely they've been withdrawn rather than completely sold out. Or were they ever available?

Anyone with evidence/insight know?


I don't know why it's more likely thay've been withdrawn - thay've been on sale since last year. I suspect they've been quite popular. There's plenty of services I can see with tickets through the games ticket site for 31/07/2012.

It is confusing that the ticket type for the advances does not seem to me a Games advance - the same happens on East Coast journeys. I wonder if this is a mistake as the "From" location is London (for the games) which I would have though would be the easy way for staff to identfy the different ticket type. Unless anyone else knows you may be as well giving Virgin a ring.
 

Simon11

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Could they be sold out?

Unlikely, when I worked at a london toc, the sales of games tickets were very tiny and not as much as atoc expected for the demand ie a flop!

I wonder if virgin have taken them out as people can now buy normal advances?

 

MKB

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There's plenty of services I can see with tickets through the games ticket site for 31/07/2012.

What are you entering to see them? I've tried to COV and NUN on 31/7 and checked all Virgin services and all Virgin+Connections, and there's not a single Games Day Ticket coming up for me. Only Advance tickets.
 

Deerfold

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What are you entering to see them? I've tried to COV and NUN on 31/7 and checked all Virgin services and all Virgin+Connections, and there's not a single Games Day Ticket coming up for me. Only Advance tickets.

Ah, no - I'm seeing Games Advance tickets. I think most TOCs only offered one or the other type of ticket. East Coast only offered Games Advance tickets from the start - I looked at their tickets when they were first released. There were some very good advances, with <£20 tickets available on morning peak services.
 

MKB

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Ah, no - I'm seeing Games Advance tickets.

I'm not seeing "Games Advance" tickets. Just "Std Class Advance Single" and "1st Class Advance Single", i.e. the normal Advance tickets. Neither have the usual "i" link to conditions, and both state that they are completely non-flexible, i.e. not with the promised flexibility if events overrun.

So my question still stands as to how you buy the special games tickets being advertised by Virgin at http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/updates/2012-games-train-tickets/

If they've been withdrawn (or sold out), why is that page still there?

CORRECTION: The "i" link to conditions is there on Advance tickets, but doesn't appear until after you've selected a train. And, it is the normal Advance conditions, not the more flexible Games ticket conditions.
 
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Deerfold

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I'm not seeing "Games Advance" tickets. Just "Std Class Advance Single" and "1st Class Advance Single", i.e. the normal Advance tickets. Neither have the usual "i" link to conditions, and both state that they are completely non-flexible, i.e. not with the promised flexibility if events overrun.

I don't think these are the normal advance tickets as they have a destination (or departure point) of "London for the Games". I think there's a mistake in the link to the conditions but I think you'll have to talk to Virgin to confirm this.

I think this because the tickets/prices listed are not the same as if you search for normal advances on other ticket engines.
 

MKB

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I don't think these are the normal advance tickets as they have a destination (or departure point) of "London for the Games". I think there's a mistake in the link to the conditions but I think you'll have to talk to Virgin to confirm this.

I think you're right, but I don't have any contacts in Virgin. I'm quite sure -- based on previous experience -- that calling customer services won't get me to anyone high enough to know the correct answer. Hence why I was asking on here. I was hoping someone with insight within Virgin or its IT suppliers might know.

It's frustrating, because I'm sure I'm like most other people travelling to the Games, in that I can manage a non-flexible outbound ticket, but I have no knowledge of how busy the Stratford Intl to St Pancras leg is going to be, so I need flexibility on the return from Euston.

My normal tactic is to book on VT's site and combine a 1st Advance outbound with a half-saver standard-class return. Sometimes I book two Std Advance returns and throw one away, if that's cheaper than the half-saver. However, if I can book on the Games website and get the advertised special flexibility for the price of the Advance, that would be my cheapest option, but, so far, I can't find anyway to do it!
 

calc7

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Not optimal but maybe just buy one for a late train and enjoy a coffee/couple of beers in and around Euston?
 

OwlMan

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Return Games Advance tickets can be used up to 3 hours after the booked train if you are delayed.

What if I have reserved seats on a train and accidentally miss it?

For Advance tickets, the outward portion must be used for the service booked but the return portion will be valid for travel on services up to three hours later than the service booked, although any seat reservations will no longer be guaranteed.
 

tamesidedepot

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slightly related, but I'm looking at coming back from Euston to Stockport at 2100 on Saturday 4th, and am wondering if it's packed in STD will there still be the option to upgrade to a Weekend 1st? If I book a 'London Games' to SPT single do I still have the 3hr 'delays' option - I don't think I do TBH.
 

Deerfold

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Return Games Advance tickets can be used up to 3 hours after the booked train if you are delayed.

Yes, but the OP is concerned that the tickets that are showing bring up the standard advance conditions when selected, not the Games Advance conditions and they identify themselves as just "Advance" tickets; whereas the LM Games tickets are identified as such in the booking engine.

I had already linked to the information you've provided.
 
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