I guess at least they found a way to put that all in the pre purchase info, rather than just not telling the customer like they normally do.There's a small number of ticket types with special refund conditions such as this (such as Caledonian Sleeper tickets).
These aren't present in any kind of data feeds, so it isn't really possible for us to provide accurate information for them unless we manually curate it. And we sell so few (often none?) so it doesn't make it worthwhile. In these cases, refunds would be on a manual and case-by-case basis rather than using our online portal.
This one is particularly bad because it's also shown as booked train only, while it's actually valid for any service on the day. And you get a 1st class upgrade. And if no 1st seats are available, you get £20 back.
It's probably why we seem to be the only ones that sell this ticket online...
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Haywain
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 3 Feb 2013
- Messages
- 20,100
I'm pretty sure that it is only intended to be available through business travel channels. Perhaps @Wallsendmag can confirm?
Wallsendmag
Established Member
As far as I know that is correct otherwise we’d be selling it.
Lovely. We'll manually blacklist it, like all the other garbage that isn't barred programatically that should be, but someone probably wants to check how RARS is configured!
Hmm, there's nothing in eg the NRE data that indicates it's restricted issue, which there is for eg the fare called LNER Corp on the same flow - is this written down anywhere?
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There is a separate LNER Corporate ticket which is explicitly stated as "Available to selected corporate clients, booking through corporate channels and sold using an agreed corporate discount. Sales channels include third-party travel agents and the London North Eastern Railway corporate travel site, Railblazers."
This one doesn't carry any particular restrictions, and even explicitly says it's available at ticket offices and from LNER online (which I can't seem to reproduce!), while also not being shown as a "restricted" category ticket. It even says it's "mainly" aimed at business travellers, not solely for sale to corporate customers on agreement from LNER. The equivalent tickets from Scotland (XS5) are similar, having no details for purchase location at all.
If they're intended to be restricted issue, the data should reflect this, at which point they should be removed from sale.
drueberflug
Member
I mean, the XT1 ticket is something that's nice to have (or, in this case, offer), and it surely won't do any harm keeping it...
According to NRE, LNER themselves are selling it through their website as well as their ticket offices.
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pokemonsuper9
Established Member
So it's a first class ticket then?
Even if it tricks the systems, if it gives you seats in first class then it is a first class ticket, surely it'd fall apart at the first sense check by a HR team taking a look at an oddly high train ticket cost.
Yeah, as MrJeeves says, it does look like it is meant to be sold - I'm wondering if Haywain and Wallsendmag were thinking of a different ticket type
Well, to be fair, we have sold exactly zero of them, so they can't be that nice to have...
drueberflug
Member
I don't know much about how the internal systems work (well, they're internal, they're not supposed to be open), but both the "LNER Corporate Single" (XS3) and a plain Advance Single (2GS) have the fare category "Restricted" according to NRE, and the ticketing page is happy to sell me a 2GS for EMD-SOA, making me doubt whether that fare category info is any meaningful at all.
It's an overpriced ticket after all, but, hey, at least Raileasy could at some point claim that they sell all publicly available ticket that can be retailed online, unlike the Trainline.Well, to be fair, we have sold exactly zero of them, so they can't be that nice to have...
jfowkes
Member
- Joined
- 20 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 1,128
There was a question back in 2023 on this thread about bike spaces support, with a reply a few posts later saying:
This would be really useful for me, is there any news on this?
(I recognise it's a complex addition for a niche set of people, I'm not complaining or demanding it.)
This would be really useful for me, is there any news on this?
(I recognise it's a complex addition for a niche set of people, I'm not complaining or demanding it.)
Adam Williams
Established Member
I'm disappointed it's not something we've been able to launch as part of the purchase flow, but it's something I am hoping Raileasy will consider prioritising for development soon.
The current status quo is:
Customer services can make (and check availability for) bike reservations for customers on request, free of charge. Unfortunately, this has to be done out-of-band.
We've done some work to improve the experience of passengers travelling on the Highland Explorer.
jfowkes
Member
- Joined
- 20 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 1,128
Sure thanks, I'll keep fingers crossed!
Some changes were made, however the fares are now the same price, so not possible to see if it had any effect.
If you, or anyone else, spots anything like this again please do let us know
Egg Centric
Established Member
Corporate travel policies are rarely about "sense". Otherwise they'd mandate splitting where possible, for a start.
Also there wouldn't be insane policies like you must take standard even if 1st is cheaper!
Egg Centric
Established Member
TBH when it comes to UK intercity rail I can't understand why the majority of jobs don't - on long distance at least - mandate 1st class travel and working on the train (I appreciate this isn't possible for all jobs, but it is for most of them even if restricting to "non confidential" tasks).
Penny wise, pound foolish restricting people to standard.
MicroLithium
Member
I don't get the impression that most travel expenses policies are actually given any real thought. My (public sector) employer recently changed the rules, so you can now book 1st if it's cheaper than standard and you get appropriate approval. But you're still not allowed to book standard and pay for a 1st class upgrade out of your own pocket. Bizarre.
Feel free to create a new thread for this suggestion.
It's worth noting that the forum site does state when a ticket is the cheapest, so if 1st is cheaper than standard, this will be detailed on the booking confirmation/receipt.
NorthWalian
Member
For direct services it is ok
The problem is during a service such as Chester > London where the Avanti service has a shorter connection at Crewe
So in that case, I’d have to either exclude Avanti or manually split at Crewe
Can you provide a search link please, and along with the link, can you provide details of an example itinerary that isn't shown, which you'd be looking to book?
NorthWalian
Member
I provided one here a month or two back and it didn’t get me far
Essentially the cheap ticket is Chester (or another north west city) to Crewe and then to Euston with the second leg on WMR
In most cases, the search engine defaults to Avanti as it’s a shorter journey which makes it expensive
andythebrave
Member
Change search to 'cheap' rather than 'value' or 'fast'?
Adam Williams
Established Member
This is why we want a search link though; and/or specific information about what the problem is, because it's not "any route along the WCML", it's those itineraries that are a) substantially longer and b) usually involving connections, but c) still have good value fares that make it worthwhile evaluating the longer itineraries. If we make sure the posts here include that information, then it's clear what problem is being complained about.
You did; and although not a huge amount may look to have changed from externally, we did discuss this case (and others similar to it) quite extensively. I don't think there's much more I can really say in this thread beyond "I know it's frustrating" and "it's not a limitation that Raileasy or FastJP have decided to impose of their own accord".
The intensive search helps in some cases, but probably won't help here to the extent you want.
Previous discussion:
Cheap Ticket for Wrexham or Chester > London on 18th
Hi forumites It appears that trainsplit is bugged so I am having problems arranging travel. I need to be in Euston for 9:00 on the 7th and then leave again after 17:00 (can wait longer if needed) I have a 16-25 railcard yet by default when I search I get a price over £100 Yet for some reason...
www.railforums.co.uk
An up to date example search link: With Avanti excluded / Without Avanti excluded
Complaint was that the TfW/WMT services weren't surfaced unless Avanti's were excluded. There are, of course, TfW &Connections Advances on the flow.
NorthWalian
Member
This is why we want a search link though; and/or specific information about what the problem is, because it's not "any route along the WCML", it's those itineraries that are a) substantially longer and b) usually involving connections, but c) still have good value fares that make it worthwhile evaluating the longer itineraries. If we make sure the posts here include that information, then it's clear what problem is being complained about.
You did; and although not a huge amount may look to have changed from externally, we did discuss this case (and others similar to it) quite extensively. I don't think there's much more I can really say in this thread beyond "I know it's frustrating" and "it's not a limitation that Raileasy or FastJP have decided to impose of their own accord".
The intensive search helps in some cases, but probably won't help here to the extent you want.
Previous discussion:
Cheap Ticket for Wrexham or Chester > London on 18th
Hi forumites It appears that trainsplit is bugged so I am having problems arranging travel. I need to be in Euston for 9:00 on the 7th and then leave again after 17:00 (can wait longer if needed) I have a 16-25 railcard yet by default when I search I get a price over £100 Yet for some reason...
An up to date example search link: With Avanti excluded / Without Avanti excluded
Complaint was that the TfW/WMT services weren't surfaced unless Avanti's were excluded. There are, of course, TfW &Connections Advances on the flow.
Chester > London (All Stations) - Search Results
TrainSplit compares routes & fares to get the best value train tickets for your next journey through split ticketing with no booking fee & saving up to 90%
trainsplit.com
There is another example where the price for a one way from Chester to London is £90 when it should be a lot less (Exclude avanti gets it to £62)
Doesn't work
In the same way as the official NR booking system, it now seems to only consider the first train going after reaching a connection.
For example if I start at Chester at say 8:00 and get in Crewe at 8:30 with a train from Crewe leaving at 8:45 and 8:55, the 8:55 train will not be considered unless there is a train from Chester to Crewe that arrives after 8:45 but before 8:55
Silver Cobra
Member
Using your example, could you maybe use the 'Extra change time' option to give yourself more time at Crewe for the change of trains? Where Crewe's minimum connection time is 10 minutes, for an arrival into Crewe at 8:30, you'd put 6 minutes as your added extra time for changing trains to remove the 8:45 from being shown.
NorthWalian
Member
That is an alternative to excluding Avanti yes but the issue is that the cheapest should be there anyway as I won’t always know the connections and the cheapest might be via Birmingham etc
I am only guessing that it’s to do with connections as for a trip out of London, the cheap fares come straight away.
Have you got splits turned off? I can find journeys with this turned on, however it is true that something seems to be going wrong interpreting the easements GWR has in place as it cannot find through tickets. (Example here)