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[Benjwri]

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...

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.

 

[Haywain]

It's probably why we seem to be the only ones that sell this ticket online...

I'm pretty sure that it is only intended to be available through business travel channels. Perhaps @Wallsendmag can confirm?

 

[Wallsendmag]

I'm pretty sure that it is only intended to be available through business travel channels. Perhaps @Wallsendmag can confirm?

As far as I know that is correct otherwise we’d be selling it.

 

[OscarH]

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?

 

[MrJeeves]

I'm pretty sure that it is only intended to be available through business travel channels. Perhaps @Wallsendmag can confirm?

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]

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?

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.

Availability​

Purchase Location​

London North Eastern Railway ticket offices. Online at www.lner.co.uk

Purchase Availability​

This ticket is a hybrid ticket aimed mainly at business travellers. It is issued as a Standard class ticket (as many Corporate travel policies filter out First Class travel) but contains an upgrade to First Class, to be used with the ticket. Reservations are booked into First Class.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

This ticket is a hybrid ticket aimed mainly at business travellers. It is issued as a Standard class ticket (as many Corporate travel policies filter out First Class travel) but contains an upgrade to First Class

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.

 

[OscarH]

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.

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

 

[MrJeeves]

I mean, you could keep selling it, it's something that's nice to have (or, in this case, offer), and it surely won't do any harm having it...

Well, to be fair, we have sold exactly zero of them, so they can't be that nice to have...

 

[drueberflug]

I'm wondering if Haywain and Wallsendmag were thinking of a different ticket type

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.

Well, to be fair, we have sold exactly zero of them, so they can't be that nice to have...

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.

 

[jfowkes]

There was a question back in 2023 on this thread about bike spaces support, with a reply a few posts later saying:

(It needs accreditation before we can let customers loose on 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]

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.)

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]

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.

Sure thanks, I'll keep fingers crossed!

 

[yorkie]

Looking at Plymouth - Hedge End on Saturday 31st May for two adults with a two together railcard, and The Trainline is giving me £39.20 via SplitSave for the 11.14 departure (arriving at 15.37) but the forum site (and trainsplit) is saying £48.80 for the same services. Looks like The Trainline are splitting at Newton Abbot and the forum site / TrainSplit are splitting at Totness, but searching for the individual splits the trainline uses (at Newton Abbot) on TrainSplit and the forum site show they are there so not sure why it isn't giving them as a cheaper price for the through journey.

I'm likely to book these tickets separately in the next half hour to ensure I get the fares (and I'm making some other bookings at the same time so want to get it all done at once) but wanted to flag.

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]

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.

Corporate travel policies are rarely about "sense". Otherwise they'd mandate splitting where possible, for a start.

 

[OscarH]

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]

Also there wouldn't be insane policies like you must take standard even if 1st is cheaper!

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]

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).

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.

 

[yorkie]

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.

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]

I get a good mix of "Valid on London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway services only" walk-ups, Advances and Avanti fares for a Euston to Rugby journey.

Please provide a search link so we can advise further.

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

 

[yorkie]

Is there any chance that I can get the best fares again without having to filter out Avanti?

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]

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?

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]

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

Change search to 'cheap' rather than 'value' or 'fast'?