IoM Sail Rail - how to book, an update.

[30907]

Mods - not exactly a Trip Report but move it there if you prefer.

Having just booked a week on Man (first ever) I was startled at the Steam Packet Co's full fare of £241 for 2 (return) - though the car fare is much worse! - but spotted a reference on their website to our old friend Sail Rail which I had forgotten about. Even without railcard discount (around 20%) it is significantly cheaper than port-to-port.

The process they advise is (1) check there is space on your preferred ferry (2) book online via raileurope (Seat61 says TFW) and then (3) ring Steam Packet for reservations.
In fact no website can (currently?) find the fares.

So the workaround is: find a reasonably competent or helpful booking office and get them there - as I just have!

I got the reservations anyway and went down to my local station where the computer also "couldn't find a fare" - but they knew that the fares existed and it took about 30seconds to issue them. They told me they would normally need to ring through for reservations too, but I already had them (they didn't need the reference number).

Hope that helps someone.

 

[philthetube]

Bear in mind that when you arrive at Heysham you need to check in and collect a boarding card.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Bear in mind that when you arrive at Heysham you need to check in and collect a boarding card.

You need to anyway, even if you have a ticket booked directly with the ferry company.

 

[philthetube]

Agreed, but easy to think you don't need to as you have a reservation already, and it is not that clear in the terminal.

 

[30907]

Agreed, but easy to think you don't need to as you have a reservation already, and it is not that clear in the terminal.

Thanks.

 

[181]

When I booked a journey later in September I was able to buy the ticket from the Transport for Wales website. It insisted on giving me unwanted reservations for train travel to Heysham rather than my intended outbound port of Liverpool, although as the ticket is valid via either route this wasn't a problem for me (I hope no-one was prevented from making their preferred journey by the unnecessary reservations).

If you make your ferry reservation by e-mail, note that they ask for more than just your name and intended journey -- they want date of birth, nationality, postcode, house number and mobile phone number.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Agreed, but easy to think you don't need to as you have a reservation already, and it is not that clear in the terminal.

Steam Packet does seem set up for regulars - signposting is poor and announcements near enough nonexistent. And there are odd differences in how each port is operated, e.g. in whether boarding cards are issued or bags tagged.