LNER v EMR

[Deb71]

I am booking a ticket from Newark to Kings Cross and wondered if someone could clarify something for me - apologies if this has been asked elsewhere, I have looked and am going around in circles with it. There are two companies with two different websites for booking tickets but am I right in thinking they are the same trains?! Timetable and prices look the same apart from £5 discount if you register an account with LNER. Does LNER own EMR or vice versa, or are they completely different. Just trying to understand how it all works and which is the better provider. Thanks!

 

[hexagon789]

I am booking a ticket from Newark to Kings Cross and wondered if someone could clarify something for me - apologies if this has been asked elsewhere, I have looked and am going around in circles with it. There are two companies with two different websites for booking tickets but am I right in thinking they are the same trains?! Timetable and prices look the same apart from £5 discount if you register an account with LNER. Does LNER own EMR or vice versa, or are they completely different. Just trying to understand how it all works and which is the better provider. Thanks!

Each Train Operating Company (TOC) can act as a ticket agent for another.

EMR and LNER are separate TOCs.

 

[Joe Paxton]

I am booking a ticket from Newark to Kings Cross and wondered if someone could clarify something for me - apologies if this has been asked elsewhere, I have looked and am going around in circles with it. There are two companies with two different websites for booking tickets but am I right in thinking they are the same trains?! Timetable and prices look the same apart from £5 discount if you register an account with LNER. Does LNER own EMR or vice versa, or are they completely different. Just trying to understand how it all works and which is the better provider. Thanks!

They are the same trains, yes.

In essence, you can book tickets for travel on any train company from the website (or app) of any other train company, or indeed from several independent retailers - the best known of these is the Trainline (because it's been around for ages and advertises very heavily), but there are others such as Red Spotted Hanky and Railsmartr. There's also TrainSplit, which specialises in saving money using a technique called 'split ticketing' (and there is also a version of TrainSplit that financially supports this forum available here).

It's really good to have questions like these, as it demonstrates the (quite legitimate) confusion that can be experienced by those not au fait with the intricacies of the railway system in this country. I don't think there is a single page on the National Rail website akin to the paragraph above that attempts to explain these fundamental concepts!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Bear in mind if booking tickets that there are route "EMR only" tickets available from Newark to London. These would normally only be usable from Newark Castle to London St. Pancras, on EMR train services only, and with a change of trains required at Nottingham or Leicester.

 

[800001]

I am booking a ticket from Newark to Kings Cross and wondered if someone could clarify something for me - apologies if this has been asked elsewhere, I have looked and am going around in circles with it. There are two companies with two different websites for booking tickets but am I right in thinking they are the same trains?! Timetable and prices look the same apart from £5 discount if you register an account with LNER. Does LNER own EMR or vice versa, or are they completely different. Just trying to understand how it all works and which is the better provider. Thanks!

The £5 discount via LNER will be as a ‘reward’ for signing up to the app/account and creating a ‘perks’ account.

When you book via LNER you get a %in credit I believe?

Edit: changed from cash back to credit

 

[Watershed]

I am booking a ticket from Newark to Kings Cross and wondered if someone could clarify something for me - apologies if this has been asked elsewhere, I have looked and am going around in circles with it. There are two companies with two different websites for booking tickets but am I right in thinking they are the same trains?! Timetable and prices look the same apart from £5 discount if you register an account with LNER. Does LNER own EMR or vice versa, or are they completely different. Just trying to understand how it all works and which is the better provider. Thanks!

Welcome to the forum.

Both EMR and LNER operate trains that will get you between Newark and London - EMR from Newark Castle via Nottingham and LNER from Newark Northgate directly.

They are two separate companies, with EMR being in private ownership whilst LNER is owned by the government Department for Transport.

The question of buying tickets is separate to the operation of the trains. Generally speaking, you can use any booking site to book trains run by any operator on any route. So LNER's site will sell you tickets for their own trains, but also for EMR's trains and indeed any other operator out there. Similarly, EMR's site will sell tickets for their trains but also LNER's trains and those of other companies.

Aside from the 20-odd train operators across Britain, which each have their own websites and apps selling tickets (albeit many being outsourced to the same systems providers), there are also a multitude of third party retailers. These are companies that don't operate trains but which still sell tickets. The most well-known is undoubtedly The Trainline but there are many others, which offer their own advantages such as split tickets or reduced/no admin fees for changes or refunds.

Hope that helps to explain - it's admittedly somewhat confusing as this is quite different to how it works with most airlines and bus and coach operators.

 

[Haywain]

When you book via LNER you get a %in cash back I believe?

This is not by default but depends on using a relevant card for payment or being signed up for something like Airtime Rewards.

 

[800001]

This is not by default but depends on using a relevant card for payment or being signed up for something like Airtime Rewards.

No it doesn’t.
Sign up for LNER perks and booking via LNER or by importing your booking form other booking sites and you earn 2% credit to then be used on LNER. Nothing to do with Airtime rewards.

 

[Haywain]

No it doesn’t.
Sign up for LNER perks and booking via LNER or by importing your booking form other booking sites and you earn 2% credit to then be used on LNER. Nothing to do with Airtime rewards.

If you read the quote (your words!) in my post you will see that I was referring to cashback, not the reward for signing up to Perks.

 

[800001]

If you read the quote (your words!) in my post you will see that I was referring to cashback, not the reward for signing up to Perks.

You are being pedantic, I may of worded it slightly wrong but I’m referring to LNER perks, no other app, and on LNER perks you gain 2% to use on LNER advance bookings.
So if you can keep your reply to LNER perks which is what the post is about, that would be good.

 

[Haywain]

You are being pedantic, I may of worded it slightly wrong but I’m referring to LNER perks, no other app, and on LNER perks you gain 2% to use on LNER advance bookings.
So if you can keep your reply to LNER perks which is what the post is about, that would be good.

Perhaps your comments about cashback could be clearer then, to avoid misunderstandings.

 

[Wallsendmag]

You are being pedantic, I may of worded it slightly wrong but I’m referring to LNER perks, no other app, and on LNER perks you gain 2% to use on LNER advance bookings.
So if you can keep your reply to LNER perks which is what the post is about, that would be good.

But you can also get cashback from Amex Rewards ,Barclays Rewards and Airtime Rewards, just in case you weren't aware. All in addition to Perks credit

 

[800001]

But you can also get cashback from Amex Rewards ,Barclays Rewards and Airtime Rewards, just in case you weren't aware. All in addition to Perks credit

Aware of that also.