Online GNER Ticket Problem

[voyagerdude220]

Hi all,

I've purchased 3 value advance singles, and 1 standard day single, at around 10:45, for pick up at the fast ticket machine, using GNER's website.

After I entered the credit card details, and clicked the buy tickets button, it automatically gave me the confirmation window on the website, to state that the tickets have indeed been purchased, and that i've also got reserved seats, suggesting that it's gone through ok.


After around 2 hours 20 minutes, I still haven't got an email with the fast ticket reference number, and don't want to re-book, incase it charges me double.

I phoned GNER customer service, who said that the booking wasn'ton their system, and that I should wait an hour, as it was probably being processed. (I thought to myself OK, it is a Saturday morning after all, it may be busier than normal)

I still haven't got a fast ticket machine reference, and have sent GNER an email, with the confirmation copied & pasted into the message.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do?

The GNER website says that I should get a response within 24 hours, but If i then have to re-book, it will probably be alot more expensive, due to GNER's delay in booking/sending me the number.

 

[rail-britain]

After I entered the credit card details, and clicked the buy tickets button, it automatically gave me the confirmation window on the website, to state that the tickets have indeed been purchased, and that i've also got reserved seats, suggesting that it's gone through ok

The confirmation includes a booking number and it is always rcommended that you print this page
Contact the Credit Card company and check if there has indeed been a transaction made by GNER or thetrainline.com

 

[adambro]

Can't you log in to your GNER account and look up recent bookings and see if it is listed there and check its status?

I picked up some tickets from a FastTicket machine yesterday in Huddersfield and it didn't prompt me for the code so perhaps you might wish to try collecting the tickets?

 

[voyagerdude220]

Problem sorted guys, thanks for your replies.

After SEVERAL calls to GNER's USELESS customer care line, I finally got confirmation that i haven't been charged for the tickets i tried to book this morning, despite the first person saying that it was being processed, and should be complete within a hour or two.

Despite one of the tickets going from Value C to Value B (£10 difference), I was still able to book the cheapest Value C one which I had put in my basket this morning, and so re-booked the tickets, with no additional cost.

I was directed to the 0845 225 225 telephone number by an incompitent GNER person in India, but a very nice, very helpful GNER lady who told me they were totally wrong to direct me to her centre, and said that she can only apologise for the inconvenience which the members of staff on the internet customer care centre have caused me.

I'm not being racist by saying this, but it just goes to show that It helps ALOT if the person I speak to actually has a proper knowledge of how to deal with my problem, and that the person in Newcastle was very polite, helpful, and very efficient with dealing with me. (Simply add the prefix of Un, after the word very, to get what I think of the India call centre..)

To make things worse, I can't even complain about this specific person who told me incorrect info, because I didn't understand what he said his name was...

 

[djw1981]

Never ever call the internet helpline for any company - always call the UK call-centre. The internet back office for GER ris thetrainline,com, so i think this will affect all online TOC bookings. The calls all go to one office, and the number you dial tells them which company to 'pretend' to be when they answer the call. Also sometimes these call centres can be in the Uk, staffed by tech-savvy people, with poor customer service skills, who were employed for their IT ability and never assessed on their english language skills.

 

[tedted]

In future, you may want to book your tickets at http://www.midlandmainline.com/.

They sell all types of National Rail tickets, and they're very competent.

Not sure what to say about November onwards, though.

 

[Tom]

http://firstscotrail.trainsfares.co.uk/ are the ones I use...

 

[voyagerdude220]

Thanks for the suggestions, but i think i'll stick with my old favourite of www.virgintrainsfares.co.uk

The only reason why I was on the GNER website in the first place, was to get a 10% discount on a GNER ticket i purchased.

Tom, that link doesn't work at the moment.

 

[Tom]

Whoops .... try www.firstscotrail.trainsfares.co.uk

 

[yorkie]

They're all thecrapline.com so you will have the exact same problems

When you book online, check that there is a reference number (don't wait for the email! it should be on the confirmation page), if it is blank then book again (this has happened to me before!).

If you click off the page and don't get an email, then login to your account and look at the history of purchases. IMO the best way to view this is to go to the Refunds page, as it lists all your journeys in chronological order with corresponding reference numbers.

Thecrapline works fine most of the time but if something goes wrong and you need to 'phone them, then you are stuffed and doomed to spend a long time talking to badly-trained drones reading from a script.

 

[me123]

I usually go through thetrainline and I find it a very satisfacotry experience. except they keep giving me aisle seats . (Doesn't really matter, I'm usually first on the train and haven't had anyone pathetic enough to demand their window seat).

When booking over the internet, though, make sure you do take note of everything so if there is a problem you can give the nice people in India all the details so it's down to them to work out what's going on. And then there's the drunk men off the oil rigs from Aberdeen with BO.

 

[rail-britain]

Yes, using the GNER website gets you 10% off GNER-exclusive travel fares
But there may be the standard £2 Credit Card fee, charged by thetrainline.com

The First ScotRail website is good for deals on the Caledonian Sleeper, but again the backed of this is thetrainline.com

The easiest to use is the Virgin Trains website, but there are a large number of bugs and errors that mean you will not always be presented with the best or cheapest fares
There are no Credit Card charges payable

I tend to use the appropriate TOC website and National Rail Journey Planner
Only when the two show the same fare do I then look for sector fares, which are quite often cheaper
Example
Crewe - Kettering => Crewe - Derby / Derby - Kettering

 

[devon_metro]

http://firstscotrail.trainsfares.co.uk/ are the ones I use...

Good luck buying tickets on that

I use the FGW version of it and I have never had any problems.

But obviously the system is flawed, its slow and always late :roll:

 

[voyagerdude220]

When you book online, check that there is a reference number (don't wait for the email! it should be on the confirmation page), if it is blank then book again (this has happened to me before!).

Yes, I realised that there wasn't a booking reference number on it, but I thought it could be different, due to me using the fast ticket machine.

If you click off the page and don't get an email, then login to your account and look at the history of purchases. IMO the best way to view this is to go to the Refunds page, as it lists all your journeys in chronological order with corresponding reference numbers.

I did this immediatley, but India kept asking me to give them my email address every time I rang them, to see what it said on their computer, despite the previous 4 people doing exactly the same, and me telling them this, before i gave them my email.

Thecrapline works fine most of the time but if something goes wrong and you need to 'phone them, then you are stuffed and doomed to spend a long time talking to badly-trained drones reading from a script.

That's 100% correct. I can't tell you how pleased I was to speak to the very nice woman from the Newcastle call centre, seeing that she:

a) Spoke very clearly, and I could actually tell what she was saying.

b) She helped me alot, and I could tell that she wasn't being a robot who was reading from a script, and she was genuinely very sorry.

c) There's probably many more reasons, but I can't be bothered to list them all after the annoying experience with India.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

except they keep giving me aisle seats .

Have you changed your seating preference, on the website, every time you've booked with the crapline, to request a window seat?

 

[me123]

Have you changed your seating preference, on the website, every time you've booked with the crapline, to request a window seat?

Yes, but of course "preferences are not always guaranteed". I'm on the busy Glasgow-Aberdeen services when I book this ticket and I usually book quite late.

More often than not, though, people book value returns because they're cheaper than standard singles and don't return, or FSR don't book all the seats and if someone's beside me and the train's half empty, I usually just move.

 

[rail-britain]

Yes, but of course "preferences are not always guaranteed". I'm on the busy Glasgow-Aberdeen services when I book this ticket and I usually book quite late.

More often than not, though, people book value returns because they're cheaper than standard singles and don't return, or FSR don't book all the seats and if someone's beside me and the train's half empty, I usually just move.

You might prefer to use the Virgin Trains website for those journeys
The fare will be the same and you will not be charged for using a credit card
You can also submit quite specific seating details (window table), and in all but one of the bookings I have made the seats have been as specified

The tickets sent in the post are TRIBUTE, and I prefer these!

A seat reservation is just that, it is just a confirmation you have been reserved a seat on that train
Providing you can find an unreserved seat then you may use that seat, unless the train crew ask you to move to your reserved seat
However, in most cases where a train is busy they will see the reserved seat is not being used (vacant) and may offer it someone else

I used to do that all the time on busy HSTs between Aberdeen and Newcastle
However, one occasion I asked if passengers had seen anyone using a seat that was vacant, and they had not
No sooner had I got to the end of the coach when the original passenger turned up and turfed out the passenger I had given the seat to
So I took that person to Coach H and marked their ticket for 1st Class upgrade

 

[tubenutter]

I phoned GNER customer service, who said that the booking wasn'ton their system, and that I should wait an hour, as it was probably being processed. (I thought to myself OK, it is a Saturday morning after all, it may be busier than normal)

despite the first person saying that it was being processed, and should be complete within a hour or two.

To make things worse, I can't even complain about this specific person who told me incorrect info, because I didn't understand what he said his name was...

Hi voyagerdude, I think that this guy told you exactly what he should have told you. He informed you quite truthfully that the booking wasn't on the system and explained that it was probably still being processed (note that the word 'probably' suggests he cannot tell you for sure). The advice of waiting an hour before trying to resolve the situation was obviously quite valid because no-one actually knew what the specific situation was.

You are contradicting yourself within one post by quoting him first with the word 'probably' then quoting him without it. You then, in a further post, suggest that you wish to complain about him. A tad harsh, don't you think?

 

[me123]

Thanks M8. I usually just use the trainline because it's easiest, but I'll give Virgin a go next time I'm reserving a seat.

 

[W14Fishbourne]

A seat reservation is just that, it is just a confirmation you have been reserved a seat on that train
Providing you can find an unreserved seat then you may use that seat, unless the train crew ask you to move to your reserved seat
However, in most cases where a train is busy they will see the reserved seat is not being used (vacant) and may offer it someone else.

Not true. Many AP tickets are sold on the basis that you must occupy the seat shown on the ticket. Admittedly, some TOCs don't enforce this but others do, so that's not very good advice.

The need to occupy the specified seat will become increasingly important as new types of ticketing - mobile phone ticketing, manifest-based e-ticketing, etc. Under those systems, if you're not in the right seat you don't have a ticket, simple as that!

 

[Nick W]

Not true. Many AP tickets are sold on the basis that you must occupy the seat shown on the ticket. Admittedly, some TOCs don't enforce this but others do, so that's not very good advice.

The need to occupy the specified seat will become increasingly important as new types of ticketing - mobile phone ticketing, manifest-based e-ticketing, etc. Under those systems, if you're not in the right seat you don't have a ticket, simple as that!

Airlines do a pretty good job without forcing people into seats.

 

[W14Fishbourne]

Airlines do a pretty good job without forcing people into seats.

Fine, if you think that an airport-style check-in/gate system would work at a railway station!

 

[rail-britain]

Not true. Many AP tickets are sold on the basis that you must occupy the seat shown on the ticket. Admittedly, some TOCs don't enforce this but others do, so that's not very good advice.

The need to occupy the specified seat will become increasingly important as new types of ticketing - mobile phone ticketing, manifest-based e-ticketing, etc. Under those systems, if you're not in the right seat you don't have a ticket, simple as that!

I agree, but if there are UNRESERVED seats, there is NO restriction allowing you to sit in those seats
However, if the train staff ask you to return to the seat allocated to you, then you MUST return to it (see original post)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I've purchased 3 value advance singles, and 1 standard day single, at around 10:45, for pick up at the fast ticket machine, using GNER's website

Have you managed to re-purchase and book yet?

Almost all the reserved seats have gone for this weekend (Friday to Monday) due to the Bank Holiday
However, I have now started offering people a cheaper alternative, via Sheffield and London St Pancras
Saves about 40% or free First Class upgrade, although it adds about an hour on to the journey
12 accepted bookings, 1 declined (preferred the direct expensive option)

 

[me123]

I agree, but if there are UNRESERVED seats, there is NO restriction allowing you to sit in those seats

On the Aberdeen trains, many people reserve seats and do not use them, and FSR staff don't mind seat swapping as long as the new seat is unreserved or reserved by someone for the smae journey as you who hasn't turned up.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Have you managed to re-purchase and book yet?

Yes thanks, I travelled yesterday, and really enjoyed the GNER return leg between Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

The FC hosts (or whatever their title is) were really efficient, friendly, and made frequent trips along FC, with complimentary drinks and nibbles. I especially liked the fact that I could walk to the buffet, which was the same length away from my seat on the HST, than it was on the 4-car Voyagers, but didn't have to struggle to get passed anyone's luggage/avoid any babies crawling in the aisle.

And to add to the pleasure of the journey, the driver, a very nice chap who I spoke to before setting off from Aberdeen, gave 43039 a hard time, and I didn't really bother to stand in the vestibule directly behind the engine, or do H-O, simply because the driver was making the engine scream really well.

 

[theblackwatch]

Not true. Many AP tickets are sold on the basis that you must occupy the seat shown on the ticket. Admittedly, some TOCs don't enforce this but others do, so that's not very good advice.

One problem I find when booking a seat is the lack of options. Back in the days when they allowed smoking on GNER, you could specify to sit in that coach. Now that coach B has become the 'quiet' coach, they don't give you the option to request a seat in that carriage. I normally sit there irrespective of my reservation, and, fortunately, I've never had a problem with a jobsworth.

 

[voyagerdude220]

One problem I find when booking a seat is the lack of options. Back in the days when they allowed smoking on GNER, you could specify to sit in that coach. Now that coach B has become the 'quiet' coach, they don't give you the option to request a seat in that carriage. I normally sit there irrespective of my reservation, and, fortunately, I've never had a problem with a jobsworth.

You can do just that, with the new Virgin Trains booking system.
When it comes to your seating preferences, options include:

Quiet Coach
Table/Airline style Seat
Window Seat
Power Socket

 

[theblackwatch]

Unfortunately, the Virgin Trains Website doesn't appear to give me the 10% GNER discount though!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Unfortunately, the Virgin Trains Website doesn't appear to give me the 10% GNER discount though!

Oops, I forgot about that..

 

[Max]

Thetrainline is such a crud system. For example, I booked 4 Virgin Values Coventry-London (and back) for my family. We were given seats opposite each other in the carriage. It wasn't really too much of a problem, but since only a handful of tables were reserved on the whole train, why weren't we given a table? To be honest, you should be able to choose exactly where you sit, like you can with several airlines. Also, I find it annoying that you are sometimes automatically reserved into the quiet coach without being asked, meaning that on a packed train you are forced to go to the vestibule for phonecalls and suchlike. You should be asked!

Mind you, if you book at the station or over the phone there is more chance of you getting the right seats. Of course the staff at Hull are so useless that you might not even get that far :roll:

 

[rail-britain]

The Virgin Trains online booking system does try and place all groups round a table, if they specify it
However, occasionally it does get it completely wrong
If you are within reasonable distance of a station with a travel centre, then proceed through the VT website until you reach payment
Print out this page and take it to the station before the end of that business day and make the booking there specifying the types of seats you are after
If you have a Pendplan, then take it with you, allowing you to confirm the seat locations
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Yes thanks, I travelled yesterday, and really enjoyed the GNER return leg between Aberdeen and Edinburgh.
The FC hosts (or whatever their title is) were really efficient, friendly, and made frequent trips along FC, with complimentary drinks and nibbles. I especially liked the fact that I could walk to the buffet, which was the same length away from my seat on the HST, than it was on the 4-car Voyagers, but didn't have to struggle to get passed anyone's luggage/avoid any babies crawling in the aisle.
And to add to the pleasure of the journey, the driver, a very nice chap who I spoke to before setting off from Aberdeen, gave 43039 a hard time, and I didn't really bother to stand in the vestibule directly behind the engine, or do H-O, simply because the driver was making the engine scream really well.

I worked between Aberdeen and Newcastle with ICEC, before joining Stagecoach RAIL, most workings were HST although I worked the occasional 225 between Edinburgh and Newcastle on relief duty
Compare the FC hosts and what they provide between GNER and VT, between Scotland and London!
I normally travel by VT (390), as anything and everything is brought to your seat, no need to go near the shop / buffet
Even at weekends VT try to provide at least a basic service in FC between Preston and London
I do agree, FC travel in a Voyager is a joke
Getting between your seat and the shop for your complimentary items can be so much hassle you think "nah, I'll just enjoy the view"
However, I recommend visiting the shop for the complimentary items about an hour after each and any staff change

As for the HST on GNER, they have to be revved hard out of Aberdeen
It is an incline all the way to Craiginches, then the line speed increases to 100mph
Full power is normally applied all the way to Newtonhill
Most memorable were pairs of 37s on the sleeper, and on the odd occasion just a single 37!