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SailRail. Belfast - London

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bangor-toad

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Hi there,
I'm looking to travel from Belfast to London on 30th May. As I've got the time spare, and flights are rather expensive that day, I'd like to take the ferry and train.

I can't get any website to offer up a SailRail ticket.

I know that the WCML is shut in Scotland but there are timetabled options via the replacement bus, via Dumfries or via the ECML.

I thought the lack of tickets might be related to the closure on this day but hunting around it seems as if there are no Belfast - London tickets available anymore.

Is there some computer weirdness going on or has the SailRail ticket been withdrawn?
Cheers,
Mr Toad
 
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najaB

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Is there some computer weirdness going on or has the SailRail ticket been withdrawn?
Cheers,
Mr Toad
I'd put it down to computer weirdness. From Belfast Central I get a 10:35 departure via Dublin/Holyhead and a 9:30 via Liverpool on that date.
 

Merseysider

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I have found the Scotrail website able to sell them. Try getting your ticket to display on NRE and then select SR as the vendor.
 

CallySleeper

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What about
Belfast 0730 - Cairnryan 0945
Cairnryan 1015 - Ayr 1130
Ayr 1152 - Glasgow C 1241
Glasgow C 1303 - Edinburgh 1411
Edinburgh 1430 - Kings X 1852

£53 single.
 

bangor-toad

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What about
Belfast 0730 - Cairnryan 0945
Cairnryan 1015 - Ayr 1130
Ayr 1152 - Glasgow C 1241
Glasgow C 1303 - Edinburgh 1411
Edinburgh 1430 - Kings X 1852

£53 single.

Thanks CallySleeper, that's the one that would suit me nicely and other than the jaunt down the ECML matches my previous trips.

Which website did you get to show you the price? I can get that itinerary up but it says "No fares available".
Buying these *from* Belfast is always just that little bit trickier than you'd expect!
Thanks,
Mr Toad
 

CallySleeper

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If you're based in Belfast currently, the office at Great Victoria St (the travel office opposite bus bays 1-5) will sell you it albeit with a booking fee, or the travel desk at the Stena Terminal.

Or, if you're in GB, any ticket office will sell you one.
 

Paul Kelly

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The fares is still there after NFM21 comes into force next Sunday, but restriction code 1X (which applies to it) seems to have been deleted from the fares database. Looks like booking engines are refusing to sell the fare because they can't check the restriction. It's really bizarre! As Scotrail set the fare, somebody should probably contact them about it.

I would suggest to the OP to try buying the ticket at the Stenaline terminal at Fortwilliam in Belfast - I think the ticket issuing system they use there isn't tied into a journey planner so it might still be OK with issuing it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
If you're based in Belfast currently, the office at Great Victoria St (the travel office opposite bus bays 1-5) will sell you it albeit with a booking fee
I wouldn't be so sure about that, since they use the Evolvi system which is tied in with a journey planner, so it might also have problems with the missing restriction code.
 

SickyNicky

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TrainSplit will sell you a single ticket for £53 on that itinerary. Set the origin as "Belfast Port", the destination is "KGX" and in "Advanced Options" set the "Via" as "EDB".
 

island

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The fares is still there after NFM21 comes into force next Sunday, but restriction code 1X (which applies to it) seems to have been deleted from the fares database. Looks like booking engines are refusing to sell the fare because they can't check the restriction. It's really bizarre! As Scotrail set the fare, somebody should probably contact them about it.

I would suggest to the OP to try buying the ticket at the Stenaline terminal at Fortwilliam in Belfast - I think the ticket issuing system they use there isn't tied into a journey planner so it might still be OK with issuing it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I wouldn't be so sure about that, since they use the Evolvi system which is tied in with a journey planner, so it might also have problems with the missing restriction code.

There shouldn't be a restriction code on the fare as it's an Anytime Day Single, right?
 

SickyNicky

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Shouldn't be, but there is due to the mandatory reservations for the ferry.

Are you sure ferry reservations are mandatory? There's no requirement to issue reservations with the tickets and in my experience the port only want to see the train tickets to let you on board.
 

najaB

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Are you sure ferry reservations are mandatory? There's no requirement to issue reservations with the tickets and in my experience the port only want to see the train tickets to let you on board.
The Cairnryan ferry is the only one that doesn't require a reservation on the ferry (though it is suggested that you travel on your booked itinerary). That's why it's the only one that is an Anytime ticket, all the other Sail Rail's are Standby or Advance.
 

CyrusWuff

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The Cairnryan ferry is the only one that doesn't require a reservation on the ferry (though it is suggested that you travel on your booked itinerary). That's why it's the only one that is an Anytime ticket, all the other Sail Rail's are Standby or Advance.

Hrmmm...KnowledgeBase says that ressies AND Control Tickets are required for the Cairnryan route!
 

najaB

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Hrmmm...KnowledgeBase says that ressies AND Control Tickets are required for the Cairnryan route!
My experience has been that they have never asked for the reservation. And the fact that it's an Anytime ticket (unlike all the other Sail Rails) tends to back up that is how it is treated. Though I'll qualify my statement by saying that I've only ever done this route heading to Belfast.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The ScotRail website doesn't indicate that the ferry leg has a compulsory reservation either.
ScotRail website said:
Coach links to the Stena ferry at Cairnryan are included in your ticket price. You'll need to book in advance and outward rail travel is only valid on the date shown on your ticket.

You won't be able to take pets with you and travel is subject to availability based on ferry capacity.
 
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Hadders

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I've just checked NFM21 in Avantix Traveller.

For Belfast Port to London Terminals it now shows 3 fares:
Anytime Return at £106
Anytime Day Single at £53
SailRail Advance at £53 (although this appears to have no restrictions!)

Why the need for an Advance, particularly at the same price as the SDS. I do hope they're not considering withdrawing the Anytime fares.
 

CallySleeper

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My experience has been that they have never asked for the reservation. And the fact that it's an Anytime ticket (unlike all the other Sail Rails) tends to back up that is how it is treated. Though I'll qualify my statement by saying that I've only ever done this route heading to Belfast.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The ScotRail website doesn't indicate that the ferry leg has a compulsory reservation either.

My experience differs, sorry. At Cairnryan certainly they're kept for auditing purposes. Also, being in possession of a control reservation doesn't necessarily guarantee you space on the boat as it isn't a boarding pass.

I've just checked NFM21 in Avantix Traveller.

For Belfast Port to London Terminals it now shows 3 fares:
Anytime Return at £106
Anytime Day Single at £53
SailRail Advance at £53 (although this appears to have no restrictions!)

Why the need for an Advance, particularly at the same price as the SDS. I do hope they're not considering withdrawing the Anytime fares.

My NFM21 doesn't display an Advance fare for the Cairnryan route. Are you confusing it with the Holyhead IF Advance fare of the same price?
 

Hadders

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My NFM21 doesn't display an Advance fare for the Cairnryan route. Are you confusing it with the Holyhead IF Advance fare of the same price?

I'm definitely checking the Cairnryan route. Make sure you select a date in Avantix Traveller on or after 17/5/2015 to see them.
 

CallySleeper

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I'm definitely checking the Cairnryan route. Make sure you select a date in Avantix Traveller on or after 17/5/2015 to see them.

Well I don't understand the point of the advance fare of the same price.

Restriction text 1X has returned however, though it doesn't help the OP in that the booking engines still don't work (yet).

Code 1X reads 'valid at any time on any day, but BoJ not permitted except to change trains'. I'm fairly surely especially with it being a SDS/SOR that this wasn't previously the case...??
 

Hadders

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The SailRail SDS/SOR's have carried restriction code 1X for the last few years although the validity of such a restriction is questionable.

I do fear the SDS/SOR will be withdrawn with passengers forced to buy Advance tickets. This would be detrimental as it would mean passengers could no longer choose which route to use.
 

najaB

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My experience differs, sorry. At Cairnryan certainly they're kept for auditing purposes.
I'll double check when I get home, but I'm pretty sure I still have a couple of the ferry reservation coupons that weren't taken from me.
 

SickyNicky

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Restriction text 1X has returned however, though it doesn't help the OP in that the booking engines still don't work (yet).

Not all of the booking engines are broken. As I said earlier, TrainSplit.com will sell you the required itinerary. So if it's a problem with restriction 1X data, booking engines are not all rejecting it because of missing restriction data - just some of them.
 

bkhtele

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I have to say that they have never been interested in the reservation slip at Cairnryan or Belfast although I know the ferry reservation is compulsory!
 

bangor-toad

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Thanks for the comments and advice.

In the end I was passing the Translink Travel Centre so I turned my back on e-commerce and went in to buy the ticket.

They couldn't get anything to show up on their screens but they phoned Stena, and got a reservation number and printed out an itinerary. I get to collect the tickets when I arrive at the ferry port.
I wonder if they will be the usual "Anytime" ticket or if they'll be the newer Advance ticket for this flow?

I had to pay a booking fee but it's done and I've got the necessary bit of paper in hand.
I did ask Scotrail to fix it so I could book on-line. I wonder if they will respond...
Cheers.
Mr Toad
 

najaB

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I'll double check when I get home, but I'm pretty sure I still have a couple of the ferry reservation coupons that weren't taken from me.
Finally made it home, I've had a look and I have several Cainryan-Belfast ferry reservation coupons which weren't collected, as well as one for Holyhead-Dublin and another for Liverpool-Belfast.
 
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