Sleeper Ticket Question

[Lee_Again]

Hi,

I have just booked 1 adult + 1 child single from London to Inverness on the sleeper. The cost is 147.50+82.50 with a FF railcard.

The internet is showing a 1st class single (incl berth) @ 149.50 but i was told on the phone that none were available. The lady even suggested that I should book onlilne as her system shows no availability. Of course, with a child in the booking, I can't use the internet. She also told me that there is no child discount on 1st class fares, "that's how it works on the sleeper". Surely this is not true. I can't find anything about 1st class child fares on the scotrail web site.

Please help

Thank you

So - Scotrail insist there is no 50% reduction for children with a first class ticket. So much for all under 16's travel for 50% of the adult price.

 

[wintonian]

Child discounts do not apply to first class fares on the Caledonian Sleeper, however you might be able to buy a normal first class child single £108.50 and pay the supplement.

Personally I don't think there is any point in going first class as the births are the same; just that you get sole occupancy (a solo suppliment is avalible), you get priority in the lounge car and a hot something for breakfast instead of shortbread.

The ticket information for the Caledonian Sleeper is available on Scotrail's site

 

[yorkie]

She also told me that there is no child discount on 1st class fares, "that's how it works on the sleeper". Surely this is not true. I can't find anything about 1st class child fares on the scotrail web site.

She is referring to berth inclusive Sleeper fares.

"Normal" tickets are valid in Sleeper berths providing a supplement is paid, of course a Child ticket, that has validity on the Sleeper, is valid, and you can get a berth supplement for that ticket. Whether or not that will cost more or less than an Adult berth-inclusive ticket may depend on various factors, such as what your overall itinerary is, and whether doing a single or return.

Note however that there are allocations for different ticket types, if one allocation sells out, another may still have validity. This applies to the seats as well as the berths.

The main difference between First and Standard is that First gives you sole occupancy. They can probably arrange it so that the cabins are adjacent and facing each other so you can open the inter-connecting door to effectively make it one large cabin (but if the train is already quite full it may not be possible). In standard class you will share the same cabin, one on the top bunk and one on the bottom bunk. The cabins are, I believe, identical.

The tickets you have are Sleeper Std Sgl (berth inclusive singles) which are priced at £163.90 and £82.00 before discount, and £147.50 and £82.00 after discount (ie, the only discount is the adult ticket has a slight reduction in price).

I would have suggested a Super Off Peak Return, priced at £82.95 and £25.05 and berth upgrades at £38 and £19, respectively. That would total £165 and you could return by East Coast, FSR+Virgin etc. The only problem with this is that if you are booking at short notice, it is possible for the supplements to become unavailable, forcing you to pay the hugely expensive Sleeper Std Sgl fares.

 

[wintonian]

The tickets you have can be refunded for a £10 admin fee, then the ones Yorkie has suggested can be bought.

 

[yorkie]

The tickets you have can be refunded for a £10 admin fee, then the ones Yorkie has suggested can be bought.

But only do that if berth supplements are available and have not sold out!

However I would argue that if this is indeed the case you would have been missold the tickets, and that would be in breach of Scotrail's obligations to offer the cheapest through fare.

What I would do is make another call enquiring about berth supplement availability on the date in question, and if it can be confirmed that two standard class berth supplements are definitely available, at that point I would explain the situation and ask for the tickets to be swapped and for a refund to occur. If they refused, in those circumstances, I would state that the matter will be reported as a breach of their obligations to be impartial and ask what the procedure is to report this to a manager.

Note however, that all the above may be completely irrelevant as it is quite possible that berth supplements have sold out, leaving only the full fare berth inclusive singles as your only option.

 

[Lee_Again]

Thank you, all, for your advice. Unfortunately the 'berth supplements' have all gone so it's £229.50, ouch !!!

I understand that advance tickets are quota controlled but never realised that standard singles are the same. The website indicates a fare of £110 but I am paying £163.90. Is that just for berth inclusive tickets?

Have now found the 'no discounts for kids' rule. Burried deep but eventually found it. Ironically it must be the only 1st class fare that allows a F&F railcard discount.

 

[yorkie]

The £110 fare will have sold out. That train is likely to be busy. (You will have to move quick if you want seats in the lounge car!)

 

[Essexman]

A major advantage of First Class is not having loud (particularly in summer American) passengers talking and keep you awake.
Berths are same as standard but with only one bed in place.
Breakfast is better.
You can use first class lounges - and get a free shower at Fort William (but not Inverness).
I find that a first sleeper return is not much more expensive than paying the single supplement both ways on top of an off peak return.