Variable Price of Advance tickets

[MarlowDonkey]

Except both web sites offer the exact same trains for the journey I highlighted, the only difference is the fare...

The point being that for direct trains, both websites are offering the same fare, but not for the slower journey via Bristol. So the difference in ticket restrictions may well have something to do with it.

 

[blackfive460]

The point being that for direct trains, both websites are offering the same fare, but not for the slower journey via Bristol. So the difference in ticket restrictions may well have something to do with it.

Ticket restrictions? Did I miss something?
I didn't see anything mentioned about different ticket restrictions. Both tickets are AP Slough on exactly the same trains.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

I didn't see anything mentioned about different ticket restrictions.

The ticket restrictions on the direct trains to Taunton are not the same as the restrictions on the "change at Bristol" route. For direct trains, both booking engines show the same price. It was speculated that this bug, if it is one, is generated by the presence of the AP Slough code.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The ticket restrictions on the direct trains to Taunton are not the same as the restrictions on the "change at Bristol" route. For direct trains, both booking engines show the same price. It was speculated that this bug, if it is one, is generated by the presence of the AP Slough code.

What is concerning is that fGW are just dismissing the complaint about it. (I've had similar issues with LM about the incorrect setup of the validity of Super Off Peak tickets from MKC).

Neil

 

[Greenback]

There does seem to be an issue there somewhere. FGW would be well advised to look into it.

 

[Stats]

RedSpottedHanky does offer the same tickets as theTrainLine sourced websites so it doesn't appear to be WebTIS having a different interpretation of restrictions.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Looking on BRFares.com I can see FGW 1st Advance tiers are coded, in price order, DES, DDS, DCS, DBS, DAS, [DLS, DKS], DHS, DFS. In both the Chippenham and Taunton examples provided in this thread the discrepancies in fares between different sites have been with the DLS and DKS tier bands. Given the alphabetical coding of the tiers I would assume these are additional tiers that FGW have added at some point.

So could it be something to do with introducing additional tiers?

 

[Paul Kelly]

Looking on BRFares.com I can see FGW 1st Advance tiers are coded, in price order, DES, DDS, DCS, DBS, DAS, [DLS, DKS], DHS, DFS. In both the Chippenham and Taunton examples provided in this thread the discrepancies in fares between different sites have been with the DLS and DKS tier bands. Given the alphabetical coding of the tiers I would assume these are additional tiers that FGW have added at some point.

So could it be something to do with introducing additional tiers?

I think you may be on to something there! That is such a simple and obvious explanation, that it really might be true. We know from other threads (e.g. this one about fares routed VICTRIA LINE NTH) that booking engines need to have various route codes (and I presume also ticket types) specifically "enabled", as there is a lot of stuff in the fares database that they aren't allowed to sell.

 

[Starmill]

This is very disconcerting. I have had this before on one or two occasions, and always dismissed whoever it was telling me that TheTrainLine was cheaper than the TPE/EC/ScotRail site I recommended they book on. I said it wasn't possible. NRE showing a cheaper Advance than seemed bookable was also something I got every now and then. Now I wonder if I know why. And how much more I might have spent as a result...

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Now I wonder if I know why.

The point seems to be that the full range of tickets is not available from every booking site. The advice to ticket purchasers has to be to try other sites. Whether those with the power to investigate and make changes are aware of the problem and will endeavour to fix it, remains to be seen. They still seem in denial at the moment if they are making excuses that each provider has a separate quota.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The point seems to be that the full range of tickets is not available from every booking site. The advice to ticket purchasers has to be to try other sites.

But still *do not* use Trainline or RSH. VT uses the Trainline back end (and shows these missing fares) but does not charge the fees.

Whether those with the power to investigate and make changes are aware of the problem and will endeavour to fix it, remains to be seen. They still seem in denial at the moment if they are making excuses that each provider has a separate quota.

It does seem they are making excuses, as each provider doesn't have a separate quota - the two exceptions there being (a) TOC-only special offers available only via that TOC's site, and (b) Megatrain.

Neil
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

This is very disconcerting. I have had this before on one or two occasions, and always dismissed whoever it was telling me that TheTrainLine was cheaper than the TPE/EC/ScotRail site I recommended they book on. I said it wasn't possible. NRE showing a cheaper Advance than seemed bookable was also something I got every now and then. Now I wonder if I know why. And how much more I might have spent as a result...

So it seems like there is a serious bug in the Mixing Desk planners...

Neil

 

[Greenback]

It's a good idea to compare both booking engines. I usually do that, but I haven't found any variations between them that can't be resolved by fiddling with the options.

This needs to be addressed, but I'm not sure where the person concerned got their reply from. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Twitter, which seems to sacrifice quality for speed!

 

[Bletchleyite]

This needs to be addressed, but I'm not sure where the person concerned got their reply from. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Twitter, which seems to sacrifice quality for speed!

It certainly seems that some TOCs (not all) have set their Twitter operations up mainly to read out stuff people could get themselves from NRE, and to attempt to fob off anyone who has anything more serious.

Oh for the glory days of David Whitley on LM Twitter, when whatever the issue a Tweet would fix it...I got stop orders arranged and all sorts...

Neil

 

[JaJaWa]

I believe this has previously been explained as thetrainline-powered sites only having their ticket quotas refreshed every 2 hours, whereas they are refreshed straight away on webTIS-powered sites. If you just missed the last ticket in a tier on a webTIS site you can head over to thetrainline to book it. It's the same problem as where a thetrainline-powered site can sell you a seat that has already been sold on a webTIS site, as thetrainline hasn't got it's update through yet. You see this duplicate booking issue quite a lot on Virgin Trains, as their own website is thetrainline-powered.

 

[infobleep]

I believe this has previously been explained as thetrainline-powered sites only having their ticket quotas refreshed every 2 hours, whereas they are refreshed straight away on webTIS-powered sites. If you just missed the last ticket in a tier on a webTIS site you can head over to thetrainline to book it. It's the same problem as where a thetrainline-powered site can sell you a seat that has already been sold on a webTIS site, as thetrainline hasn't got it's update through yet. You see this duplicate booking issue quite a lot on Virgin Trains, as their own website is thetrainline-powered.

What do train companies do when double booking has occurred?

 

[Deerfold]

I believe this has previously been explained as thetrainline-powered sites only having their ticket quotas refreshed every 2 hours, whereas they are refreshed straight away on webTIS-powered sites. If you just missed the last ticket in a tier on a webTIS site you can head over to thetrainline to book it. It's the same problem as where a thetrainline-powered site can sell you a seat that has already been sold on a webTIS site, as thetrainline hasn't got it's update through yet. You see this duplicate booking issue quite a lot on Virgin Trains, as their own website is thetrainline-powered.

That could explain why I was once double-booked on a Shipley-London trip.

Fortunately it wasn't a busy day and there were seats available when the other person who'd reserved my seat got on at Leeds.

 

[Starmill]

That could explain why I was once double-booked on a Shipley-London trip.

Fortunately it wasn't a busy day and there were seats available when the other person who'd reserved my seat got on at Leeds.

It wouldn't have mattered anyway, as it would curiously have been considered East Coast's fault for failing to honour your reservation rather than the fault of whoever your booking provider is!

 

[Paul Kelly]

I believe this has previously been explained as thetrainline-powered sites only having their ticket quotas refreshed every 2 hours

Can you provide a link to the previous explanation?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't think that is the explanation here, anyway, as this phenomenon was observed by a number of people over far more than 2 hours.

Neil

 

[hassaanhc]

MixingDeck engine on both Southern and FGW websites is currently not showing any First Advance tickets for London to Brighton and return, whereas TheTrainline is. Checked next week 16 December, as well as 5 January and 20 January.

 

[Bletchleyite]

MixingDeck engine on both Southern and FGW websites is currently not showing any First Advance tickets for London to Brighton and return, whereas TheTrainline is. Checked next week 16 December, as well as 5 January and 20 January.

So there is clearly some sort of issue. I guess the recommendation for the moment is to use a TOC Trainline planner (i.e. VT) for all purchases, provided there is no TOC-only special going on.

Does anyone know how to report this to whatever company it is that does that planner (i.e. RSH)?

Neil

 

[Starmill]

So there is clearly some sort of issue. I guess the recommendation for the moment is to use a TOC Trainline planner (i.e. VT) for all purchases, provided there is no TOC-only special going on.

Does anyone know how to report this to whatever company it is that does that planner (i.e. RSH)?

Neil

Other fee-free TTL TOC's are available! SWT, EMT, ATW...

I guess you mean ATOS? Didn't they develop WebTIS?

 

[ainsworth74]

My recollection is that a small tech company developed WebTIS for GNER. They were then bought out by ATOS Origin a few years later and the staff that actually created WebTIS were promptly sacked as an 'efficiency' meaning that there was no one at ATOS who actually understood how WebTIS worked under the hood. It is correct that ATOS are responsible for WebTIS but they didn't create it and this is why it semi-regularly suffers spectacular errors (such as allowing Point A to Point B via any other point on the network but only charging as if you were travelling directly from A to B, I'm sure yorkie will be along shortly to explain in more detail ).

 

[blackfive460]

Curiouser and curiouser...

Regarding the Paddington - Taunton journey I referred to earlier in this thread, both FGW and VT are now showing the same fare.
The odd thing is, FGW have reduced the price of the first class advance from £150 to £96...

 

[Paul Kelly]

Looks like someone at FGW has been reading this thread then. To be pedantic, it's not that the price has reduced - the DHS tier is still priced at £150.50 - but that they are now selling the cheaper DKS (£107.00) and DLS (£96.00) tiers. Once they sell out, the DHS tier will go back on sale.

 

[Starmill]

Looks like someone at FGW has been reading this thread then.

The number of instances of things '"mysteriously"' being fixed after being 'reported' on here has gone through the roofin recent months. And these are only the cases we know about.

I wonder if it is now quicker to solve a problem with certain types of issue by creating a thread about it here than chasing it up with a Customer Relations department?

 

[hangus78]

The first class Advance tickets between London and Brighton are now showing on the Southern site.

 

[hassaanhc]

So there is clearly some sort of issue. I guess the recommendation for the moment is to use a TOC Trainline planner (i.e. VT) for all purchases, provided there is no TOC-only special going on.

Does anyone know how to report this to whatever company it is that does that planner (i.e. RSH)?

Neil

I've found a couple of bugs in the last month, one an instance of valid fare being greyed out, but I couldn't replicate it. It was the Thameslink Only Super Off peak Return on a Saturday, between East Croydon and Gatwick Airport for the same evening, outward after 2000. Pretty sure I selected the same day as the return :? (it worked for future dates :P)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

My recollection is that a small tech company developed WebTIS for GNER. They were then bought out by ATOS Origin a few years later and the staff that actually created WebTIS were promptly sacked as an 'efficiency' meaning that there was no one at ATOS who actually understood how WebTIS worked under the hood. It is correct that ATOS are responsible for WebTIS but they didn't create it and this is why it semi-regularly suffers spectacular errors (such as allowing Point A to Point B via any other point on the network but only charging as if you were travelling directly from A to B, I'm sure yorkie will be along shortly to explain in more detail ).

Did have a bug for several weeks to do with itineraries. East Croydon to Brighton on Thameslink services shown as travelling via London Bridge in both directions. On southbound services the correct option was not shown at all, whereas on the northbound it did show the correct option but no fare.

 

[Flamingo]

Of course, the easy way around all these bugs is the one adoptedby a passenger I had a few weeks ago. He couldn't buy an Advance ticket (first class) at the price he wanted for the train he wanted, so bought one at the price he liked for a later train (£30, South Wales to Pad with SNR discount) then travelled on the early train. He blamed the whole thing on our "crap computer", and went off on one at me about how I should be apologising to him for our incompetence.

 

[hassaanhc]

The number of instances of things '"mysteriously"' being fixed after being 'reported' on here has gone through the roofin recent months. And these are only the cases we know about.

I wonder if it is now quicker to solve a problem with certain types of issue by creating a thread about it here than chasing it up with a Customer Relations department?

Either that or Twitter! I chose the latter option for an incorrect Thameslink itinerary being shown, and corrected a few days later.

The first class Advance tickets between London and Brighton are now showing on the Southern site.

Thanks, that was quick!

 

[infobleep]

Either that or Twitter! I chose the latter option for an incorrect Thameslink itinerary being shown, and corrected a few days later.




Thanks, that was quick!

I twice politely pointed out on Twitter an announcement from South West Trains referring to trains services with different coaches had an incorrect time in it. They referred to 9.07 service when it actually left Guildford at 9.04. The gap between telling them was several dead if not more than a week. As far as I'm aware it wasn't corrected, although as the whole notice has since been removed I can't check right now.

I also pointed out screen issues in Chrome on a mobile device, I was running Nexus 5 and Kitkat Android system at the time. For the Christmas engineering works the text is being cut off so you can read it all. It still hasn't been fixed and I'm now running Lollipop Android system. I only pointed this out once mind you but at the time someone else commented on my tweet that they too were having issued. At first the member of tweeter staff couldn't see the issue but they soon did. I think I sent a screenshot similar to the one below.

http://mobile.usablenet.com/mt/www.southwesttrains.co.uk/XmasEng2014.aspx?un_jtt_v_month=yes

Perhaps what companies really need is a dedicated e-mail address to the technical departments such as journey planner programmers and Web Site teams so that they get the information and can deal with it.

I'm not certain if customer services always know where you send such technical queries to. If they do then you wonder why these things are not always being fixed when you take the time to point them out.