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| Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 17:33 #30565 | |
GoodbyeMrFish
148 posts |
Strange question but i can't find info anywhere and as ive never done this before i will ask here if anyone knows. On thursday i want to travel to grantham (return) i want to do this by buying two advance single tickets for the outward and return journey. If i goto east midlands train site and national rail even if i book tomorrow it will only cost 17 pound return where as if i just brought an off peak day return it will be more like 60 quid. Do i have to buy online to get this discount or can i goto my local station 3 days before travel and get the ticket there with this discount. I cant find any info saying that this is online only deal, so im hoping that as long as its still brought the day before or a few days before i will still get it for this price, just from thetford station rather than nationalrail or EMT? Thanks for your time sorry a bit long winded. A very confused rail enthusiast. Richard Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 17:40 #30566 | |
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John 23
176 posts |
I've certainly done things like buying two singles at the Torquay and Newton Abbot ticket offices, and getting advance tickets, if there is any left in the allocation.
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| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 17:42 #30567 | |
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sloppyjag
480 posts 
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If it doesn't say "Web exclusive" or suchlike then it should be available at a window from human being. I say should as some advance fares will have quotas and may have been sold out by the time you reach said window/human being.
Planotransitophobic! Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 17:47 #30568 | |
headshot119
4869 posts |
Ticket offices can sell Advance tickets. However this type of ticket is Quota controlled so once they are gone they are gone. It is certainly advisable with Advance tickets to book online (Use East Coast or London Midland as they don't charge booking fees and have a decent interface.) and then pick them up at the station on the day of travel.
"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 18:41 #30570 | |
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benstafford
88 posts |
Chiltern, Southern, Southeastern and redspottedhanky.com all use the same excellent booking engine mentioned above. By far the best, allowing you to select either the train you want or the fare, with a grid for finding the best fare if you are flexible on days.
Last edited: 12/03/2012 at 18:42 by benstafford Reason: Spelling error Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 18:47 #30571 | |
postal
5265 posts |
It is probably worth checking directly with the train operator's web-site as some TOCs have some special deals which are only available on their own web-site and not through a third-party site.
“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 18:53 #30573 | |
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GoodbyeMrFish
148 posts |
National rail and Eastmidlandstrains are offering the same ticket, the prices the same and everything, so i think its all linked together somehow. Unfortunatly picking up on the day is'nt going to happen, Thetford is only a small station, and the train i want to leave on is at 6:26am theres no station staff there. And also i dont think you can pick up at the booking office, EMT says you need to use a machine with reference number etc. We dont have that machine at this station. The plan is'nt set in stone yet anyway, because im still swaying towards going to retford again. But as i went there last time i do fancy something a bit different. Specially as the sand and stone and most intermodal/freightliners come off at grantham. theres only a small handfull that go further north on the ecml. Im buying ticket tomorrow regardless of where im going so i will keep you guys posted as to how i get on. richard Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 19:30 #30580 | |
Peter Bennet
5402 posts |
I've picked up at a ticket office before now- just presented the reference number. Why not phone them and ask? Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Last edited: 12/03/2012 at 19:30 by Peter Bennet Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 19:38 #30581 | |
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Danny252
1461 posts |
XC trains give a "collect at window" option: "Collect at window You will need the payment card used and your collection reference. Tickets will be ready for collection 2 hours after booking." Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 20:57 #30586 | |
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headshot119
4869 posts |
" said:Chiltern, Southern, Southeastern and redspottedhanky.com all use the same excellent booking engine mentioned above. By far the best, allowing you to select either the train you want or the fare, with a grid for finding the best fare if you are flexible on days.redspottedhanky.com don't use the same booking engine as the rest of them. "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Last edited: 12/03/2012 at 21:34 by headshot119 Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 21:32 #30588 | |
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Sacro
1171 posts |
They use Webtis, the same as Southern and EastCoast (at the very least).
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| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 21:35 #30589 | |
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Josie
310 posts |
" said:" said:They certainly did when they launched; have they changed?Chiltern, Southern, Southeastern and redspottedhanky.com all use the same excellent booking engine mentioned above. By far the best, allowing you to select either the train you want or the fare, with a grid for finding the best fare if you are flexible on days.redspottedhanky.com don't use the same booking office as the rest of them. *checks* Nope, still looks the same to me 
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| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 21:35 #30590 | |
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headshot119
4869 posts |
Hmmm it's another site I'm getting mixed up with, but I can't remember which one. EDIT It's Mytrainticket.co.uk I was getting mixed up with. "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Last edited: 12/03/2012 at 21:38 by headshot119 Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 22:35 #30592 | |
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pbinnersley
431 posts |
I've purchased tickets to collect as Coventry station, but been able to pick them up from a machine at Birmingham New Street. Not sure how wide spread this facility is. The main website for cheap advance tickets that aren't listed on National Rail and the other train Operators is MegaTrain, part of the Stagecoach Megabus scheme. I think they are currently ony available on selected trains to/from London St Pancras and Waterloo. Hope this helps. Peter. Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 22:52 #30594 | |
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Peter Bennet
5402 posts |
" said:I've purchased tickets to collect as Coventry station, but been able to pick them up from a machine at Birmingham New Street. Not sure how wide spread this facility is.The 'where you pick up the ticket and which machine you designate' is a bit misleading. As long as you have the booking number you can collect the tickets from any booking office or any machine. Have not tested out the 2 hours thing yet but I'd imagine that is misleading too. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 12/03/2012 at 23:48 #30596 | |
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Josie
310 posts |
" said:The 'where you pick up the ticket and which machine you designate' is a bit misleading. As long as you have the booking number you can collect the tickets from any booking office or any machine. Have not tested out the 2 hours thing yet but I'd imagine that is misleading too.I've not been on there for a while due to various problems with my newsreader, but the conclusions drawn from uk.railway passim are that:
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| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 13/03/2012 at 07:35 #30598 | |
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GoodbyeMrFish
148 posts |
A booking clerk at cambridge told me that they can sell advance fairs, so im going to go to the station this morning and give it a go. Thanks for the responces its appreciated, thank you. I will pop back on later, to let you know how i got on. Richard Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 13/03/2012 at 11:42 #30600 | |
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GoodbyeMrFish
148 posts |
The last update: I went to the station this morning, all is fine, just 1 pound more than it was yesterday. Acheiving a saving of 35 pounds. So thank you to everyone whos posted here the help was usefull, thank you. Richard Log in to reply |
| Re: Ticketing and Buying a rail ticket advice please. 13/03/2012 at 21:37 #30620 | |
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benstafford
88 posts |
I've booked using a WEBTis system (Southern) and picked up at the station less than half an hour later.
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