F***ing Train Tickets

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Joe_Fox

Joe_Fox

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I hate train tickets, they piss me off no end.

Can anyone help with this?

I want to buy an open return train ticket from Leeds to Manchester Airport on 29/08/08.

I don't know what time train I'll catch, nor do I know what train I'll get on the way back.

Can I do this? Every sodding train ticket site requires the specification of which train you intend to get on for the outward part of the journey but I DO NOT KNOW.

When you buy a ticket in the station they have no times on it do they? For example, if I went to the train station now and bought a ticket to go to Manchester, I wouldn't have to get on the next train would I? I could go and have a few pints and get say the 9pm train if I so desired - right?

So why do I have to specify the time of the train for the outward leg of the journey?

Is this just another example of train tickets being the most ****ing annoying piece of bastard ever?
 
Joe_Fox said:
I hate train tickets, they piss me off no end.

Can anyone help with this?

I want to buy an open return train ticket from Leeds to Manchester Airport on 29/08/08.

I don't know what time train I'll catch, nor do I know what train I'll get on the way back.

Can I do this? Every sodding train ticket site requires the specification of which train you intend to get on for the outward part of the journey but I DO NOT KNOW.

When you buy a ticket in the station they have no times on it do they? For example, if I went to the train station now and bought a ticket to go to Manchester, I wouldn't have to get on the next train would I? I could go and have a few pints and get say the 9pm train if I so desired - right?

So why do I have to specify the time of the train for the outward leg of the journey?

Is this just another example of train tickets being the most ****ing annoying piece of bastard ever?
Click to expand...


The train sites ask for times so they can reserve a seat for you, but you don't have to use the seat reservation if the ticket is a flexible one.

If you buy an open return ticket you don't have to travel on specific trains, as long as you travel outbound on the day the ticket is valid for.
 
Joe_Fox said:
I hate train tickets, they piss me off no end.

Can anyone help with this?

I want to buy an open return train ticket from Leeds to Manchester Airport on 29/08/08.

I don't know what time train I'll catch, nor do I know what train I'll get on the way back.

Can I do this? Every sodding train ticket site requires the specification of which train you intend to get on for the outward part of the journey but I DO NOT KNOW.

When you buy a ticket in the station they have no times on it do they? For example, if I went to the train station now and bought a ticket to go to Manchester, I wouldn't have to get on the next train would I? I could go and have a few pints and get say the 9pm train if I so desired - right?

So why do I have to specify the time of the train for the outward leg of the journey?

Is this just another example of train tickets being the most ****ing annoying piece of bastard ever?
Click to expand...

It asks for the times so that it can be sure to buy you a ticket that is appropriate for your journey and at the cheapest price for that journey.

I'm not quite clear why you want an open return. This is the most expensive ticket and there are often other tickets which will suit your needs without the expense; perhaps a Saver, for instance.

If you really do want an open ticket, put in any old times, go down to the bottom of the list of fares and pay your £24.90. You would be a total twat to do so however for your Leeds to Manchester Airport journey because a Saver has the same month's validity and is available for outward and return journey at any time, saving you £2.00. The only time when an Open ticket would be the better choice would be if you wanted to break your journey on the outward leg - otherwise the availability is identical.

And that is why it asks you for times - so that it can save ou money. If you want to pay more than you need, go ahead and buy the Open Return.
 
So, if I buy one now and specify that I will be getting a train on Friday 29th Aug from Leeds to Manchester Airport, I can tick any of the boxes for times (it will be between 6pm and 8pm) and say I click the 18.04, I can get on the 19.04 if I want?

And then any train back from Manchester Airport within one month of the 29th Aug (so before 29th September)?

Have I got it now? What about peak times? What if I tick a box that isn't peak time but then get a peak time train - will the conductor chop my balls off?
 
Joe_Fox said:
So, if I buy one now and specify that I will be getting a train on Friday 29th Aug from Leeds to Manchester Airport, I can tick any of the boxes for times (it will be between 6pm and 8pm) and say I click the 18.04, I can get on the 19.04 if I want?
Click to expand...

Yes, as long as the ticket is one that allows you to do that. Usually clicking on the ticket type on the website will tell you the terms and conditions for that ticket.


What if I tick a box that isn't peak time but then get a peak time train - will the conductor chop my balls off?
Click to expand...

Yes.
 
Joe_Fox said:
What if I tick a box that isn't peak time but then get a peak time train - will the conductor chop my balls off?
Click to expand...



We can live in hope.
 
When are the peak times for trains?
 
Joe_Fox said:
When are the peak times for trains?
Click to expand...

It varies from journey-to-journey. Some journeys have no peak-times.

For the journey you have in mind, there is a peak on the outward journey on all trains leaving Leeds before 08:30
 
bocadillo said:
It varies from journey-to-journey. Some journeys have no peak-times.

For the journey you have in mind, there is a peak on the outward journey on all trains leaving Leeds before 08:30
Click to expand...

Cheers everyone. I think I just about understand it. I still think the entire system needs simplifying.
 
Joe_Fox said:
Cheers everyone. I think I just about understand it. I still think the entire system needs simplifying.
Click to expand...

The system is in the process of being simplified at the moment. All tickets which must be bought in advance are now called Advance Tickets - you may not think this is a simplification but it is far clearer than the huge array of names that they went under in the past.

From 7th September, all tickets that can be bought on the day will be called either Off-Peak (buy anytime, travel off-peak) or Anytime (buy anytime, travel any time). Again, up until now they have been called a huge number of names.

It won't however be possible to do things like making off-peak the same throughout the country and to do some of the things that some people seem to think would make things simple. Putting your times of travel into the enquiry form and stating them to the booking clerk will still be necessary if you want to travel as cheaply as possible.
 
I just bought a train ticket from Preston to Glasgow for £2 from Megatrain,just got to get there now
 
I am getting a train back to Leicester on Thursday at 6pm. Will this be peak time?
 
I want a one way ticket from Harpenden station, at about 6pm, to Leicester station.
 
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