Heart-warming tale of customer service from Trainline

[SHsheff]

Well. I booked my train tickets online a week ago and have now realised that that was the last time I saw that bank card. Some of you may be aware that the only way to retrieve said train tickets (for which I have already paid using the afore-mentioned card) is to stick the card into the machine at the station, armed with your booking reference.

 

I searched Trainline's Help section but seemingly I am unique in ever having this problem because it isn't mentioned. All they say is that if you've 'forgotten' the card you won't be able to collect the tickets.

 

I Googled but only tales of awfulness about the thievingness of Trainline. So, I phoned the 10p-a-minute help line, fully expecting to end up having to pay again at last-minute rates then entering into a proctracted battle to get at least some of the original money refunded.

 

Whohooo! Thank you to the rather non-English-as-a-first-language-sounding 'Austin Thomson' who answered my call! Because he could see that I have used Trainline many times before, he has adjusted the system so I can use any card to collect my tickets.

 

So there you are, people. If you lose your card, all is not (necessarily) lost. Mind, I can't get my ticket (so says Austin Thomson) until 30 mins before travel so that's leaving it rather late if the system hasn't worked. Hey ho.

[Andy]

Hi SHSheff

 

Do you know it's always cheaper to book your tickets directly on the train company's website rather than going through Trainline? That's because Trainline charge booking fees, which the train companies do not. The actual tickets are the same price.

 

Glad to hear Trainline helped you out though

[eurovision]

It is nice to read something positive for a change.

[truman]

Well. I booked my train tickets online a week ago and have now realised that that was the last time I saw that bank card. Some of you may be aware that the only way to retrieve said train tickets (for which I have already paid using the afore-mentioned card) is to stick the card into the machine at the station, armed with your booking reference.

 

I searched Trainline's Help section but seemingly I am unique in ever having this problem because it isn't mentioned. All they say is that if you've 'forgotten' the card you won't be able to collect the tickets.

 

I Googled but only tales of awfulness about the thievingness of Trainline. So, I phoned the 10p-a-minute help line, fully expecting to end up having to pay again at last-minute rates then entering into a proctracted battle to get at least some of the original money refunded.

 

Whohooo! Thank you to the rather non-English-as-a-first-language-sounding 'Austin Thomson' who answered my call! Because he could see that I have used Trainline many times before, he has adjusted the system so I can use any card to collect my tickets.

 

So there you are, people. If you lose your card, all is not (necessarily) lost. Mind, I can't get my ticket (so says Austin Thomson) until 30 mins before travel so that's leaving it rather late if the system hasn't worked. Hey ho.

 

Hope it works ....

[SHsheff]

Hope it works ....

 

It worked. I did wonder whether a non-UK-based call centre was really going to come up with the goods (it's well documented that Trainline use an Indian call centre) but the technology certainly worked on this occasion.

 

Hopefully this thread will show up when other people can't find the solution on Trainline's website to their problem of losing the card they booked with.

 

Thanks to Andy - though, if you don't know the train company that operates on the journey you're going to use, how do you know which website to go on, if not one like Trainline? What happens if you're going to use two different companies to get to your destination? Book tickets on two different train companies' websites?