Trainline phone charges

[Cycleracer]

I ordered my traiin tickets the usual way by ringing Trainline and the phone charge was nearly £3.

Now I always feel these 08 numbers are a fiddle anyhow but there's no alternative.

Before anyone points out that I can order them on-line well yes I know that but I also have to book on my bike which I can't do on-line so I do it by phone....

No wonder they keep you holding on

[Annie Bynnol]

You have also payed more than you needed too.

Trainline buy the same tickets as you could do and charge you a fee on top.

 

Fares are set by one of the train operating companies (TOCs) that run trains on that line(s).

Trainline buys them at that price and add extra charges to cover their massive advertising bill, costs and profit.

 

Trainline actually owns the biggest of the two companies that run the fares sites for railways in the UK.

 

For the cheapest fare:

use the fare setting TOC

check special offers for that TOC eg Northern Duo, nectar points etc

book early

use Santander 123 or equivalent for cashback

split your tickets up so that as little as possible is during peak times.

split your tickets particularly if travelling on cross country or beyond, Leeds, York, Stockport or Nottingham.

[Obelix]

Splitting tickets is the way to go - just remember that the service you are on must actually stop at the point where the tickets split! There's no need to get off and wait for the next train either despite what the gripper will say.

 

If you can really be bothered, split tickets so all of the stages are under 50 miles. These are the subsidised distances and it makes it much cheaper, if slower to travel.