Trains from London to Cardiff

[Matt the Shrimp]

Folks,

This is a word of warning for those of you who have booked train tickets on-line.

Being a bit of a sceptic when it comes to train on-line booking systems, I phoned First Great Western (08457 000 125) in order to book my train ticket to Cardiff.

W4 Shrimper had already booked his train ticket on-line with thetrainline.com - so, armed with his booking reference, I asked FGW whether I could get a seat next to him.

After some searching on-line, it transpired that W4 Shrimper did not have a seat reserved. In other words, if you book your train tickets on-line, the system allows you supposedly to make a booking for a train... but, in fact, it doesn't book you onto that train. Your selection of particular train times is merely the filling in of prompts so that the correct fare is generated.

However, according to FGW, you will not be allowed onto the train at Paddington unless you have a seat reserved. So, if you have booked with the trainline.com, or anyone else on-line, you will need to contact them again in order to reserve a seat.

I am not sure exactly how you go about that; but either W4 Shrimper or Spaceman Spiff should hopefully be able to add some more details about the precise process for reserving a seat, since they have both encountered this problem today.

If you haven't booked a train ticket yet, then it might be a better idea to call FGW and book your ticket over the telephone. At least FGW can tell you what fares are available for what trains; they can also confirm whether or not you'll get onto the train at all - because they can see which seats have been booked.

As a final observation... the cheeky beggars have put fares up already (presumably because it's play-off weekend). For my Lewisham - Cardiff return fare last month, I paid £46; for Greenwich - Cardiff return this month, I'm paying £54.50.

Anyhow, make sure you get a seat booked, folks... otherwise you'll be stranded in London with no way to get to Cardiff, and that would be disastrous.

Incidentally, for trains back, the queuing system will be in place, so it's no reserved seats or anything like that; instead, it's just a scrum at Cardiff Central...

See you there on Saturday (we're in coach B on the 09:45, if anyone wants to join us!)

Matt

 

[Upminster Blue]

Worth pinning this topic?

Also worth the club putting putting this info on the official site?

 

[Andy_S]

We've booked ours directly through the Great Western site, instead of the trainline.com like we normally do. Will it still affect us?

I'm on the 9:45 also. Well, hopefully anyway.

 

[gazzacat42]

You can also go direct to your local station and book a first class upgrade.
This puts another tenner on the journey.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Andy_S @ May 23 2005,19:06)]We've booked ours directly through the Great Western site, instead of the trainline.com like we normally do. Will it still affect us?

I'm on the 9:45 also. Well, hopefully anyway.

I don't know if this affects people who book through FGW's website... although it might. I've a funny feeling that the booking engine is pretty universal as between thetrainline.com and all the individual Train Operating Companies' websites.

If you've booked through FGW, then you can presumably call them...

I will also pin the topic, and send Scriv a text about this, just in case he's booking something. If the Shrimpers On-Line gang could post something about this, that would be useful; I will copy this and put it on rivals.net.

Matt

 

[Andy_S]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ May 23 2005,19:11)]

Quote[/b] (Andy_S @ May 23 2005,19:06)]We've booked ours directly through the Great Western site, instead of the trainline.com like we normally do. Will it still affect us?

I'm on the 9:45 also. Well, hopefully anyway.

I don't know if this affects people who book through FGW's website... although it might.  I've a funny feeling that the booking engine is pretty universal as between thetrainline.com and all the individual Train Operating Companies' websites.

If you've booked through FGW, then you can presumably call them...

I will also pin the topic, and send Scriv a text about this, just in case he's booking something.  If the Shrimpers On-Line gang could post something about this, that would be useful; I will copy this and put it on rivals.net.

Matt

Cheers for the warning though, Matt.

We went through their own site this time because after the farce of last month, someone else who we went with was told over the phone that if the tickets had been booked directly through the FGW site, seats would've automatically been reserved, unlike if you had done it through any other sites that bring all the companies together, eg: thetrainline.com or Qjump.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Sounds good, Andy... although you'll not shift my inherent mistrust of internet train booking. It works for just about any other form of transport... but for reasons beyond my ken, it a;ways seems to screw up on the trains.

Matt

 

[ShrimperJim]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ May 23 2005,18:11)]

Quote[/b] (Andy_S @ May 23 2005,19:06)]We've booked ours directly through the Great Western site, instead of the trainline.com like we normally do. Will it still affect us?

I'm on the 9:45 also. Well, hopefully anyway.

I don't know if this affects people who book through FGW's website... although it might.  I've a funny feeling that the booking engine is pretty universal as between thetrainline.com and all the individual Train Operating Companies' websites.

If you've booked through FGW, then you can presumably call them...

I will also pin the topic, and send Scriv a text about this, just in case he's booking something.  If the Shrimpers On-Line gang could post something about this, that would be useful; I will copy this and put it on rivals.net.

Matt

Matt, I'll copy it and put it up on SOL

Thanks.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Dont book through thetrainline.com  

Booked a ticket this morning before Matt's warning - and then when I phoned I was told they couldn't book me a seat, or do sod all about it. "We cant do anything about it unless they tell us you need to reserve a seat".

The only way I could book a seat with a named seat was to phone FGW - their website didnt mention booking a seat either, worth noting the screens were identical to the trainline.com.

So now I've booked TWO seats - and thetrainline.com will only refund if I wait for my tickets to arrive (bear in mind that they dont print and post them until tomorrow), print out a cancellation form from their website, GLUE the tickets to the form and post it back to them - then pay a £10 administration fee!!  

Fortunately I know where they live, and shall be paying a visit.

Spiff

 

 

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Spaceman Spiff @ May 23 2005,19:49)]Dont book through thetrainline.com  

Booked a ticket this morning before Matt's warning - and then when I phoned I was told they couldn't book me a seat, or do sod all about it. "We cant do anything about it unless they tell us you need to reserve a seat".

The only way I could book a seat with a named seat was to phone FGW - their website didnt mention booking a seat either, worth noting the screens were identical to the trainline.com.

So now I've booked TWO seats - and thetrainline.com will only refund if I wait for my tickets to arrive (bear in mind that they dont print and post them until tomorrow), print out a cancellation form from their website, GLUE the tickets to the form and post it back to them - then pay a £10 administration fee!!  

Fortunately I know where they live, and shall be paying a visit.

Spiff

 

 

Steve - sounds like you've had a shocker mate. James managed to book a seat though... how did he do it, but you couldn't?

Doesn't make sense, though...

Crumbs, I'm glad I stuck with my scepticism of booking train tickets online... can't believe you got so royally done over there.

Matt

 

[Blue Streak]

Booked through FGW website when going to the LDV last time and the seats are reserved. The Tickets turned up in the post next day and stated exactly what seat I was allocated on both legs of the journey. Had a bit of trouble persuading an Old Welsh Shopping Bag Biddy that she was sitting in my seat coming back though. Had to call the guard to get her removed.
Scriv can you warn people about Old Welsh Biddys with attitude on the website too please ?

 

[Kent Shrimper]

i booked mine earlier today through trainline, thought all was good until i logged on here tonight.

Straight on the phone to trainline who at first told me i didnt need a reserved seat until i insisted that i did. They went away and came back and told me all of there reserved seating was reserved. In no uncertain terms i told them they were a bag of sh*t and that they will refund me now. Thankfully they did.

I phone FGW who were very polite and even tried getting me in Coach B but unfortunatley couldnt, im in Coach D with a reserved seat.

My advice stay away from the bag of sh*t that is trainline.com, i shall never use them again as long as i live. f**kwits

 

[Andy_S]

Are the FGW phonelines still open now?

I'm getting slightly concerned that a phone call tomorrow could be too late.

 

[Kent Shrimper]

yeah, not sure what time they shut?

Telesales 08457 000 125

 

[Blue Streak]

For an extra £5 they guarantee to deliver by 1pm the next day if ordered by 5pm the night before or something. The tickets arrive special delivery and someone has to sign for them. Its £5 but its better safe than sorry. Otherwise they suggest it would take 3 days standard 1st Class post (mmm right !!).
Ask them when you call.

 

[Andy_S]

Quote[/b] (Kent Shrimper @ May 23 2005,20:55)]yeah, not sure what time they shut?

Telesales 08457 000 125

Cheers.

My Dad's just phoned it and been told by the guy on the other end that he can't do anything about Internet bookings, as he has no details about them. He gave us another number, especially for Internet bookings, but they closed at 8pm. Doh.

Tomorrow could be interesting, especially as the tickets *should* be arriving via special delivery.

 

[Bucks_blue]

Has someone got the number for Trainline.com?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Quote[/b] (Bucks_blue @ May 24 2005,09:28)]Has someone got the number for Trainline.com?

0870 010 1296

 

[Bucks_blue]

Same as you Spiff. Not happy.

I've used Trainline.com for years and have never had problems.

I could have got on without reserved seats it depends on the queues and how fuill the trains are, but you are not 'gauranteed' and to be honest I wasn't going to risk it. So have cancelled and booked with FGW. But due to time creeping on have had to pay an extra fiver to gaurantee next day delivery.

Not happy.

 

[Guest]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ May 23 2005,18:45)]As a final observation... the cheeky beggars have put fares up already (presumably because it's play-off weekend).  For my Lewisham - Cardiff return fare last month, I paid £46; for Greenwich - Cardiff return this month, I'm paying £54.50.

 

No, it's a special Bank Holiday Saturday Rate in as much as the cheaper (sorry, less expensive) class of ticket is not available. Mind you there is one extra train.

West Ham supporters are back to the lower rate on the Monday.