Online Train Tickets

chocky909 · 07-03-2006, 03:40

Just been all the way through TheTrainLine website only to find they don't take Solo card. Anyone know how/where to buy train tickets online using Solo?

Don't really want to have to traipse all the way to Kings Cross tomorrow. Where else can I buy train tickets? Local train station (Peckham Rye) doesn't sell 'em. Travel Agents? Need to travel Kings Cross to Newcastle next Tuesday.

Loathe to give in and get a credit card but these Solo problems are really getting to me.

Any advice?

07-03-2006, 05:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocky909

Just been all the way through TheTrainLine website only to find they don't take Solo card. Anyone know how/where to buy train tickets online using Solo?

Don't really want to have to traipse all the way to Kings Cross tomorrow. Where else can I buy train tickets? Local train station (Peckham Rye) doesn't sell 'em. Travel Agents? Need to travel Kings Cross to Newcastle next Tuesday.

Loathe to give in and get a credit card but these Solo problems are really getting to me.

Any advice?

have you tired www.gner.co.uk

King Of Fools · 07-03-2006, 10:30

AFAIK, all the online train ticket sites (GNER included) are run by TheTrainLine so you probably will not have much luck.

You could try buying the tickets over the phone direct from GNER, however:
GNER Telesales
Tel: 08457 225 225, open Sundays to Thursdays 08.00-22.00 and Fridays and Saturdays 08.00-20.00
International tel: +44 191 227 5959

To be honest, I would recommend getting a credit card for any online purchase as the extra insurance that comes with it is vital.

chocky909 · 07-03-2006, 16:18

Thanks King but the phone sales is the same. At least the message told me straight away. Saved me a few pence in 0845 charge at least. I'll have to go to KX to get my ticket cause I haven't got a clue which travel agents around here would sell train tickets and I'm not going to traipse around asking, would be quicker to get the 63 to King's Cross. Hopefully the queues won't be too bad.

Gareth · 07-03-2006, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Of Fools

To be honest, I would recommend getting a credit card for any online purchase as the extra insurance that comes with it is vital.

Yep, and if you shop around, you can get some good deals. Just make sure to not have a huge credit limit on the card, in case a site you buy something from gets compromised and your details become public knowledge. Although you'll get reimbursed by your bank eventually, it's a lot of hassle when some dodgy Russian or Chinese person has made off with a few thousand quid worth of gear using your credit card.

In fact, instead of paying for items via credit card, I use a debit card that I have set up purposefully for using online. The account the card belongs to has no overdraft facility, and has a balance of ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£0 until I want to buy something, at which point I transfer money from my main account to my t'internet account. In that way, should my details get disclosed, they won't get very far trying to buy things using my card

**Stuart** · 07-03-2006, 16:39

What about going to your local station? They can often sell tickets to stations all over the country.

Gareth · 07-03-2006, 16:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

What about going to your local station? They can often sell tickets to stations all over the country.

Think that's a no-go, Stu...

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocky909

Local train station (Peckham Rye) doesn't sell 'em.

Shaun · 07-03-2006, 17:19

What ever you do DON'T buy your train tickets from the Trainline with a credit card.

The Trainline add a charge of ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£1.50 to all credit card transactions. If you buy your ticket through www.midlandmainline.com (and most other regional companies) there's no charge at all. The portal is run by The Trainline, the tickets are printed by them but there's no fee - work that one out!

In fact I'd not recommend you buy from them (direct) at all, their customer service is handled in India (like may of the train companies) but they have absolutely no one in the UK that you can speak to about missing tickets etc. I know for a fact that MML/GNER do.

Saying all this, it still dosen't help you Chocky as even MML don't take Solo online. In fact when I was buying a ticket at the station on Sunday I saw a sign up stating they don't take Electron or Solo at the counter either.

Best make sure you take cash with you mate

King Of Fools · 07-03-2006, 19:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gareth

In fact, instead of paying for items via credit card, I use a debit card that I have set up purposefully for using online. The account the card belongs to has no overdraft facility, and has a balance of ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£0 until I want to buy something, at which point I transfer money from my main account to my t'internet account. In that way, should my details get disclosed, they won't get very far trying to buy things using my card

I am not all that sure that will work.

AFAIK, depending on the debit card they do not bother checking available balance below a certain amount. In fact there have even been stories of children under 18 who have managed to make their account go overdrawn when their card was used at certain shops that were not checking the balance at all!

chocky909 · 07-03-2006, 21:41

Well anyway, I got it sorted through my Mam's boyfriend (through gritted teeth). Thank god they deliver to addresses other than the billing address.

Thanks for advice though. Cheers.

Shaun · 09-03-2006, 00:16

Just to add to this thread (for those who travel a lot by train) I've just come across this great site. It's a little fiddly (you have to know the exact name of the station and not just put Manchester or London) but it'll find the cheapest ticket for you even if that involves buying split ticket. This is perfectly legal but something that would take forever to work out with the trainline!

http://www.ma.ic.ac.uk/~finn/Train/

Enjoy

alastairdunn · 16-01-2008, 17:31

YES you can pay with solo or visa electron for train tickets, just buy them here: http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/

It works ive tried it! happy days!

**Graham M** · 16-01-2008, 17:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Of Fools

I am not all that sure that will work.

AFAIK, depending on the debit card they do not bother checking available balance below a certain amount. In fact there have even been stories of children under 18 who have managed to make their account go overdrawn when their card was used at certain shops that were not checking the balance at all!

I used to run into that problem all the time when I was 16/17 with a Visa Electron

alastairdunn · 16-01-2008, 17:50

yeh i know its a frikkin pain in the ****. but im not 16/17 tho im 27, i just got a bad credit rating and thats all the bank will give me is a solo card. far as im concerned with something important like train tickets which is public transport, access should be equivalent for all irrespective of financial status, thus solo and electron cards should be accepted everywhere. its just an example of those at the bottom getting kicked while their down and i dont like it. so tell the world about that website www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com because it took me ages and a lot of wasted time and money having to go to the station each time i wanted a bleedin ticket before i discovered it.

---------- Post added at 17:50 ---------- Previous post was at 17:49 ----------

since when was (**** = a r s e) a swear word?

**Stuart** · 16-01-2008, 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by alastairdunn

YES you can pay with solo or visa electron for train tickets, just buy them here: http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/

It works ive tried it! happy days!

Erm, that query was posted 10 months ago, so I suspect the original poster has been on the trip and come back now..

to the forum though.