Cheap Train Fares guide discussion

A question about : Cheap Train Fares guide discussion

Hi, we've written a Cheap Trains guide to help you play the train ticket system with hidden tricks. You can also check out the latest travel offers, vouchers and discounts on our Cheap Train & Coach Deals page.

If you've tried the techniques mentioned in the guide, were you successful? How much did you save? Is there anything you'd add?

Thanks for your help

MSE Jenny

Best answers:

• I forked over Ј100 on two rail tickets to London on Thursday - booked with Trainline.com on line - I ticked the reserve seats box as I am disabled and couldn't stand for 5 minutes let alone the 2 1/2 hours that the journey takes.....
  I suddenly realised this morning that the tickets had no seat number or anything else on them and emailed the Trainline to ask where the seats were located (carriage number at least) and received back a response :
  "Our seat reservation system reserves seats independently for each booking. The seat reservations are subject to availability. We have contacted our back office team the seats for this journey are not available."
  
  I assume that as Trainline have broken the terms of the contract and if no seats are free in second class - I am free to sit in any available seat in first class ?
• Can you provide more information about your journey and the ticket type.
  If you have purchased an advance ticket, you should be able to make a reservation on a ticket. If you purchased an anytime or Off Peak ticket, its unlikly you would have reserved a ticket.
  With regards to sit in an free First Class, this would only be last the option if there were no seats avaiable atall and the Train Manager was having a nice day.
  Also using Trainline is expensive! Its cheaper to book online directly with the company you will be travelling with!
• Just wondered if any train experts could help. Just reserving two tickets and it's come up with seat 16A and 18A. Would these not be next to each other?
• Another new train booking site, Quno, launched today.
  It charges booking fees (Ј1 booking, 50p debit, Ј2.50 credit), so obviously it's better to book through a free site like EastCoast
  Just posting in case the interface is useful for locating the cheap tickets.
• I just travelled from Yeovil to Exeter. I got the 8.40 train down from London - when I bought my ticket I was told that I was 'Too early' for a return ticket for returning on a different day. Unfortunately I don't have my ticket as it was taken as I left the station..
  Is this right? The last time I came down I got the 8.40 and had no issue getting a return for a different day..and if it wasn't right then what can I do about it? I can't find a receipt..and I'm not sure if the guy at the ticket office even gave me one..
  It just seems a bit weird for me to have to fork out for two singles (12 quid each..) rather than the 15 quid for one...
• Hi all,
  Just wondering if anyone else would have any luck finding me some cheap tickets? I've tried, but am only saving about Ј2!
  For a return journey for 2 from Liverpool to Hayle starting around 2pm on 23/12 and the return journey starting around 10am on 28/12 it costs Ј268.40. So I'm after a bit of saving on that
  Thanks in advance for looking.