To book a train journey is bloomin' hard work

[Onebananatwo]

I'm trying to book a train journey to London.

The first website I used took me nowhere near where I wanted to end up and said that I had to use bus, train and walk to finish journey off.

The second website I used took me closer but at useless hours.

The third website I used, took me to where the second website took me, but wants me to remortgage the house to purchase the tickets.

Using a combination of the 3 websites, and a fourth, I've been able to get the tickets. This has taken me an hour and 45 minutes (longer than the actual train journey!) to work out how to get from A to B!

[EverybodysSleepyEyed]

where are you going to and from? sounds more like you have a difficult journey!

i always find trainline very good

[WorraLiberty]

I just ring National Rail Enquiries

They're brill and even tell me which platforms I need to be on

[Sirzy]

I use trainline or national rail and have never had an issue!

[wrathomum]

YANBU - It can be unbelievably complicated.

[OldGreyWiffleTest]

I used to use The Trainline - never ever had what you are describing.

[Trills]

YA either

BU
B a tad incompetent
travelling to and from somewhere very unusual

[MsKittyFane]

Train line or virgin trains. Very easy.
Does your journey have several changes?

[StepOutOfSpring]

YANBU

[SerendipitousHarlot]

I don't understand. I regularly book train journeys online and it's not complicated at all Are you somewhere really inaccessible?

[ceeveebee]

It sounds as if you are trying to book your entire journey rather than booking the main journey first, then seperately booking your transfer from maim station to final destination.

You need to treat these are two seperate journies eg if coming from Manchester to Richmond, you would book Manchester to Euston first, then use tfl (transport for london) to plan Euston to Richmond.

[Minshu]

My DP regularly books train tickets, normally no problem. But a couple of weeks ago the usual journey booking took over an hour to complete. Kept getting caught in a loop. You may have just been stuck in a similar glitch.

[BackforGood]

I'm inclined to agree with the OP. If you don't want to take out a 2nd mortgage, then it can take a long time to book tickets. Going to the train station really doesn't help as they will just give you the 'standard' price, which usually involves selling an internal organ.
I got my best price on megabus.com (it's on a normal train, doing the same journey for about 1/4 of the original price quoted).

[EllenParsons]

I book lots of trains and I have never had a problem. Not sure what was so hard tbh?

[CrispyCod]

Use The Trainline, they're probably the best site to use and very user friendly.

As another person mentioned unthread always book the train direct to Euston and then work from there. The bit where you say you have to get a bus could be where an onward station may be closed due to maintenance.

I book lots of rail travel and don't have many problems. Where is your final destination? If you let us know I'm sure some of us may be able to advise and even help you get a better deal!

[MissPricklePants]

I travel often by train and use the Trainline, no issues with that site maybe try that OP??

[MammaTJ]

YANBU!! I had to book train tickets recently and ended up phoning a friend to help me through the trauma!! Still took half an hour though. I didn't think it could possibly be that hard!

[Birdsgottafly]

I have had problems for two weeks, trying to book to go to London this Saturday, so i had to go direct to the station today.

They haven't been putting all of the tickets out as they usually would and have been adding extra's, so that might be the reason.

It is a journey that usually i don't have a problem booking.

[Poulay]

Nationalrail.co.uk for trains.

[Onebananatwo]

In theory it should be an easy journey. I want to go from Southampton to London Victoria, to then get to South Kensington.

Southern rail on their map have a nice direct train.

The websites however either want me to go to London Waterloo and change for tube/bus combination to get to SK.

Or they want me to change at Woking to get to Clapham Junction - despite there being trains that go Southampton to Clapham Junction - and then from Clapham Junction to London Victoria.

I want one train from Southampton to London Victoria (as per Southern Rail's map) and one tube from London Victoria to South Kensington.

[bumblebeader]

The third website I used, took me to where the second website took me, but wants me to remortgage the house to purchase the tickets.

I agree with your other two points as well OP. But this one made me smile!

[PurplePidjin]

Use Trainline, Advanced Search, Direct Services Only.

£15.90 single, next train leaves at 09.10 :)

[ceeveebee]

Well if you use National Rail and type in Southampton to London Victoria, and edit the search options to show direct trains only, it shows the fast trains which appear to be every hour at 13 minutes past (for thenext few hours, may be more frequent durimg peak times).
You don't need to book the onward journey, its a few tube stops from Victora to South Ken on the district or circle line and you would be better to just get an oyster card at Victoria when you arrive if you don't already have one.

[ceeveebee]

Xpost with purple!

[BackforGood]

I think it's the fact you have to know that it can be cheaper to book singles rather than a return, and it can be cheaper to split your journey and book a-b the b-c rather than booking a-c direct, etc.,etc. Then there are rumours that it's cheaper if you book in advance, but actually, the best offers aren't always released in advance, etc.,etc. Maybe if you regularly book tickets you automatically know all theese things, but as an occasional user, you don't?

[ClaireBunting]

I think they have a built in wait time for changes. If your direct train to Clapham Junction has a short time for you to make your connection, it will not allow you to book it. That will be why they have you change at Woking.