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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Fuming with Trains/Trainline.com

42 replies

Sam0207 · 18/12/2022 12:03

Annual visit via train (I don't drive) to deliver xmas presents to DD,DGS and Son IL. Usual journey involves my town-London Euston-Birmingham-their small town. PITA but that just how it is.

Selected days to travel very carefully this year as rail strikes (fully support the strikers btw). Tickets booked via Trainline. Disabled Traveller Assistance booked for each journey.
Outbound journey on the Thurs (non strike day) - get to London only to find Euston in chaos, no trains going to Birmingham AT ALL. Yes, I checked before I travelled, was showing some cancellations but most trains running. Eventually got to family after a changing 7 different times on trains/tubes. With suitcases of presents FFS. Almost 9 hours travel. With no Disabled Assistance because of the change of route. One train I was sat on the floor, the disabled area was full of luggage.

Got up this morning, ready to come home, checked my local train into Birmingham only to find no trains running on that line due to "industrial action" (there are no train strikes today). And my connecting train from Birmingham to Euston was also cancelled (along with all Avanti services on that route - again).

No email from Trainline to advise of cancellations.
I've had to travel to Worcester via taxi (at the cost of £25), pay for another (more expensive) ticket into Paddington, and from there I'll take a tube into Kings Cross for my last leg home (which is still running).

To my AIBU.......
I'm sat on a freezing train logging onto The Trainline to get a refund for the multiple journeys cancelled over two days of travel. And they want to charge me £10 for each ticket as an "admin" fee! For cancelled journeys FFS. £40 cancellation charge for trains that didn't appear. Can't do delay repay as trains cancelled not delayed so Avanti says refund via trainline
Would it be unreasonable to email them claiming a full refund and asking them to refund the cost of my taxi/more expensive fare?

None of the cancellations were on strike days, I support the strikers and wouldn't have crossed a picket line to travel on those days.

I'm fuming, tired, skint and have yet to do 2/3 of my extra long journey home.

OP posts:
UrsulaPandress · 18/12/2022 12:07

It’s pants isn’t it? I live in Greater Manchester and we haven’t been able to easily get a train to London all year. To think I used to run in events in London and travel there and back in a day 😱.

I admire your fortitude in persevering and yes I think you should get a full refund.

nearlyjarv · 18/12/2022 12:07

yanbu keep the receipt of the taxi etc if i were you i’d put a complaint in and try to claim it all back

malmi · 18/12/2022 12:30

You are due a full refund without admin fee if services are cancelled.

Don't use trainline, they charge fees for nothing, just book direct with your preferred train operator's own site/app in future.

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 18/12/2022 12:33

I agree, contact the operators direct. If they didn't provide the promised assistance, they are in breach of their obligation to make reasonable adjustments for you as a disabled passenger.

Dragonskin · 18/12/2022 13:50

The problem is that Trainline are just a third party booking service, they didn't cancel the trains so I can't imagine that they would consider refunding the taxi. You should be able to get a full refund though, the admin fee is ridiculous

ChessieFL · 18/12/2022 13:57

You need to go to the website of the train operator and search for their delay repay service and claim through that.

LlynTegid · 18/12/2022 14:00

Don't ever use Trainline again, use the train company directly.

JustLyra · 18/12/2022 14:02

You can still do delay repay through avanti

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 18/12/2022 14:08

Good luck, OP. I have been booking long-distance tickets through Trainline recently. I think it was because they were offering a third off the Senior Citizen railcard. Anyway, I'm reconsidering it now. Way back in September I booked a ticket Euston to Glasgow for the end of November, leaving Euston at 9.30, getting into Glasgow Central at 1402. The timing of this journey is really important to me as I then change to a train which leaves a few minutes later and connects with a ferry. If I miss that ferry I face a 3-hour wait for the next one, and in the winter months especially there's always a risk of cancellation.

By sheer good luck at the time of booking I noticed something about the Avanti timetable being subject to change and remembered to go back to check the times a few weeks later. Sure enough, the Avanti timetable now showed a train leaving Euston at 0910, no train at 0930, arrival time still 1402 Hmm. Had I had any information about this from the Trainline? No, and their system still showed my ticket as 0930. They were very helpful when I emailed to check that my 0930 ticket and seat reservation would be valid on the 0910 (answer: yes), but I would have been incandescent with fury if I'd turned up at Euston at 0910 and watched my train leaving without me.

Of course, Avanti are useless too, so it's all very stressful.

Bring back British Rail! It was all so much easier before these ridiculous franchises were brought in.

BashfulClam · 18/12/2022 14:11

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 18/12/2022 14:08

Good luck, OP. I have been booking long-distance tickets through Trainline recently. I think it was because they were offering a third off the Senior Citizen railcard. Anyway, I'm reconsidering it now. Way back in September I booked a ticket Euston to Glasgow for the end of November, leaving Euston at 9.30, getting into Glasgow Central at 1402. The timing of this journey is really important to me as I then change to a train which leaves a few minutes later and connects with a ferry. If I miss that ferry I face a 3-hour wait for the next one, and in the winter months especially there's always a risk of cancellation.

By sheer good luck at the time of booking I noticed something about the Avanti timetable being subject to change and remembered to go back to check the times a few weeks later. Sure enough, the Avanti timetable now showed a train leaving Euston at 0910, no train at 0930, arrival time still 1402 Hmm. Had I had any information about this from the Trainline? No, and their system still showed my ticket as 0930. They were very helpful when I emailed to check that my 0930 ticket and seat reservation would be valid on the 0910 (answer: yes), but I would have been incandescent with fury if I'd turned up at Euston at 0910 and watched my train leaving without me.

Of course, Avanti are useless too, so it's all very stressful.

Bring back British Rail! It was all so much easier before these ridiculous franchises were brought in.

ScotRail are now government owned and are still an absolute shitshow.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 18/12/2022 14:14

Well, that's the Scottish government for you. I am absolutely furious about the abysmal mess they've made of commissioning a replacement ferry for my parents' island. Why anyone votes for this bunch of incompetents is beyond my comprehension.

LakieLady · 18/12/2022 14:18

Sorry you've had such a nightmare, OP. Trainline has always been shite imo.

A non-driving friend went to Birmingham from Brighton on a strike day recently, by coach. She said it was surprisingly civilised, despite a 2-hour wait at Victoria coach station, and it was astonishingly cheap.

Mind you, I haven't heard from her for a few days, and she was supposed to be coming back last Friday.

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 18/12/2022 14:34

ScotRail are now government owned and are still an absolute shitshow.

Tbf scotrail has only been government controlled since April. It's great to hear you have such high expectations of the Scottish government that you think it's realistic for them to make wholesale improvements overnight.

Unfortunately, it'll take more than 8 months to correct years of under investment and mismanagement from the private companies that ran it into the ground.

But considering scotrail staff haven't been striking since November as their dispute was sorted out by the government they are at least making some progress.

cloudsandream · 18/12/2022 14:35

My poor sister would of been stranded at uni for xmas because of these bloody strikes. She’s booked onto trains three times, even non strike days, and they’re cancelling each one. I don’t drive and neither do my parents so our brother has had to book a day off work to go collect her.

I think striking so close to christmas is bloody selfish tbh. I wouldn’t be surprised if we weren’t the only family worried about how loved ones will make it home Sad.

fancyacuppatea · 18/12/2022 14:39

Anyone using a train at the mo is a mug.
Just as anyone using Royal Mail is too and it's about time they removed the word "Royal" from their name

They're on strike.

The trains won't be where they should be, they do warn you that even on a non-strike day there will be limited service.
If you post a parcel on a non-strike day, it still won't get there.

ChigedyJigHeeHawHeeHawItsDominicTheDonkey · 18/12/2022 15:25

cloudsandream · 18/12/2022 14:35

My poor sister would of been stranded at uni for xmas because of these bloody strikes. She’s booked onto trains three times, even non strike days, and they’re cancelling each one. I don’t drive and neither do my parents so our brother has had to book a day off work to go collect her.

I think striking so close to christmas is bloody selfish tbh. I wouldn’t be surprised if we weren’t the only family worried about how loved ones will make it home Sad.

I've just been to an elderly gentleman who's son was supposed to coming up to visit him over Christmas. He's been looking forward to it for weeks and now he can't make it because there's no trains which now means apart from a couple of hours throughout the day he'll be on his own for Christmas. I'm all for strikes but this one is going to affect ALOT of people

gliiterryballs · 18/12/2022 15:29

@fancyacuppatea

Anyone using a train at the mo is a mug.

Yes, imagine trying to use public transport Hmm

Have you considered them not everyone had the luxury of choice? Nope, just insult people instead.

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 18/12/2022 15:33

gliiterryballs · 18/12/2022 15:29

@fancyacuppatea

Anyone using a train at the mo is a mug.

Yes, imagine trying to use public transport Hmm

Have you considered them not everyone had the luxury of choice? Nope, just insult people instead.

This does highlight an issue with the strikes - anyone who has a choice will stop considering the train as an option and once people get into that mindset, it's not going to change back if the strikes stop.

RudolphTheGreat · 18/12/2022 15:33

Sounds rubbish op. I can't help but wonder why your family allow you to do such a journey when you're disabled and will clearly struggle though. Assistance is always hit and Miss.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 18/12/2022 15:38

West Midlands Rail are striking today so if you were travelling on the Moor Street/Snow Hill line, they've been unavailable to book today for a while. I only know this as I needed to travel that journey today, ending up driving instead. Which I'll probably carry on doing in future.

VariationsonaTheme · 18/12/2022 15:41

The industrial action from Friday and yesterday was always going to result in disruption today. Trainline will refund in full if you go through their live chat or phone them instead of just clicking on ‘refund’ on your account. That’s meant for when you just want a usual refund for unused tickets, hence the admin charge.

gliiterryballs · 18/12/2022 15:44

It's the overtime ban that's kicked in today causing problems, plus drivers/units being out of position and signal boxes being opened later due to strike yesterday.

rwalker · 18/12/2022 15:47

Use Trainline all the time never had a problem
tbh wouldn’t expect them to send email about cancellation
I thought they are just 3rd party selling tickets
any delays cancellations you go straight to the train operator for refund/compensation not Trainline
I think your winding yourself up in frustration your doing it wrong do it tomorrow

FlyingFlamingo · 18/12/2022 15:55

You need to go directly to Avanti, I have had trains booked via Trainline cancelled or delayed and have always managed to get refunds from West Midlands Railways (who were truly awful long before the strikes!) or Transport for Wales

Onnabugeisha · 18/12/2022 16:00

I think perhaps not all your fault.
I use Trainline a lot, in fact got tickets refunded today for train to London and then on to Portsmouth and return. My train was cancelled and the other ones still running didn’t stop at my stop. Full refund approved within minutes, no admin fee.

So, I think you might be using the app wrong? If your train is cancelled you can use your tickets on any train going to the same place by the same operator during same time category or cheaper time category (peak, off peak etc). You don’t need to change your ticket to do this, you can just show the ticket for your cancelled train.

Secondly, if you want a refund you have to request it via the App within 24hrs of travel start…so Sunday (today) is a tad late to be trying to get refunds for Thursday.