Ticketing availability

[rmt4ever]

I am trying to buy a ticket for the 0922 Kings X to Doncaster on the 5th May, paper ticket (collect on a machine),

LNER will sell it, but only as an e ticket.

The trainline will sell it to collect but charge both a booking fee and a collection fee! I am not happy to pay these.

No other retailer will sell the ticket. Some show it as no fares available for that train. Some say sold out! And some do not show the train at all. Some ticket websites don’t even let me choose the 5th may as a travel date.

I tried the ticket office at Euston, but they could not sell it.

Trainline says only 4 tickets left at that price! (£28.90)!

It is a mad situation

 

[Deafdoggie]

The problem you have, is that 5th May is outside the current booking window for TOCs other than LNER. Other TOCs aren't going to sell tickets but not for their trains! Why they have it as e-ticket only, I don't know.
Trainline will sell it as they aren't tied to one operator. Strangely the forums site won't sell it, I'm not sure why that is, but they'll probably be along to explain in a bit- it'll be to do with the data & that, probably, Trainline power the LNER website.
Your options are:-
1.Wait & hope it doesn't sell out till other TOCs booking windows open, then Buy it elsewhere.
2. Buy it from Trainline and pay the fees.
3. Buy it as an e-ticket.

 

[rmt4ever]

The problem you have, is that 5th May is outside the current booking window for TOCs other than LNER. Other TOCs aren't going to sell tickets but not for their trains! Why they have it as e-ticket only, I don't know.
Trainline will sell it as they aren't tied to one operator. Strangely the forums site won't sell it, I'm not sure why that is, but they'll probably be along to explain in a bit- it'll be to do with the data & that, probably, Trainline power the LNER website.
Your options are:-
1.Wait & hope it doesn't sell out till other TOCs booking windows open, then Buy it elsewhere.
2. Buy it from Trainline and pay the fees.
3. Buy it as an e-ticket.

Thanks

First Hull Trains’ booking window is also open that far ahead. When I type the journey into their online booking website it lists their trains that day as available to book (sadly their services are not at the time I need or I would just travel FHT), but the LNER trains even though show up show ‘Tickets not Available’… its all very odd

 

[OscarH]

Why it's eTicket only on LNER I don't know - the data says ToD is fine.

As for why the forum site can't sell it, I've queried the reservation system by hand and it's showing 0 availability for us. It is just over 12 weeks out, so that's perhaps expected. LNER have certain practises on their own site where they sell tickets further out than they let other people, though Trainline offering these tickets further out is an new development I've not seen before

it'll be to do with the data & that, probably, Trainline power the LNER website

LNER don't use Trainline

 

[Haywain]

Why it's eTicket only on LNER I don't know - the data says ToD is fine.

Tickets sold beyond the normal booking horizon are only fulfilled to eTicket. The theory behind is something to do with being able to advise the purchaser of changes to the timetable once it is confirmed. Only tickets that are entirely for LNER services are sold in the 'extended horizon'.

Trainline offering these tickets further out is an new development I've not seen before

I'm rather surprised by that.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I'm rather surprised by that.

Were you expecting Trainline to follow the rules?

Tickets sold beyond the normal booking horizon are only fulfilled to eTicket. The theory behind is something to do with being able to advise the purchaser of changes to the timetable once it is confirmed.

Although if you booked online they'd have your email address anyway. Although it's academic as Trainline will sell a CCST anyway!

 

[Haywain]

Were you expecting Trainline to follow the rules?

I am surprised that Trainline have either been allowed to, or found a way to, sell the tickets at that point. I wasn't aware that it was possible to allow sales by one third party retailer and not all third party retailers.

Although if you booked online they'd have your email address anyway.

Not necessarily with Trainline, if someone uses guest checkout and ToD (as far as I know, but I've never used Trainline to buy a ticket).

 

[Wallsendmag]

Tickets sold beyond the normal booking horizon are only fulfilled to eTicket. The theory behind is something to do with being able to advise the purchaser of changes to the timetable once it is confirmed. Only tickets that are entirely for LNER services are sold in the 'extended horizon'.

There's also the fact that with ToD settlement takes place at time of collection and with eTickets it takes plae at the time of purchase.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I am surprised that Trainline have been allowed to

I admire your optimism

 

[OscarH]

I wasn't aware that it was possible to allow sales by one third party retailer and not all third party retailers.

You can't in RCS as you say, but you can (a)buse RARS to do it. Presumably Trainline must have an agreement with LNER here as the RARS controls aren't something they can just ignore as far as I know

(for those who don't know, RCS - the system that says who can sell what, RARS - the reservation and advance availability system)

There's also the fact that with ToD settlement takes place at time of collection and with eTickets it takes plae at the time of purchase.

What difference does that make for extended horizons?

 

[Wallsendmag]

What difference does that make for extended horizons?

The TOC doesn't have to wait six months for payment.

 

[JBuchananGB]

Greater Anglia's site won't let you choose that date. Northern's lets you choose date but says "timetable unconfirmed" and won't sell the ticket. Offers tickets on the Hull Trains service at 08.25. Red Spotted Hanky allows the date but like Northern will only sell non LNER trains.

 

[yorkie]

Were you expecting Trainline to follow the rules?

To be fair, even if the 'rules' do not ostensibly allow third party retailers to retail these tickets, which are only retailable by LNER, there is a strong argument to say that it would be an abuse of a dominant market position and an anticompetitive practice by LNER to refuse to allow retailers to do this.

So LNER would not exactly be in a strong position, if they were to try to prevent Trainline from doing this!

 

[redreni]

To be fair, even if the 'rules' do not ostensibly allow third party retailers to retail these tickets, which are only retailable by LNER, there is a strong argument to say that it would be an abuse of a dominant market position and an anticompetitive practice by LNER to refuse to allow retailers to do this.

So LNER would not exactly be in a strong position, if they were to try to prevent Trainline from doing this!

Or Trainsplit, for that matter.

 

[rcsn319]

LNER will sell it, but only as an e ticket

I’ve just tried on the LNER website and there is a collection option for that journey, just fairly hidden.
Click on “Don’t have a printer or smartphone” and you’ll see collection pop up.