Can’t buy a ticket online.

[TonyR]

I want to get a ticket from Salwick Station to Preston to catch a train to London. Salwick is convenient but has very few trains stopping (lots passing). The National Rail website lists a 15:55 going away from Preston to Kirkham and then from Kirkham back to Preston in good time for my onward train. But I can’t find a single online site that recognises that option. They only give the direct trains and if I put in Kirkham as a via point it says no trains. Is there a reason for this and will I be able to buy one at Preston Station. Also if I buy e.g. a Preston-Kirkam return getting on at Salwick is it an officially recognised connection if the first leg is delayed and I miss my train. I assume because its in the National Rail listing it is but that seems to be the only place it is.

 

[Hadders]

You need to purchase a combination of tickets to make the journey from Salwick to Preston via Kirkham & Wesham, and most booking websites cannot cope with that. Thankfully the forum's own ticketing selling website can cope!

 

[TonyR]

Thanks. I didn’t try here but have done so now and all sorted thank you. The way it did it though was an approach you can use anywhere else except it does it for you as it booked me two separate tickets for the two legs of the journey.

 

[kieron]

The cheapest suitable ticket for this journey (assuming that you don't intend to return to Salwick the same day) is probably a £6.00 (£4.65 with most railcards) off peak day return from Preston to Kirkham. You'd use the outward part from Salwick to Kirkham and the return from there to Preston.

It's not clear to me that the retailer suggested above will suggest this.

If your journey is tomorrow, though (as suggested by your screenshots), the 15:48 from Preston has now been cancelled, leaving almost a 10 hour gap in the service to Salwick. If you decide not to travel on those tickets because of this, you would be entitled to a fee-free refund.

 

[TonyR]

Thanks for the heads up on it being cancelled. I got a ticket through here but it was £5.80 with a senior railcard not £4.65. Gave me two singles -Salwick to Kirkham and Kirkham to Preston rather than Preston-Kirkham day return. Maybe the ticketing engine needs tweaking. But now cancelled and trying to work out my options now. None except a long walk and a bus or drive and pay for parking. I’m guessing their responsibility ends with the refund and you have to find your own way to the station for the last leg (Preston-Euston) of the journey.

 

[Adam Williams]

You'd use the outward part from Salwick to Kirkham and the return from there to Preston.

It's not clear to me that the retailer suggested above will suggest this.

I don't think any online retailer will suggest starting short if they've gone through accreditation.

 

[kieron]

But now cancelled and trying to work out my options now. None except a long walk and a bus or drive and pay for parking. I’m guessing their responsibility ends with the refund and you have to find your own way to the station for the last leg (Preston-Euston) of the journey.

It does once you cancel the ticket.

Another option, if it suits your needs, is to catching the next Salwick-Preston train and take the 19:06 train to London (you'd be about 2 hours late, assuming everything runs on time), but I'd ask Avanti's permission first, as they don't have a legal obligation to let you catch a later train with your advance ticket.