East midlands trains ticket office advance

[Yew]

Hey guys colour,

I just got back from mansfield train station ticket office, and checked my advance tickets from for a day in London next weekend, however upon checking the ticket from london to lincoln, i found it was an EMT ticket only valid via Nottingham. I am wondering if they should have told me this was an EMT only advance, and Not an EC advance (which is what I wanted?). Could this be a failure of impartiality, as NRE only shows tickets from KGX, to me making it a valid assumption that the ticket would be an EC one.


Regards, a slightly annoyed Yew.

 

[LexyBoy]

What did you ask for at the ticket office?

 

[Yew]

Having a look on NRE. Not only does it only show EC tickets, an EC ticket at a similar time is a few quid cheaper than what I paid.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
A ticket from London to Lincoln, around 6pm.

I'm also surprised she didn't mention something along the lines of 'this one leaves at 18.10 with a change at nottingham'

 

[bb21]

Did you tell her which train you wanted? Did she show you the intended itinerary?

 

[yorkie]

What is the exact date?

What did you ask for at the ticket office?

A ticket from London to Lincoln, around 6pm.'

Is that all you said? There must have been a little more to it than that (the date at least?)

What did she offer? Did she ask if you wanted an Advance ticket?

Was the itinerary not explained to you at the time?

I'm struggling to understand how you didn't check the itinerary either before making purchase or when the ticket was printed and handed to you though!

As bb21 says, it would be interesting to know what itinerary you were expecting and what you were given.

 

[Yew]

I didn't tell her a specific train, but I knew an EC train left around 5/10 mins past the hour, so it seemed reasonable. I was not shown an itinerary. When I got the tickets I quickly checked to make sure they where the right destinations, but didn't check more thoroughly until I reached my car.

The most annoying thing is that I've gone from free sandwiches on a Mallard, to lukewarm tea on a meridian

 

[calc7]

I recommend buying online, which gives you more control (in most instances).

 

[island]

I think you really could have been more specific and also checked the tickets when you received them.

 

[Yew]

What is the exact date?


Is that all you said? There must have been a little more to it than that (the date at least?)

What did she offer? Did she ask if you wanted an Advance ticket?

Was the itinerary not explained to you at the time?

I'm struggling to understand how you didn't check the itinerary either before making purchase or when the ticket was printed and handed to you though!

As bb21 says, it would be interesting to know what itinerary you were expecting and what you were given.

I asked to book an advance ticket for sunday the 27th, I had just purchased my outward journey, from mansfield to london, and moved onto the return.

The itinerary was not explained at the time, only the departure time and arrivial time, however the route was not. I checked the tickets when I got them, But only breifly to make sure they where the correct date, and to london terminals.

I was expecting an itinery via newark northgate, as using NRE, searching for a ticket from london terminals to lincoln only brings up EC services.


@calc7, I was paying with rail travel vouchers, so had to use a ticket office.

 

[bb21]

The itinerary was not explained at the time, only the departure time and arrivial time, however the route was not. I checked the tickets when I got them, But only breifly to make sure they where the correct date, and to london terminals.

If she explained the departure and arrival times to you then I believe that she has fulfilled her side of the bargain. It should have clicked in your head, but for some reason it didn't.

I guess you did not indicate that you would like an East Coast Advance, or that you prefer a change at Newark?

Put it down to experience.

 

[bunnahabhain]

I asked to book an advance ticket for sunday the 27th, I had just purchased my outward journey, from mansfield to london, and moved onto the return.

The itinerary was not explained at the time, only the departure time and arrivial time, however the route was not. I checked the tickets when I got them, But only breifly to make sure they where the correct date, and to london terminals.

I was expecting an itinery via newark northgate, as using NRE, searching for a ticket from london terminals to lincoln only brings up EC services.


@calc7, I was paying with rail travel vouchers, so had to use a ticket office.

Is your inward journey to St. Pancras? That may explain why your outward is from St. Pancras as well.

 

[trentside]

To get the Lincoln to St Pancras via Nottingham services to show up in the STAR Journey Planner it is necessary to have 'via Nottingham' entered into the system. It is possible that for some reason the clerk had this entered while booking your original journey and didn't think to remove it for the return (easily done) and when the system offered her fares via that route, she took the opportunity to book the one at the time you'd requested.

I can't say for definite that's what happened - but its a possible explanation for the unusual routing.

 

[Yew]

If she explained the departure and arrival times to you then I believe that she has fulfilled her side of the bargain. It should have clicked in your head, but for some reason it didn't.

I guess you did not indicate that you would like an East Coast Advance, or that you prefer a change at Newark?

Put it down to experience.

Yeah, I think I will have to, although I think in future all my tickets will be bought from the internet, its much easier. If i feel like it, I might email a complaint to EMT just to keep them on their toes