Trainline showing only first class fares

[BlueFox]

I don't usually use Trainline, but I have a voucher so I went on their website to buy some Carlisle to Kendal return tickets.
The off peak return on this route should cost £22.80, but the only return fare Trainline would give me was £127 for first class, saying standard is not available. It said this for every date I tried. I tried it on their app instead, and the same thing happened. I tried variations of the route that have the same fare, for example Wigton to Kendal. The same result.

I then searched for Carlisle to Oxenholme, and it offered me the Transpennine only fare (£19.20), but said there were no standard class return tickets available for Avanti services.
Other journeys I've searched for on Trainline in this area (for example Carlisle to Lancaster) show the correct fares.

I've tried several other ticketing websites and they all show the correct fare.

I have contacted Trainline about this but haven't received a response yet.

Does anyone know how long this has been happening, and when it's likely to be fixed?

 

[alistairlees]

Try removing open return ?

 

[BlueFox]

Try removing open return ?

I did. The same thing happens. But you have to scroll down to the return fares section to see just the £127 first class tickets.
They have plenty of advance tickets, but I want this specific flexible ticket.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@BlueFox. Can you not just buy the tickets you need from Carlisle ticket office on the day of travel and maybe save the voucher for another occasion?

 

[BlueFox]

@BlueFox. Can you not just buy the tickets you need from Carlisle ticket office on the day of travel and maybe save the voucher for another occasion?

I'm only making the journey because I have the voucher.

I thought maybe it was a database glitch that would be fixed overnight, but it's the same today.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'm only making the journey because I have the voucher.

So noted.

I thought maybe it was a database glitch that would be fixed overnight, but it's the same today.

An issue with WCML services all being marked as pseudo-compulsory reservations required, or some similar nonsense? Wouldn't have been surprised if just Avanti trains were affected, but it seems that maybe TPE are also. So, is this a Trainline issue? Southern's website still seems to offer £22.80 Off Peak Returns (in Std Class) for outward travel from Carlisle to Kendal tomorrow.

 

[BlueFox]

So, is this a Trainline issue?

Looks like it.
I tried several different sites yesterday (including the RailUK one), and Trainline was the only site not offering the £22.80 ticket.
They've replied to my message to say they're looking into it.

 

[janb]

Yeah definitely a Trainline issue with that fare, I did also check Carlisle-Burneside, and Dalston-Kendal which are the same fare as a possible workaround but they have same issue as well.

 

[BlueFox]

This still hasn't been fixed.

I wonder how many people have bought two single tickets for this journey because Trainline aren't selling the cheaper return?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jul 2025 ==

Trainline still haven't fixed this problem, over a week after they said they were looking into it.

Is there some kind of regulator I could send a complaint to?
They shouldn't be allowed to get away with this.

 

[Watershed]

Trainline still haven't fixed this problem, over a week after they said they were looking into it.

I appreciate it feels like you've given them plenty of time, but if you have experience in any sort of software company you'll appreciate that a week isn't really that long a period to fix a relatively minor issue like this.

Retailers will typically have tens if not hundreds of issues like this 'live' at any one time. They are naturally prioritised based on how significant the implications are. A bug that causes someone to be issued with a ticket that could see them being Penalty Fared (or worse) is obviously going to take a higher priority than an issue like this.

I would allow, say, a month - that would strike me as more than enough time to fix an issue like this. If they still haven't fixed it then, I think you're on reasonable ground to take this a bit further.

Is there some kind of regulator I could send a complaint to?
They shouldn't be allowed to get away with this.

Not really, and that's part of the problem with the rail industry. There's the Rail Ombudsman, I suppose, but we have heard very little positive feedback about them.

 

[yorkie]

This still hasn't been fixed.

I wonder how many people have bought two single tickets for this journey because Trainline aren't selling the cheaper return?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jul 2025 ==

Trainline still haven't fixed this problem, over a week after they said they were looking into it.

Is there some kind of regulator I could send a complaint to?
They shouldn't be allowed to get away with this.

I don't think so.

Trainline are such a large organisation it's very difficult to get any issues brought to the attention of relevant people.

In future, your best bet - if you want a good customer experience - is to use the forum's ticketing site; any issues of this nature could rapidly be escalated to the relevant people.