Virgin Trains suspicion

[daylight]

Hi all,

There's some funny business going on with two one-way Virgin Trains e-tickets from London to Glasgow I bought yesterday through the company's website, and I wonder if the Virgin staff I spoke to really know what they're talking about, so I'm hoping someone who's used Virgin before can help me out...

When I printed out the tickets I saw that both stated my name as the passenger name. I went back to the confirmation email, and that states my name and my girlfriend's name as the two passengers. Not wanting to get stranded in London (we're connecting from the Eurostar) I called up Virgin, who claim that so long as I'm there with the card I paid with, my girlfriend will be able to travel, even though nowhere on her ticket does it have her name. This strikes me as pretty unlikely and with all the stories of inflexible, clueless and disorganised Virgin staff I'd rather not take chances.

So, has anyone who's travelled with Virgin before had something like this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Nick


ETA: The ticket even says "This ticket is for the named passenger only and is not transferable or for resale." How can that possibly be compatible with my girlfriend being able to travel on that ticket?

 

[glynn80]

So, has anyone who's travelled with Virgin before had something like this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Nick

I haven't had a situation identical to this but have been in situations similar, whereby after speaking to Customer Service Agents at various companies, have been left less than confident of the information they have given me.

The best advice I can give you is to speak with Virgin again and ask them to confirm what they have informed you in writing. If you have time ask them to post this to you (you will then receive a reply on headed paper) or if you are short of time an email will suffice.

When you travel you will then take your written confirmation with you and if question by the Train Manager you will produce said confirmation, This will then put you in good stead to win any argument that may occur between yourself and the TM.

 

[krus_aragon]

While not a Virgin situation, I travelled with Wrexham and Shropshire using a phone-based e-ticket a few months ago. The terms and conditions for their e-tickets stated that I (as the payer and cardholder) had to be present in order for my fellow travellers to be permitted. The WSMR ticket didn't specify any names, though, and we weren't asked for any details of identification other than showing the 2D barcode image on my phone.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Further, see this FAQ on Virgin's website: http://trainsupport.custhelp.com/cg...SZwX2N2PTEuNDc3JnBfcGFnZT0y&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

[daylight]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies

The best advice I can give you is to speak with Virgin again and ask them to confirm what they have informed you in writing.

Yeah, I was considering doing that but wasn't sure whether email confirmation would be worth anything (I'm in Belgium now and travelling in just over 10 days, so something on paper could arrive after I leave). I might ask if they can do both, in any case.

Thanks a lot! I'm feeling less anxious already

--------------------

ETA: krus_aragon, didn't see the link you posted at first. Thanks so much, I couldn't find an FAQ at all...that pretty much definitively answers it. Cheers!

 

[clagmonster]

You state that your confirmation e-mail states the names of you and your girlfriend as the two passengers. Does this have any referance number to link this to the e-ticket. In either case, I would print that off, in addition to getting written confirmation from Virmin.

 

[MCR247]

I'd email VT as said, as they reply quite quickly, I got a reply the next day. Take the email with you

 

[MKB]

I've just had the exact same thing happen. I've booked Advance tickets (out and back) via the Virgin Money URL (virgintrains.co.uk/vmoney) with myself as the lead passenger and my partner as passenger 2, but all four tickets show me as the passenger.

Last time this happened -- about a year ago -- I concluded, against my better judgement, that I must have entered the passenger 2 name wrongly. Wary of doing the same thing again, I was very careful to get this right today. So now I'm pretty sure that I've always been entering the details correctly and that the software is at fault. It's reassuring therefore to find this thread and realise it's not just me who's had a problem.

 

[Ferret]

Always seems to happen to my punters too! Take the credit card you used in the booking, and show the e-tickets as normal. The Guard will see 2 people, 2 tickets and allow travel accordingly. In short, don't worry!!!!

 

[Solent&Wessex]

I wouldn't worry.

We have e-tickets on my TOC and they always print with the name of the 'lead passenger'. They all also show the last 4 digits of the card used for payment. Providing the passenger named as the 'lead passenger' on all the tickets is travelling as part of the group, and has the same card as detailed on the ticket to use as proof of identity, then the tickets are fine.

As a double check, look in the top right hand corner - there should be a unique ticket reference number. This should be different on each ticket you printed out.

 

[wibble]

I've just had the exact same thing happen. I've booked Advance tickets (out and back) via the Virgin Money URL (virgintrains.co.uk/vmoney) with myself as the lead passenger and my partner as passenger 2, but all four tickets show me as the passenger.

Last time this happened -- about a year ago -- I concluded, against my better judgement, that I must have entered the passenger 2 name wrongly. Wary of doing the same thing again, I was very careful to get this right today. So now I'm pretty sure that I've always been entering the details correctly and that the software is at fault. It's reassuring therefore to find this thread and realise it's not just me who's had a problem.

I assume you were the card holder paying for the tickets. Certain ticket issuing systems will print the cardholder's name on the tickets if they're being posted to you or collected from a ticket machine at the station.

 

[MKB]

I assume you were the card holder paying for the tickets. Certain ticket issuing systems will print the cardholder's name on the tickets if they're being posted to you or collected from a ticket machine at the station.

We're talking about self-print tickets here.

 

[moti]

I've just had the exact same thing happen. I've booked Advance tickets (out and back) via the Virgin Money URL (virgintrains.co.uk/vmoney) with myself as the lead passenger and my partner as passenger 2, but all four tickets show me as the passenger.

Last time this happened -- about a year ago -- I concluded, against my better judgement, that I must have entered the passenger 2 name wrongly. Wary of doing the same thing again, I was very careful to get this right today. So now I'm pretty sure that I've always been entering the details correctly and that the software is at fault. It's reassuring therefore to find this thread and realise it's not just me who's had a problem.

The same thing happened to me. I am almost 100% sure that I entered the name of the second passenger correctly because the browser remembered that field and it is filled as it should be. This issue is a software bug or a feature.

 

[HORNIMANS]

When traveling to/from the continent always ask for CIV ticket this gaurentees onward connections on the next available train without paying for a new ticket if connections are lost.

 

[Mojo]

Please don't dig up old threads.