It's not easy buying a ticket it seems (surprise surprise)

[whole diary]

[johoare]

I am trying to use my Family and Friends Railcard to buy Travelcards from Maidenhead to London tomorrow for 5 adults and one child...

National Rail is offering me this for ^43.90 which isn't bad but appears to say that any trains after the 19.27 home are not included in the offpeak travelcard bit (I am pretty sure this isn't true but not sure whether to risk it or not).. (This is Groupsave though btw rather than my railcard)

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) (and therefore trainline etc) are offereing me ^40.75 (with my railcard) but not letting me select a train for the outward journey (just the one back) so I can't buy the ticket..

Help! Any ideas from anyone gratefully received..

[JayMac]

Cheapest option is 'GroupSave 4' for four adults plus F&F Railcard for 1 adult and 1 child.

Using redspottedhanky.com (enter destination as 'London Zones 1-6') and entering 5 adults and 1 child for the number of passengers and also selecting 'Family and Friends Railcard' with 1 adult and 1 child brings up the total of ^40.75 and I'm able select all valid services out and return. WebTIS based booking engines such as redspottedhanky.com offer GroupSave automatically if it is available.

Some sort of bug on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) site and other trainline booking engines, not allowing selection of an 'Out' train, with this combination of passengers and discounts.

Therefore, I'd suggest using redspottedhanky.com.

[johoare]

Thanks Justin.. I will try that now....

[bobm]

The FGW^▸ (First Great Western) site and allied ones are bad at applying Groupsave - had many a conversation on Twitter with @FGW about it.  Sometimes it is fine - other times it refuses to apply it when it should.

[johoare]

I managed to get them eventually .. Thanks again Justin.. This was via Friends and Family in the end so no idea why other sites can't make it work like redspottedhanky does but I will always use them in future since I am now resgistered with them and they appear to know exactly what they are doing 

[JayMac]

Another bonus with redspottedhanky.com is the loyalty points.

1 point per pound spent. Each point is worth a penny, so 100 points = ^1. You can convert your points into an e-voucher to use in full or part payment for train tickets. I've just converted 837 for an ^8.37 e-voucher.

Also with redspottedhanky you can use use Tesco Clubcard vouchers. ^10 worth of Clubcard points gives ^20 spend on redspottedhanky.com

Combinations of loyalty points and Clubcard vouchers can be used in one transaction.

[johoare]

I have just recommended them to my sister also who was having equal difficulties getting her usual ticket price from Peterborough to London... Thanks again..

[Southern Stag]

Another bonus with redspottedhanky.com is the loyalty points.

1 point per pound spent. Each point is worth a penny, so 100 points = ^1. You can convert your points into an e-voucher to use in full or part payment for train tickets. I've just converted 837 for an ^8.37 e-voucher.

Also with redspottedhanky you can use use Tesco Clubcard vouchers. ^10 worth of Clubcard points gives ^20 spend on redspottedhanky.com

Combinations of loyalty points and Clubcard vouchers can be used in one transaction.

RedSpottedHanky are well worth following on Twitter and liking on Facebook as well, they're always giving out loyalty points and vouchers to their fans and followers.