How difficult is it to buy a ticket?

[whole diary]

[johoare]

I'm on a course in Bristol for four days next week and I've spent several hours (over the last couple of days) trying to buy a train ticket for the journey via the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) site.. I also got someone else to try in case the problem was me  ..Just when we got to the chosing which train bit, it said "errors on page" and didn't give us a proceed button, only a back one.. That wasn't too useful...I am at work but don't think it's the companies internet system somehow blocking it.. (We have internet explorer)..

Trainline didn't want to show me any prices however many times I clicked on the show prices button..so I quickly abandonded that one..

Someone suggesting using QJUMP which worked just fine..Although charged me for the privelege..And only let me chose the quiet carriage (which I don't mind, I can be quiet)..

Oh well, one days tickets bought, three to go... I needed to get Mondays very soon as the prices were going up.. And it was so cheap First class for the return journey I am going to be travelling home first class..

[Phil]

I know I've said it before, but the only place I tend to buy tickets is the old NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) site, now rebranded as "East Coast"

No hassle. User-friendly layout. No hidden fees.

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/travel-information/

[johoare]

Thanks Phil.. I might test that out in a minute to get the rest of the weeks tickets.. Hopefully it'll be nice and easy...

[johoare]

Nope.. The "search" button on that one does nothing (literally) either.. I can click on the timetable only button but that just takes me somewhere else with a search button..

I am now at home so can't even try and blame my work computer..

Is it so difficult to buy train tickets these days? Well for me at least 

[Chris from Nailsea]

I do sympathize, Jo! 

I had to buy an advance ticket for 'her indoors' to go down to Devon next week to stay with the m-i-l.  In principle, it was a fairly simple journey: a single from Bristol Temple Meads to Totnes.  However, by the time I'd had to factor in various other requirements, such as 'must be First Class', 'mustn't involve any changes', 'must arrive by xxxx', 'must have a window seat', 'mustn't be one of those silly little trains', etc., ... I was fair struggling, I can tell you!

Eventually, I used the National Rail journey planner, and bought a First Class advance, splitting at Taunton, using the Cross Country website.  It was quite laborious, though - as I'm not that familiar with booking advance tickets: the system doesn't make it particularly easy.

As to the subsequent need to try to explain exactly why splitting the ticket at TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) was cheaper, when it's the same seat on the same train throughout ... I just gave up, at that stage.

CfN. 

[johoare]

Well yes.. although all I'm trying to do is buy on basic ticket... The only thing being it's the cheapest as it's valid on one train only... Should that be so hard?

But yes.. it is.. thank goodness for QJUMP I say..(although I mustn't advertise I guess :-))

[JayMac]

Sorry to hear about the problems!

I've just check eastcoast.co.uk and it's working for me, Jo.

If you can't get any site to work then mebbes try FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Telesales on 08457 000 125

[johoare]

Thanks bignosemac..

So the "Search" button works for you then? It must just not like me or my journey then.. or there are anti me gremlins.. anyway..

I've found a good site that works for me so I will use that one until the others start working...

As an extra.. someone else I work with tried FGW^▸ (First Great Western) ticket site earlier via firefox and they didn't even get as far as I had on internet explorer earlier... weird...

[eightf48544]

I usually use Nationalrail and buy from Chiltern (as the least worse TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)) in the drop down list.

Not tried splits.

You could try Maidenhead Station if the right clerks are on they can sell advanced tickets should be quite quick if you know the trains you want.

[johoare]

I ended up getting the rest from QJUMP today altho the cheapest tickets for getting to Bristol were all gone.. Oh well, my company is paying me back for them..

The cheap return ones in First class were still available though.. In fact I have the same seat for all 4 journeys home :-)

[Phil]

Nope.. The "search" button on that one does nothing (literally) either.. I can click on the timetable only button but that just takes me somewhere else with a search button..

The search button only works once you've filled in some dates for it to work with.

[johoare]

I'm pretty sure I did... FGW^▸ (First Great Western) ticket site still not working either... Maybe it's a trick to make people buy more expensive tickets after they've spent several days not being able to buy the cheaper ones