Thetrainline annoys me

[stupidestfool]

There are various reasons for this, of which I won't go into too much detail here (suffice to say most people here will know that it's often cheaper to buy your tickets directly from the TOC's own website.

I do, however, have one gripe with the system that I wondered if anyone else could help me to solve. There are a myriad of ways to get from Leeds to London on the train, and I'm always keen to try new (albeit slower) ones. For example, EMT run an 08.28 direct service from Leeds to St. Pancras, and also have a decent Advance Purchase tickets scheme in place. Whilst I'm aware it would probably be well-nigh impossible to get an Advanced Purchase ticket on this commuter service, I can never seem to find it (or other, equivalent services) on any website modelled on thetrainline's system. It's always overly keen to display NXEC, and other "more direct" routes, even when I select such options as "travel through" etc or select St. Pancras as my destination station.

Is there any magic combination of options to choose on these websites to get ticket prices for these trains, or am I going to have to try some other way?

[Ameecher]

Aside from going to the ticket office at Leeds, I doubt it. The TOC journey planners are usually powered by the trainline anyway, as is QJump which is actually run by the trainline as well.

[Kevo00]

You could try ringing them up.

Or getting the NatEx train like everyone else.

[JamieLei]

Try megatrain.com - which provides the EMT super-duper low fares

[Parkey]

Try using the booking system on the NXEC website. It was introduced by GNER just before the franchises swapped, and I think it's brilliant.

[stupidestfool]

Have to admit, I'm a big fan of the new NatEx booking system. In fact, it was whilst using it the other day that I decided how annoying thetrainline is! Still, no joy with either them or the megatrain site

[JamieLei]

Doing a quick search on NRE Lowest Fares reveals that there is a £7 single Advance C EMT fare from Leeds to London. However, doing a search for it on 5 consecutive Febuary days reveals there's no tickets available.

There is a £9 single fare (Advance D), and the only Leeds-London journey that's currently available for is the 08:35 Leeds - St Pancras, which takes 5:16. Still cheaper by £2.25 than NXEC! But that's only showing up on the 10th Febuary.

You could also take the same journey in First Class for £14. But no railcard discount there..

I always do my fare-finding on NRE, then proceed to Chiltern to buy (even though it was a Birmingham - Edinburgh journey). I might move to FGW as they give seat numbers, and I figured they could use my 2% commission since their trains are in such an appalling state.

[Parkey]

Something I particularly like is that the NXEC website enables the reservation of a seat in the quiet coach. For long journeys this is becoming something of a necessity for me.

Strangely I've found recently that travelling to Nottingham from London on a friday night is cheaper and faster via the ECML and changing at Grantham. Cheap fares with MML/EMT have been slowly disappearing.

...I might move to FGW as they give seat numbers, and I figured they could use my 2% commission since their trains are in such an appalling state.

Quite frankly first group are making a heck of a lot of profit out of their great western franchise cash cow, as are the treasury through the premium payments. If you want to subsidise someone there are plenty of cinderella franchises that could use some cash toward improving their trains. EMT's local services spring to mind.

[Dave]

2% commission?

Pfffft.

I gotta say using the NXEC one, it's really, really good.

Offers you the opportunity to choose your type of seat, and then tells you the seat you're in.

I'm in 05A and 06A on my trip to and from London Euston next weekend.

In quiet zone coach A.

So all good.

[JamieLei]

didn't realise you could specify coach on the NXEC one

What I would like is to individually pick the seat - as with airlines. But I guess that's not possible...

[Dave]

didn't realise you could specify coach on the NXEC one

What I would like is to individually pick the seat - as with airlines. But I guess that's not possible...

You can't specify coach, unless you choose the quiet coach.

[Parkey]

Shame you can't specify that you'd like a seat that is actually lined up with a window, and not a column, at least on the Pendolinos and Voyagers. Virgin XC and MML were always very good at plonking me in reserved seats with no view whatsoever.

[Kevo00]

That used to annoy me, but nowadays I just take a good book and be glad that I have a seat and am on a train, not a megabus!

[Parkey]

Indeed.

book + megabus = nausea

For me anyway.