UK National Rail Service - Do I book in advance? How do I pick up the tickets?
Dec 8th, 2006, 09:27 PM
#1
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UK National Rail Service - Do I book in advance? How do I pick up the tickets?
Hello,
I am seriously thinking of booking a flight to Rome online but I have some questions. I fly into Manchester and the great flight someone pointed out to me on this helpful forum, leaves from East Midland airport. I arrive at Manchester airport at 4:45am, the flight to Rome leaves Midlands at 15:00.
To get to East Midlands I need to train to Nottingham and then catch a shuttle to the airport. Fine. Except do I need to book National Railway tickets in advance? If yes, where would I pick them up on Christmas Eve day?
Any suggestions? I am uncertain with online booking.
Cheers,
Murphy
I am seriously thinking of booking a flight to Rome online but I have some questions. I fly into Manchester and the great flight someone pointed out to me on this helpful forum, leaves from East Midland airport. I arrive at Manchester airport at 4:45am, the flight to Rome leaves Midlands at 15:00.
To get to East Midlands I need to train to Nottingham and then catch a shuttle to the airport. Fine. Except do I need to book National Railway tickets in advance? If yes, where would I pick them up on Christmas Eve day?
Any suggestions? I am uncertain with online booking.
Cheers,
Murphy
Dec 8th, 2006, 10:51 PM
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Do we take it from this that you're planning to take a British train on a Christmas Eve? Which, to add to the fun, is on a Sunday this year.
In theory, there's no need to book in advance. But go to www.nationalrail.co.uk, plug in your details, click the "check fares" section on the results page and you'll probably find a wide range of fares on offer. Right-click each of these different fares and you'll see the conditions applying to each. Some will probably depend on advance purchase.
I keep saying "probably" because Christmas Eve trains - especially on a route like this, involving lots of changes - are tricky in Britain. They often fill up weeks in advance: "filling up" in Britain usually means seats are sold out, though you can still usually stand throughout the journey. They also stop running by early evening, though that will hardly affect you.
While that's what everyone says, it doesn't necessarily apply to southbound trains on a Christmas Eve Sunday, by when it's quite possible most travelling will already have been done. But Christmas Eve traffic flows are as unpredictable as the weather. It's also possible, though, that no cheapo fares are available any more (which doesn't necessarily mean no seats are available: just that they're only selling full price tickets). Some bits of your journey (like the airport-Manchester and Manchester-Sheffield) don't normally offer seat reservations ever, BTW: they're simply commuter trains.
To complicate all this, some notorious Christmas Eve trains ARE reservation onlty. I don't THINK this applies to your proposed journey, but check the individual sector operators' own sites (linked from the National Rail site) to check.
If, after all this, you need to prebook, just do so online. Your credit card will then retrive the tickets from the vending machines at Manchester airport, or the connecting Manchester Piccadilly, stations.
That answers the question as set.
But I'd strongly, strongly, urge you to think again about your whole strategy. If your flight into Manchester is at all delayed, there are NO TRAINS AT ALL on much of this route from early evening on the 24th till early on the 27th. Booking a hotel at short notice over Christmas might be impossible, or horrendously pricey. If you miss your connection at East Midlands, you'll have to rebook for just about the priciest time of the year.
Even with 12 hours between scheduled landing and take off, this IS a four hour, frequent change, train journey on what's often the worst travel day of all. The likelihood is the travel peak will have passed by the time you turn up, and all will go smoothly. But there are just far too many things that might go wrong.
And Manchester airport is the last place I'd want to spend Christmas. No oxen, and the jokes about asses and Manchester aren't suitable for a chatroom like this.
In theory, there's no need to book in advance. But go to www.nationalrail.co.uk, plug in your details, click the "check fares" section on the results page and you'll probably find a wide range of fares on offer. Right-click each of these different fares and you'll see the conditions applying to each. Some will probably depend on advance purchase.
I keep saying "probably" because Christmas Eve trains - especially on a route like this, involving lots of changes - are tricky in Britain. They often fill up weeks in advance: "filling up" in Britain usually means seats are sold out, though you can still usually stand throughout the journey. They also stop running by early evening, though that will hardly affect you.
While that's what everyone says, it doesn't necessarily apply to southbound trains on a Christmas Eve Sunday, by when it's quite possible most travelling will already have been done. But Christmas Eve traffic flows are as unpredictable as the weather. It's also possible, though, that no cheapo fares are available any more (which doesn't necessarily mean no seats are available: just that they're only selling full price tickets). Some bits of your journey (like the airport-Manchester and Manchester-Sheffield) don't normally offer seat reservations ever, BTW: they're simply commuter trains.
To complicate all this, some notorious Christmas Eve trains ARE reservation onlty. I don't THINK this applies to your proposed journey, but check the individual sector operators' own sites (linked from the National Rail site) to check.
If, after all this, you need to prebook, just do so online. Your credit card will then retrive the tickets from the vending machines at Manchester airport, or the connecting Manchester Piccadilly, stations.
That answers the question as set.
But I'd strongly, strongly, urge you to think again about your whole strategy. If your flight into Manchester is at all delayed, there are NO TRAINS AT ALL on much of this route from early evening on the 24th till early on the 27th. Booking a hotel at short notice over Christmas might be impossible, or horrendously pricey. If you miss your connection at East Midlands, you'll have to rebook for just about the priciest time of the year.
Even with 12 hours between scheduled landing and take off, this IS a four hour, frequent change, train journey on what's often the worst travel day of all. The likelihood is the travel peak will have passed by the time you turn up, and all will go smoothly. But there are just far too many things that might go wrong.
And Manchester airport is the last place I'd want to spend Christmas. No oxen, and the jokes about asses and Manchester aren't suitable for a chatroom like this.
Dec 8th, 2006, 11:27 PM
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Thank you so much flanneruk for your detailed response. That gives me plenty of pause and urges me to simplify my travel plans as much as possible. After picking up a more detailed guidebook for the UK this afternoon and reading it until the wee hours, I feel more optimistic that I might just stay in the UK after all. If I do this I think I will base out of Bath and there appears to be trains to this city, so I will book something ASAP.
Cheers,
Murphy
Cheers,
Murphy
Dec 9th, 2006, 12:10 AM
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flanneruk one more question...
Will the fastticket machines accept my foreign credit card ok? I tried to use my credit card in France for rail tickets and it would never work - I was told it didn't recognize my type of credit card. Should I be concerned?
Will the fastticket machines accept my foreign credit card ok? I tried to use my credit card in France for rail tickets and it would never work - I was told it didn't recognize my type of credit card. Should I be concerned?
Dec 9th, 2006, 12:17 AM
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I lied - yet another question. The National Rail website asked me to choose a vendor. Having no clue about any vendor I randomly selected "Midland Mains". I went through the ticket booking process, but it wont accept my postal code and it wont let me move on from there. Any suggestions? Does it matter what vendor?
Sorry - I am being so flaky today.
Sorry - I am being so flaky today.
Dec 9th, 2006, 01:53 AM
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When I have used the ticket machines to retrieve pre-paid (from the US) RR tickets there have been absolutely no problems whatsoever. This may be because the CC is used only to identify you rather than to take funds.
You insert the card and also input the booking number which you receive when you have pre-paid the tickets on-line.
Back comes the card and out comes your ticket.
You insert the card and also input the booking number which you receive when you have pre-paid the tickets on-line.
Back comes the card and out comes your ticket.
Dec 9th, 2006, 06:38 AM
#9
Your US credit cards won't work in ticket selling machines in France because they don't have an embedded chip.
But to pick up a ticket at Manchester airport you should be fine. And if not - you simply walk over to the ticket booth and get the ticket from the agent.
But to pick up a ticket at Manchester airport you should be fine. And if not - you simply walk over to the ticket booth and get the ticket from the agent.
Dec 9th, 2006, 07:38 AM
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Now that you are staying in Bath, you might want to check out a Britrail pass. With the pass you can take any train at any time and you don't have to worry about buying when there. Also, for that time of year you get 25% off the regular cost.
Dec 9th, 2006, 09:13 AM
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Thanks guys!
I am pulling out my hair though. I'm trying to book a ticket to Bath, but all of the vendors seem to require a UK postcode. I went ahead and put in my hostels postcode just to get past the field, but then it says that my credit cards billing address needs to match. The "help" section of both Vigin Trains and Midline Main says that I can by a ticket from outside the UK, but to pick it up at the fast ticket machines. Cool - but how do you get past the address section?
AHHH!
Anyone dealt with this?
I am pulling out my hair though. I'm trying to book a ticket to Bath, but all of the vendors seem to require a UK postcode. I went ahead and put in my hostels postcode just to get past the field, but then it says that my credit cards billing address needs to match. The "help" section of both Vigin Trains and Midline Main says that I can by a ticket from outside the UK, but to pick it up at the fast ticket machines. Cool - but how do you get past the address section?
AHHH!
Anyone dealt with this?
Dec 10th, 2006, 11:24 AM
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Hey alan - good suggestion. I tried putting in my hostels address etc, but it says the credit cards billing address needs to match the address you register with...? So I ended up calling England and booking the most important leg of the trip anyway.
Though now I see that there is a bus segment to the trip (Leeds to York) - and I wonder how complicated that is. Would the bus be at the train station or do you think I have to find my way to another place?
My, my what a muddle.
Though now I see that there is a bus segment to the trip (Leeds to York) - and I wonder how complicated that is. Would the bus be at the train station or do you think I have to find my way to another place?
My, my what a muddle.
Dec 10th, 2006, 01:06 PM
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<<< Though now I see that there is a bus segment to the trip (Leeds to York) >>>
Ah the joy of engineering works on the British Rail system
You will normally be directed to where to go (in this case the entrance to the train station) and the bus will have a big sign saying "Leeds" or similar. Failing this, follow the crowd or just ask - an average long haul train holds several hundred people whereas a coach only about 50 so even if you miss the first coach they'll be a dozen more around.
Ah the joy of engineering works on the British Rail system
You will normally be directed to where to go (in this case the entrance to the train station) and the bus will have a big sign saying "Leeds" or similar. Failing this, follow the crowd or just ask - an average long haul train holds several hundred people whereas a coach only about 50 so even if you miss the first coach they'll be a dozen more around.
