Help buying train tickets
 

I am trying to buy one-way train tickets leaving Edinburgh - going to London. I have tried every train site I can find (thetrainline, nationalrail, gner, but none of them will let me complete the booking . . when I get to the "postcode" I try to put in my postal code & select United States and it keeps saying error with postcode. I even tried to find an Edinburgh postal code, (since I'm picking the tickets up at the station in Edinburgh, I didn't think it would matter) & entered that - I received the same error message. This is sooo frustrating. I wrote GNER an email, but haven't heard back.

Is there a trick to this? What sites does anyone in the US use for booking train tickets?

Thanks

You might try http://www.firstscotrail.com/

Try using this Post Code: EH1 3BJ
Then click on address lookup and select the first address in the list. When the screen comes back up with the Edinburgh address you can then correct the address to your US address and Post Code. I just tried it on www.trainline.co, and it works. I don't know why you need to do it this way, but it's a way around the post code lookup,.

Did you try choosing the option of picking up your ticket at a FastTicket machine at the Edinburgh station? Doing so should eliminate the need to enter a mailing address.

Thanks so much for the help. While booking the ticket, I am being offered a London TravelCard - is that something I should buy? I'm not sure I understand what the travelcard is. We're arriving in London at about 6pm if that matters. . .then we'll be staying 2 more full days & then leaving the next morning for Gatwick. Does the tube there work similar to US subways?

TimS. You have to put in a valid UK Post Code when you are registering for the first time even if you have selected the Fast Ticket Machine option.

"Did you try choosing the option of picking up your ticket at a FastTicket machine at the Edinburgh station?" Yeah, that's what I did . . but it still requires an address - don't know why.

Trainline and most others don't mail tickets to the US. Several years ago I had mine mailed to my first hotel. They were waiting for me when I arrived.

If you need a postcode try "SW1A 2AJ". It's for Downing Street but I don't think Tony will complain

Bendemeer: Yes, go for the Travelcard option. A Travelcard will cover everything you're likely to want (buses, underground) and get you a bit off the price of a riverboat trip if you want to take one. It will save you both time and money over buying indiviudal tickets for every ride.

but check first just to make sure you're not being asked to pay more than if you bought one separately when you get to London:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tick...card-day.shtml

www.tfl.gov.uk will tell you all you need to know about how the public transport system works in London, but I would suggest you look particularly at:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/tourist_map.shtml

(Curious about your Fodor's name, by the way. I used to live in Bendemeer Road, and that's the only other time I've come across it - I assumed it was the name of some battle in the Boer War, but am I wrong?)

Perhaps rgistration requirements have changed. One year ago I booked tickets from London to Bath for pickup at a FastTicket machine. I did NOT have to give a UK post code. One month ago I registered on the GNER site and again I did NOT have to give a UK post code. (However, I only registered and didn't book a ticket.)

"Curious about your Fodor's name, by the way."

Bendemeer is the name of our farm. There is a an old, (English, I believe), song called "Bendemeer Stream". My husband's grandmother, who was a pianist, liked the name and so named our farm for it.

Thanks for that. A quick Google, and I find there's a song by Thomas Moore I hadn't heard of, and that it's the same tune as the Mountains of Mourne. Who'd a thunk it?

Use the Post Code of the London hotel in which you will be staying...I had to do that...When buying from the US. The Fast Ticket machines worked fine. The London pass makes it easier to get around. Zones 1&2 only will get you any where you might want to go. Get the unlimited card as there are peak times not honored with the basic card....Good Luck and have fun

Another site for booking the train is qjump.co.uk. I have always had the tickets mailed to a relative in the uk. Not sure if you need a postal code if picking them up at the station.

Qjump was taken over by thetrainline quite a while ago & typing in qjump.co.uk just takes you to the same website as thetrainline.com