Book-Yourtravel.co.uk - Your Online solution to all your travel needs

Train Ticket Frequently Asked Questions

1 What is this service and who operates it?
This service is an online journey planning and ticket-buying system for the UK National Rail network. Developed and operated by the National Express Group, this service provides accurate and impartial rail information and ticketing for all Train Operating Companies within the UK.

2 Will this service always find me the quickest route?
The system searches the timetable to find the quickest valid journey. This is the quickest valid route based on information available at the time of booking, and includes any ticket validity routing restrictions. This service uses the same information as the National Rail Enquiry Service.

3 Will this service find the cheapest ticket for me?
By default this service automatically finds you the quickest route and relevant tickets.

If, however, cost is more important than time, you will then have the option of viewing more fares available for your journey. In many cases, this will produce a cheaper ticket but the journey may be longer. This service will find you the best journey price, based on the information available at the time of booking.

Generally, most promotional tickets are available to us, however some Train Operating Companies place restrictions on certain promotional offers and consequently these may not be available. Click here for more information regarding what ticket types are available.

(It's worth noting that if you specify a return time and date, there is more chance of obtaining a reduced price ticket than if you leave your return date as 'undecided'. In the latter case, you are likely to be offered an open return ticket which can be more expensive.)

4 How many tickets can I book through this service?
You can purchase a shopping basket containing up to ten bookings. Each booking can be made for up to 8 people travelling together.

If you need tickets for larger group travel please call our Helpdesk

5 How up-to-date is this service's information?
This service uses the most accurate information available and is updated every night. (This is the same information as the National Rail Enquiry Service).

Changes to the timetable, which normally occur at the end of May and September, and over Easter and Christmas, are taken into account. Usually alterations such as engineering work and industrial action are also taken into account, however, occasionally changes made at short notice might not be included. If you want to check whether there have been any 'last minute' alterations to your departure or arrival times, due to unforeseen circumstances, please contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50, or visit:

www.nationalrail.co.uk/realtime/fs_realtime.htm

6 Are all rail tickets available through this service?
Through this service, you can buy almost any rail ticket that's available at your time of enquiry. Journeys by London Underground can also be included where your journey starts or ends outside the London Underground area.

We endeavour to tell as many ticket types as possible, but sometimes because of the way tickets have been created in rail industry systems we are unable to offer them online. Some sleeper tickets, Motorail, Eurostar and ferry services cannot at present be booked via this service. Nor can First Class upgrades, some Zonal fares (such as Plus Bus), 'Kids for a Quid' or Ranges/Rovers. There may also be some promotional tickets offered by individual Train Operating Companies which we are restricted from selling.

Due to the special requirements of season tickets, such as maintaining a customer database accessible to stations, we only offer season tickets where we have specific arrangements with the Train Operating Company concerned.

7 How do I make a booking?
Simply complete the online booking process, following the instructions step by step.

8 How close to my travel date may I book?
Generally you can book tickets between 12 weeks and 24 hours before departure. If you want to receive your tickets by post you will need to book at least 3 days prior to travel.

Please note that Reservations may not be available until 8 weeks before departure, and some tickets may have individual terms and conditions relating to their booking.

9 Can I reserve a seat?
If the service(s) you are travelling on has reservations, you will be given the option of reserving a seat (or berth). You will also be able to choose which type of seat - non-smoking, smoking (where available), facing forward or back.

10 How can I check that my booking has been successfully completed?
You will receive a confirmation e-mail, which confirms that your booking has been received. Please print or save this email for future reference as it contains your booking reference number which you will need to quote in case of enquiries. If you do not receive a confirmation e-mail within two hours of your purchase please contact our Helpdesk.

11 How do I get my ticket?
Your ticket can be posted to you free of charge by first class post (allow three working days)

For a small charge you can chose to have your tickets sent by Royal Mail Special Delivery (allow one clear working day)

You can collect it from a range of stations (consult the pop-up window on the homepage to check if your station provides this collection facility.)

12 What should I do if my tickets don't arrive?
If your tickets fail to arrive within 3 working days then please contact our Helpdesk.

13 I think my return ticket has got the wrong date on it?
The convention used for rail tickets in the UK is that both the outward ticket and the return ticket show the date of the outward journey. Nonetheless your return ticket is still valid for the date that you booked.

(this is because for many ticket types the return portion is valid for 30 days from the date of outward travel, hence the date of outward travel needs to be shown).

14 What if I forget my password?
If you forget your password, click on the 'login' button at the top of the screen and click on 'password clue'. Once you've entered your e-mail address (the one you used when you registered) you can click on 'get clue'. If this doesn't jog your memory, contact our Helpdesk and they will assist you.

15 Where can I find more information about rail travel?
More information is available at the National Rail website:

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Services include real-time train running information, live departure boards, and general information regarding rail travel.

16 How can I pay?
You can pay with any of the following cards: Visa, MasterCard, Switch, Delta, American Express or Diners Club. If you have a statement based account, you also have the option of paying 'on account'. Just enter the appropriate details when asked for payment method.

17 How secure is my payment?
This service uses 128 bit SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) technology, the most widely recognised security system for online payment. This encrypts your card details as they are sent through the Internet, which prevents anyone else accessing them. You will find that each time you book with this service, you have to re-enter your card details.

If you are still concerned about sending credit card details through the internet, please call our Helpdesk and a customer service agent will be able to help you.

18 What if I change my travel plans?
Please consult the terms and conditions of your ticket type to see if changes to travel plans are allowed for your ticket. If changes are allowed, please contact our Helpdesk with your booking reference number handy.

19 What if I need a refund?
If you are applying for a refund because of service disruption, or problems with your journey, you should apply to the train operating company on which you travelled.

If you are applying for a refund for other reasons, please consult the terms and conditions of your ticket type to see if refunds are allowed for this ticket type.

If refunds are possible, please return your tickets to:
Refunds Department
Qjump Ltd
Milton House
Sheffield
S1 4NX

Please include with your tickets a note of your booking reference number, and a day-time contact telephone number in-case of any enquiries.

20, I am trying to buy a ticket, but keeping get told there are none available. Why?
When we show you tickets for your journey we show you all tickets that are valid for the journey in question.

When you select a ticket, we then check if reservations are required, and if so if any seats are available. On some trains this can mean that a valid ticket is not currently available - however, you may wish to try different trains, or try a different ticket on the same train.

By including tickets that have sold-out, we provide an indication of the fares you might obtain by trying a different date/time of travel.

21 Can I use a Railcard/senior citizen/discount card?
We accept most national Railcards. If you have a national Railcard we'll take the relevant discounts into account when calculating your ticket price. You will, of course, have to take your Railcard(s) with you when you travel. Only one type of Railcard can be used per booking.

Railcards can offer significant discounts for regular travellers. Further details can be found under the links below:

www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.railcard.co.uk

22 What if I have special travel requirements?
Disabled assistance
Due to the individual nature of disabled passenger requirements and the varying services available at different stations, we prefer to speak directly to you when making arrangements. Please call our Helpdesk and our team will be happy to assist you. If you have already booked online, please have your booking reference number to hand when you call.

Travel with pets
In most circumstances, dogs and other pets may be taken free of charge. For further information click on www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Travel with bikes
Most Train Operating Companies allow cycles to be carried on their trains. However, detailed conditions may differ from operator to operator. Generally, a booking fee will be charged. Where your journey involves travel on trains of more than one Train Operating Company, and the booking fee varies, the higher rate will apply. It's advisable to make your reservation as far in advance as possible. For further information click on www.nationalrail.co.uk

Group bookings
Groups of up to 8 people travelling together can book through this service. For larger groups, please contact our Helpdesk as you may be eligible for greater discounts.

23 Are there any terms and conditions of travel that I should know about?
When you have booked your ticket through this service, the terms and conditions of travel which apply to it will be displayed. These will differ from ticket to ticket and may impact on when you can travel or which company's trains you can travel on. Also, some tickets offer restricted refund or changes so it is essential that you read this information before you purchase your ticket. All tickets on the national rail network are covered by the National Conditions of Carriage. Where the terms and conditions of the individual ticket type state different conditions to the National Conditions of Carriage, the ticket terms and conditions should prevail.

24 What do I do if I have a complaint?
Complaints regarding our online service
If you are unsatisfied with any aspect of our online service, please inform us by writing to our Customer Relations Department at Milton House, Charter Row, Sheffield, S1 4NX with details of your complaint and which website you made your booking on, or contact us.

Complaints regarding your journey/train service
This service has no control over the running and timetabling of trains. If you have a complaint regarding your journey, please contact the train company who operated the service you were using. If several companies were involved, contact the operator of the first train you used. If you are unsure of which train company to contact, please call our Helpdesk. A list of train operators and their contact details are available from www.nationalrail.co.uk

www.nationalrail.co.uk/info/complaints/complaints.htm

25 How do I reclaim lost property?
Please contact the train company who operated the service or station you were using at the time of your loss. Contact details can be found at: www.nationalrail.co.uk/info/fs_info.htm

26 Can I change my personal details?
No problem. Log in to this service with the e-mail address and password that you originally used, and then click on 'edit details'. Your registration form will then appear which you can amend as appropriate. Click 'update' and you will receive confirmation of the changes before being returned to the booking process.

27 What is a favourite journey and how do I use it?
Favourite journeys allow registered users to store the basic details of their common journeys.

Once you have saved some favourite journeys they will appear in a drop-down list at the start of the enquiry process. Selecting a favourite saves you from typing in many of the details each time you book.

To create a favourite journey, you must be logged in.

28 When is this service available?
We aim to have our service available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Occasionally we need to shutdown the site for maintenance - and wherever possible this is done at quiet times of the night.

Also, there may be a short period of time at night when the rail industry reservations system is not available, and hence we cannot make reservations during that time.