Best websites to buy National Rail tickets online?

[Ian99]

Just started getting back in to UK railway travel and am wondering if anything has changed re buying tickets.

Is there an obvious place to go to buy a ticket online eg Bromley to Whitstable or Fenchurch Street to Leigh on Sea?

It often seems to me that I'm on a bus going to the station and then rushing to find a ticket machine whereas maybe I could have bought a ticket online?

 

[miklcct]

You can buy a ticket from any of the train operating companies online. If an e-ticket is available, choose that form.

 

[yorkie]

Just started getting back in to UK railway travel and am wondering if anything has changed re buying tickets.

Is there an obvious place to go to buy a ticket online eg Bromley to Whitstable or Fenchurch Street to Leigh on Sea?

It often seems to me that I'm on a bus going to the station and then rushing to find a ticket machine whereas maybe I could have bought a ticket online?

There are different sites with pros and cons; is there anything in particular you are looking for?

 

[Ian99]

Something without a charge that enables me to show the ticket on my phone?

 

[Watershed]

Something without a charge that enables me to show the ticket on my phone?

Just about any site except Trainline (which charges booking fees) will qualify in that case!

TrainSplit may be able to suggest a cheaper combination of tickets, and offers e-tickets (which can be added to Google Pay/Apple Pay, shown as a PDF on your phone or other electronic device, or printed). However it does charge a "share of saving" fee of 15% of any saving it finds through splitting.

Other splitting sites are also available, such as TrainPal, which doesn't charge any fees, but only looks for one split point, and has been reported to provide poor customer service. LNER and some other TOCs offer rewards or cashback.

Some other TOC retailers offer other advantages, for example XC offer fee-free changes to Advances up until 5 minutes before departure (more generous than the "6pm the night before" deadline of the Book With Confidence scheme). GTR (Southern, Thameslink etc.) offer fee-free refunds if you buy a walk-up ticket for collection, but decide not to travel and haven't collected it.

 

[Ian99]

Wow, things have moved on! Many thanks

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Wow, things have moved on! Many thanks

But don't assume that things have moved on all that far. If you're buying an online ticket, then make sure that is really what you're getting (an 'e-ticket'). We regularly hear from people who assumed that buying the ticket on the app/website was all they needed to do, when in fact they also needed to collect the paper ticket (from almost* any ticket machine or a staffed ticket office) as otherwise all they have is a receipt and not a ticket - and they have been penalty fared / fined for not having their ticket.

*Any ticket machine except those run by Merseyrail. Since your journeys appear to be in and around London, the chances of finding a Merseyrail ticket machine seem slim.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Wow, things have moved on! Many thanks

If you just want to buy and use on your phone (where available) on the day of travel rather than in advance, you can do worse than the Trainline app. They don't charge fees for same-day purchases, and it's one of the nicer ones to use.

 

[yorkie]

But don't assume that things have moved on all that far. If you're buying an online ticket, then make sure that is really what you're getting (an 'e-ticket'). ...

Yes absolutely; I would use a retailer that doesn't offer the dreaded m-tickets, to ensure you are definitely getting an e-ticket.

I generally use Trainsplit, which offers e-tickets wherever possible and doesn't issue m-tickets, it also has multiple via/avoid points and the ability to add additional interchange time.

 

[birchesgreen]

I use the WMR website even if the trains i am going to use are from other TOCs. Works well enough, e-tickets to my iPhone wallet.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Yes absolutely; I would use a retailer that doesn't offer the dreaded m-tickets, to ensure you are definitely getting an e-ticket.

Who does currently offer "m-tickets" (do that they can then perhaps be avoided?)

 

[Wallsendmag]

Who does currently offer "m-tickets" (do that they can then perhaps be avoided?)

Various Trainline Whitelabels, ScotRail,Northern etc

 

[yorkie]

Who does currently offer "m-tickets" (do that they can then perhaps be avoided?)

I think possibly all the Trainline based sites offer them, however I think they may only do so if e-tickets aren't enabled for the flow, i.e. for journeys on TfW, ScotRail and some other flows notably on Southeastern and GTR.

 

[Ian99]

I think possibly all the Trainline based sites offer them, however I think they may only do so if e-tickets aren't enabled for the flow, i.e. for journeys on TfW, ScotRail and some other flows notably on Southeastern and GTR.

So is there a way to get e-tickets for Southeastern journeys please?

 

[Watershed]

So is there a way to get e-tickets for Southeastern journeys please?

Nowadays basically any booking engine will offer them. The issue is whether or not Southeastern have enabled them on a given flow - booking engines can't issue e-tickets where they're not enabled.

 

[Wallsendmag]

So is there a way to get e-tickets for Southeastern

Nowadays basically any booking engine will offer them. The issue is whether or not Southeastern have enabled them on a given flow - booking engines can't issue e-tickets where they're not enabled.

Tell me about it , most of my last month has been spent enabling our new Advance tickets for eTickets, only around 34 million spread sheet lines to be checked.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Trainline is very good and easy. There are no fees for same day bookings and no fees for finding splits. They are also very good and easy for refunds and changes if you need to. They'll issue etickets when available and you can store a railcard in the same app. Far and away the easiest booking site.

 

[Lewlew]

Trainline is very good and easy. There are no fees for same day bookings and no fees for finding splits. They are also very good and easy for refunds and changes if you need to. They'll issue etickets when available and you can store a railcard in the same app. Far and away the easiest booking site.

Very much agree. I don't even mind paying the fee occasionally because the app is so nice. You can even use the same app for travel across Europe.

 

[trainophile]

When I know what I want, and searching for splits isn't involved, I use the TPE website, but the old "WebTis" version not the new one, which I can't get on with. It has a handy app that your e-tickets automatically go into, and it also gives Nectar points.

However the other day it wasn't offering a short notice Advance that was available on Trainsplit, so obviously that's where I bought it from.

I can't understand how some websites can offer tickets that others don't have, but that's another day's discussion.

 

[STINT47]

I would avoid buying advance tickets with EMR. I purchased one and was sent an email ticket but then ran into problems when my plans changed.

Instead of being able to amend the departure time online or at the station you have to call their Web support team. After nearly an hour on hold I got it changed but it's an hour wasted and I still had to pay £10 for "administration "

I did try to mention the book with confidence meant that no admin fee was due but was told I would have to raise a complaint with customer services then call Web support back. After realising that I would probably miss the 6pm deadline doing this I reluctantly paid. I did then send an email and after a couple of months got a £10 voucher as a "gesture of goodwill on this occasion".

So if using ENR to summarise any e ticket changes will involve a long call to Web support and a possible complaint about the admin fee. Or you can use another website and do it online in a couple of minuets.