Cancellation/Refund, I'm guessing this was the correct course of action

[DeeGee]

I had an advance ticket, Kings Cross-Grimsby Town, Hull Trains and connections only, for Saturday 27th October, for the 14:48 train which was cancelled. Tickets were being accepted on the next LNER train after the cancelled train, but that was going to miss my connection and cause considerable delay home with a jetlagged eight-year old in tow, so I decided to change my itinerary.

I went to the ticket office at Kings Cross to get them to advise. They advised that they couldn't accept the value of the Hull Trains ticket against one of their own walk-up fares, especially as they had made arrangements to accept HT tickets on another service. It appears they would only be able to swap it for a route-restricted ticket.

Consequently I bought a Super Off-Peak Single (not coming back to London with my boy in the next monoth, so it would have been a wasted pound to get the return).

I'm now going to submit my tickets to TPExpress, from whom I bought my tickets, for a refund. The website mentions a handling fee of £10 to process refunds except where they have failed to deliver the service. I presume this applies in this case, as, although it wasn't TPE at fault for the cancelled service, they were the retailer.

I know it isn't much, but can I realistically expect a refund in full of the £11.90 that I paid? (F&F Railcard is an absolute bargain!)

 

[najaB]

I'm now going to submit my tickets to TPExpress, from whom I bought my tickets, for a refund. The website mentions a handling fee of £10 to process refunds except where they have failed to deliver the service. I presume this applies in this case, as, although it wasn't TPE at fault for the cancelled service, they were the retailer.

This is a simple one: your train was cancelled so you're entitled to a full, no-fee refund from the retailer. The fact that you bought another ticket is irrelevant.

 

[DeeGee]

That's what I thought. There shouldn't be any quibble, should there? My train was cancelled. The fact that there was alternative provision made by LNER accepting tickets on a specified service won't be a hindrance to the refund, will it?

 

[najaB]

That's what I thought. There shouldn't be any quibble, should there? My train was cancelled. The fact that there was alternative provision made by LNER accepting tickets on a specified service won't be a hindrance to the refund, will it?

It shouldn't, and to be sure just don't mention it. "I'm requesting a refund as the train I was scheduled to use was cancelled." is all that you need to say.

 

[DeeGee]

That's all the form allowed, to be fair.

 

[Haywain]

That's what I thought. There shouldn't be any quibble, should there? My train was cancelled. The fact that there was alternative provision made by LNER accepting tickets on a specified service won't be a hindrance to the refund, will it?

Alternative arrangements of some sort will almost always be offered when a train is cancelled, but this has no bearing at all on your right to a refund if you choose not to travel.