Change of printed Advance ticket with Avanti

[VauxhallandI]

The Avanti website says I can change an advance ticket time FOC however it looks as if this is only for E-Tickets or uncollected paper tickets. Before I go through the pain of ringing them do you know if I can go to my local GA ticket off armed with the info of what I want to do and conduct it there?

The Avanti website is big on saying you must go to the place you bought them; I bought them on line with Avanti so this isn't going to work

Thanks in advance.

 

[Wallsendmag]

The Avanti website says I can change an advance ticket time FOC however it looks as if this is only for E-Tickets or uncollected paper tickets. Before I go through the pain of ringing them do you know if I can go to my local GA ticket off armed with the info of what I want to do and conduct it there?

The Avanti website is big on saying you must go to the place you bought them; I bought them on line with Avanti so this isn't going to work

Thanks in advance.

You'll need to apply for a refund and post them back.

 

[VauxhallandI]

You'll need to apply for a refund and post them back.

I will look ta - looked, cant see anything about posting. Its all web based so far.

Ive just been to the GA ticket office and they have printed me a seat reservation for the earlier train. I feel that we would be walking into a nice honey trap if we went ahead with that solution.

 

[Wallsendmag]

I will look ta

Ive just been to the GA ticket office and they have printed me a seat reservation for the earlier train. I feel that we would be walking into a nice honey trap if we went ahead with that solution.

Not the best idea ever.

 

[AlterEgo]

I will look ta - looked, cant see anything about posting. Its all web based so far.

Ive just been to the GA ticket office and they have printed me a seat reservation for the earlier train. I feel that we would be walking into a nice honey trap if we went ahead with that solution.

That’s outrageously bad service and setting you up for a fall. What on earth?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not the best idea ever.

I think I'd be heading towards "gross incompetence" to be honest. That could get the passenger PFed or even prosecuted.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Looks like I am going to have to travel all the way into Euston to change it and by then I imagine the cost would have gone up I'd be better just buying the new ticket.

Some railway fans from other threads would think that was the right thing to do

 

[Haywain]

Looks like I am going to have to travel all the way into Euston to change it

Why? Euston isn't where you bought the ticket.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Why? Euston isn't where you bought the ticket.

Its my nearest Avanti station.

I found th eon-line refunds form and its an enquiry form that by their own admission may not be answered for some time. By then (travel date is 4th Nov) the replacement ticket could be through the roof, this is an 8:05 midweek train Pic to Euston.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Its my nearest Avanti station.

I found th eon-line refunds form and its an enquiry form that by their own admission may not be answered for some time. By then (travel date is 4th Nov) the replacement ticket could be through the roof, this is an 8:05 midweek train Pic to Euston.

Can you not telephone them?

 

[VauxhallandI]

Can you not telephone them?

Finding the telephone number is very difficult, every enquiry angle sends you to a form. I'm sure I found a number the other month but its a part time job trying to find it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Finding the telephone number is very difficult, every enquiry angle sends you to a form. I'm sure I found a number the other month but its a part time job trying to find it.

It's on here:

Train Ticket Changes | Change Ticket | Avanti West Coast

Need to change the date or time of your train journey? Or are you looking for a refund? Check out how Avanti can help change or cancel your ticket.

www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk

0345 528 0253

 

[Haywain]

Its my nearest Avanti station.

I found th eon-line refunds form and its an enquiry form that by their own admission may not be answered for some time. By then (travel date is 4th Nov) the replacement ticket could be through the roof, this is an 8:05 midweek train Pic to Euston.

Phone? Online chat? Twitter?

 

[VauxhallandI]

Phone? Online chat? Twitter?

Dont do Twitter, on-line chat points you back to the on-line form

It's on here:

Train Ticket Changes | Change Ticket | Avanti West Coast

Need to change the date or time of your train journey? Or are you looking for a refund? Check out how Avanti can help change or cancel your ticket.

www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk

0345 528 0253

Thanks for finding it.

I've bought a new ticket, as the price had already gone up another fiver this afternoon. I have submitted an online form which I imagine will be answered after the day of travel so they wouldn't refund me as its a paper ticket they will say I could have used.

I will try my luck with the phone line but I have meetings so it can be difficult.

That's one hour on hold.

 

[Merseysider]

Its my nearest Avanti station.

I wouldn’t ever rely on any Avanti staff at Euston being able to help. I certainly wouldn’t make a journey there. I too would say phone them.

 

[VauxhallandI]

I wouldn’t ever rely on any Avanti staff at Euston being able to help. I certainly wouldn’t make a journey there. I too would say phone them.

I gave up after being on hold for an hour.
They are a joke of a company.

 

[voyagerdude220]

This is a big contrast to how happy I was with how quickly LNER allowed me to change my advance tickets a couple of months ago. (although admittedly I hadn't collected them) They cancelled the original tickets and within about 20 minutes of me messaging them on Facebook, they had sent me an e voucher to buy the new tickets with.

 

[XAM2175]

This is a big contrast to how happy I was with how quickly LNER allowed me to change my advance tickets a couple of months ago. (although admittedly I hadn't collected them) They cancelled the original tickets and within about 20 minutes of me messaging them on Facebook, they had sent me an e voucher to buy the new tickets with.

It's the "already collected" thing that's the major difference here, not the TOC.

 

[voyagerdude220]

It's the "already collected" thing that's the major difference here, not the TOC.

I understand that makes a big difference, but it doesn't sound like to me (in my opinion) that Avanti have done much to help the OP.

 

[XAM2175]

I understand that makes a big difference, but it doesn't sound like to me (in my opinion) that Avanti have done much to help the OP.

Well, Greater Anglia definitely did the opposite of help them, but so far Avanti merely seem to have a busy phone system and a contact form that the OP only actually used this afternoon. Now waiting an hour on the phone is certainly not ideal, but in all pragmatism we don't know if that's standard or unusual.

You contacted LNER via Facebook Messenger, so so far there's precisely zero overlap between your circumstances and the OP's.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Well, Greater Anglia definitely did the opposite of help them, but so far Avanti merely seem to have a busy phone system and a contact form that the OP only actually used this afternoon. Now waiting an hour on the phone is certainly not ideal, but in all pragmatism we don't know if that's standard or unusual.

You contacted LNER via Facebook Messenger, so so far there's precisely zero overlap between your circumstances and the OP's.

A contact form that stipulates it can take around 4 weeks to reply to may I add.

 

[XAM2175]

A contact form that stipulates it can take around 4 weeks to reply to may I add.

That is pretty poor.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That is pretty poor.

I wonder will GBR manage to sort things out so that all tickets can be changed/refunded at all sales points of the railway? It would be about time - the fragmentation that has occurred is really quite unacceptably poor given that tech solutions to it are not difficult.

 

[robbeech]

It is yet another example of how poor customer service results in higher revenue for the railway. Because you cannot rely on them to do what you require (and are entitled to) you've ended up spending over twice as much as you wanted with them, money they'll get to keep (unless you can continue to pursue them). There really is absolutely ZERO incentive to offer good service in these situations.

 

[Par]

I know some prefer / can only use paper tickets, but this really is an example where e-tickets come into their own. I managed to change some Avanti advances via the app on Monday and had the new tickets instantly (can’t seem to add them to my phone wallet mind but do have the pdf and can see them in the app).

In the OPs case though, the options and service Avanti are providing are woeful.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I know some prefer / can only use paper tickets, but this really is an example where e-tickets come into their own. I managed to change some Avanti advances via the app on Monday and had the new tickets instantly (can’t seem to add them to my phone wallet mind but do have the pdf and can see them in the app).

In the OPs case though, the options and service Avanti are providing are woeful.

To be fair it's only an issue with paper tickets if you have collected them - better to leave it until nearer the time to do this.

 

[VauxhallandI]

To be fair it's only an issue with paper tickets if you have collected them - better to leave it until nearer the time to do this.

I've read enough printer didn't work properly stories to play that game I'm afraid

Before we know it you have to be at the station an hour before the train leaves.

 

[Haywain]

I've read enough printer didn't work properly stories to play that game I'm afraid

Before we know it you have to be at the station an hour before the train leaves.

Not playing that game hasn't worked out well though, has it? The trouble with reading these forums is that you only see bad news, and that only applies to a tiny percentage of the customers of the railways so you should take everything you read here with an accompanying pinch of salt.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Not playing that game hasn't worked out well though, has it? The trouble with reading these forums is that you only see bad news, and that only applies to a tiny percentage of the customers of the railways so you should take everything you read here with an accompanying pinch of salt.

Sorry my fault obviously

 

[VauxhallandI]

Got to Euston on Sunday evening on my way back from Glasgow.

Found out that you can’t change the direction of the ticket you want to change, didn’t know that.

Then of course the advance tickets for when I was looking (Jan) aren’t released yet so it open tickets only.

Therefore doubling the outlay of the original ticket. Come back later when they are released? Well the original tickets is 4th Jan so that isn’t going to work.

Must all be my fault again I suppose.