Thread: Train to QE2?

I have spent several frustrating hours online trying to book train tickets for our pre-cruise trip this December.

Megatrain from London to Soton looks good, but I can't purchase on their website. We're also trying to book tix for another train journey (We're doing Yorshire, Leeds to London, then London to Soton and the QE2). Megatrain and GNER sites won't accept a US card, neither will the 'trainline' or some such site. They all use the same system (they just change the colors to confuse the user), so I don't know why they bother to be separate websites!

Does anyone know of a site that will allow me to buy train tickets at a sane price? The US-based sites offer to sell me tickets at inflated prices. For example, they have a ticket from Leeds to London for $140 usd. If I could buy from GNER at advance purchase rates, that same ticket would be under $40, so no way am I going to pay the extra $100 per ticket!!! The day I do that you'll see:

I've bought train tix on the internet in previous years, so I don't understand why I can't make it work now.


Does anyone know if I can use a US credit card if I buy tix by phone? (I can't possibly be on hold for $100 worth of minutes, even at international rates!!!)

HELP!!!

Stewards, please don't move this thread elsewhere! I'm asking on this board because the posters here have wrestled with this subject before and are most likely to have the info I need.

Kathy

No problem. This is where your question should be asked But you might also post it on the United Kingdom board. There are several active threads going there right now and someone might be able to help you.
United Kingdom

Update for anyone in US trying to buy British train tix: For regular train lines, call the company directly. If you use a 10 10 number, the rate for the call isn't so bad. I was able to call GNER and buy the tix on the phone, took 4-5 minutes including 2 min hold time.

Megatrain to Southampton, on the other hand, is impossible. I tried to call, but it's a 900 number, and the 10-10 service won't let you call a number that has an extra charge associated with it. Not sure if using your regular long-distance carrier will let you call a foreign 900 number (Verizon, like all other customer service I've contacted in the past week, is clueless, and at 2.75 per minute, I'm not going to risk it)

So if you want to save on the London to Southampton train ride, you have to get someone in the UK to book for you.

Off to call my cousin now...

Kathy

Originally Posted by Char

No problem. This is where your question should be asked But you might also post it on the United Kingdom board. There are several active threads going there right now and someone might be able to help you.
United Kingdom

Wouldn't it make sense to perhaps put a Sticky on the UK board to advise readers that there is now a rather well-informed group of Cunardians on this Board?

Originally Posted by NomDePlume

Wouldn't it make sense to perhaps put a Sticky on the UK board to advise readers that there is now a rather well-informed group of Cunardians on this Board?

It shouldn't be necessary for the questioners to seek out specific people to answer their questions. The questions are posted in the area of interest and those with like interest will answer.

Originally Posted by 3rdGenCunarder

Update for anyone in US trying to buy British train tix: For regular train lines, call the company directly. If you use a 10 10 number, the rate for the call isn't so bad. I was able to call GNER and buy the tix on the phone, took 4-5 minutes including 2 min hold time.

Megatrain to Southampton, on the other hand, is impossible. I tried to call, but it's a 900 number, and the 10-10 service won't let you call a number that has an extra charge associated with it. Not sure if using your regular long-distance carrier will let you call a foreign 900 number (Verizon, like all other customer service I've contacted in the past week, is clueless, and at 2.75 per minute, I'm not going to risk it)

So if you want to save on the London to Southampton train ride, you have to get someone in the UK to book for you.

Off to call my cousin now...

Kathy

Kathy,

Good luck with your quest. The booking and timetabling structure of UK rail services is not for the fainthearted. I find online booking incomprehensible, especially when trying to find best price for advance booking. A large drink beforehand may help Your cousin's probably the best bet.
Anita