HELP!!! Robbing Train Companies

[crodonilson]

I booked some train tickets about a month ago to visit family in the midlands over Christmas. I booked on my debit card to collect at the station and last weekend I had my wallet stolen with my debit card in.

I didn't think this would be much of an issue and phoned up London Midland who I had booked my tickets with to let them know I was no longer in possession of said card and they said I therefore would not be able to obtain the tickets without the card to prove I'd booked them, and would have to re-book. The tickets were non refundable so I lose all the money on them not to mention the fact the train tickets have nearly doubled since then.

Surely this can't be right, the matter seems so trivial, I have booked and paid for my tickets and now stand to lose out and have to re-book at double the cost. Anyone with any inside info on train companies know where I stand?? Has this happened to anyone else??

 

[albion534]

Surely If it's the same account, sort code etc, it shouldn't be a problem, just a different card number?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

That can't be right - what would they do if the card you'd booked with expired by the time you picked up the tickets ?

Do you have an email confirming the booking ? If you do I'd send them a strongly worded letter / email telling them if they fail to honour your booking you'll sue them in Small Claims Court for breach of contract.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

There must be a process to cover this surely? But, given the idiotic shambolic way in which our railways are run I would not put it past them.

 

[The Large One]

Contact your bank...?

Surely some mechanism must be in place to recognise that the previous card number and the new one are from the same account.

 

[Hillian1]

Bunk the train, swear at anyone who asks you for a ticket.

It's the only language they understand.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

For gig tickets you just have to show photographic ID and proof of address. Simples. Why not the same with the railways?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Bunk the train, swear at anyone who asks you for a ticket.

It's the only language they understand.

Wrong, the understand polish.

 

[Vicar!]

I had the same thing happen to me and Virgin issued the tickets without query against a photo ID. No problem. Bank cards expire and are replaced so their system must allow for this. Sounds like you just got a pleb! Call again you should be fine.

 

[Simster]

There must be a process to cover this surely? But, given the idiotic shambolic way in which our railways are run I would not put it past them.

This.

You can't really expect our white-flag waving train shitters to go out of their way to help a customer can you? That would mean a bit of unnecessary effort on their part, and it's not as if you'll never use them again.

The good news is that you're going in the winter so they'll have to refund you with the whole cost anyway when the train is cancelled after the obligatory dusting of snow means the driver doesn't fancy getting out of bed that morning - sorry I mean when "the points are frozen".

 

[Vegas Seagull]

I booked some train tickets about a month ago to visit family in the midlands over Christmas. I booked on my debit card to collect at the station and last weekend I had my wallet stolen with my debit card in.

I didn't think this would be much of an issue and phoned up London Midland who I had booked my tickets with to let them know I was no longer in possession of said card and they said I therefore would not be able to obtain the tickets without the card to prove I'd booked them, and would have to re-book. The tickets were non refundable so I lose all the money on them not to mention the fact the train tickets have nearly doubled since then.

Surely this can't be right, the matter seems so trivial, I have booked and paid for my tickets and now stand to lose out and have to re-book at double the cost. Anyone with any inside info on train companies know where I stand?? Has this happened to anyone else??

Phone them back & ask to speak to someone 'more important' & so on upwards until resolved....

 

[8ace]

I bought our Blackburn tickets with a card that was due to expire before the date of travel and there was a big warning in red letters telling me about this. So I collected them last month.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Phone them back & ask to speak to someone 'more important' & so on upwards until resolved....

Like who? Thomas the Tank Engine himself?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I bought our Blackburn tickets with a card that was due to expire before the date of travel and there was a big warning in red letters telling me about this. So I collected them last month.

And what was the warning?

 

[sten_super]

Someone has fed you incorrect information. I've lost my card in the past, simple phone call to the booking agent (think it was thetrainline) and they changed the record on their system so that any card could be used to collect the tickets, as long as I entered the correct booking code. The system is therefore clearly designed to deal with this, regardless of booking agent.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Someone has fed you incorrect information. I've lost my card in the past, simple phone call to the booking agent (think it was thetrainline) and they changed the record on their system so that any card could be used to collect the tickets, as long as I entered the correct booking code. The system is therefore clearly designed to deal with this, regardless of booking agent.

The 'system' is also (legally I believe) supposed to sell you the cheapest ticket. It clearly does not.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Someone has fed you incorrect information.

Incorrect information, on the railways? Thanks for this gem of information.

 

[dingodan]

No they cannot do that.

Nobody can sell you something, then refuse to give you the product (for whatever reason), and at the same time refuse to give you a refund as well. No way. I would say speak to someone more senior at the company you dealt with, and if you get no luck, take it up with the bank.

But don't back down, you are in the right.

 

[8ace]

And what was the warning?

Make sure you collect your tickets before the card expires - don't leave it til the day you travel or you won't be able to collect them.

 

[skipper734]

I have the same issue with some airline tickets I have booked for next year. The card I used to book with has been changed. You print your own ticket of anyway but the website, BA says you need to produce the debit card you booked with.
I sauntered into my local bank branch to check, I appeared to know more about it than the Girl adviser, which didn't fill me with a lot of confidence. She said it would probably be alright but take the old card along as well.
At the moment I am just trying to build up enough chill reserves, so I don't explode when I contact BA and ask them the same question. I am probably the only person in the whole Banking Universe who has had their Card renewed so I am anticipating a difficult time!