GNER vs. The Trainline
If, like me, you use the train as your main form of transport, especially for cross-country journeys, you probably book your tickets from The Trainline, right? You get that clear interface, showing the prices of all available tickets, easy credit card payments, a choice of delivery methods… awww, let’s all have a lovely cosy Trainline appreciation party RIGHT HERE!
One further question. Do you live in the east of Britain, where the main intercity train operator is GNER? Well, here’s a tip… don’t use The Trainline to book your tickets.
Trying to book tickets to Lincoln, I was annoyed at how The Trainline specified a particular service via Retford, even though I knew there were much faster connections via Newark. I think they must have a fixed allocation of tickets for each service; whatever, I’ve craftily sidestepped this problem in the past by buying direct from the train operator’s website.
On this occasion, I wasn’t able to get the exact ticket I wanted direct from GNER, but something else grabbed my attention… GNER have a range of tickets with an online discount, which you can’t get through The Trainline. For example…
Standard Advance 3
Trainline — £17
GNER — £15.15
1st Advance 1
Trainline — £21.90
GNER — £19.50
For tickets in both directions, for more than one person, that’s quite a difference.
There. You can’t say I don’t do important consumer research for you.
October 10th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
You’re well on your way to becoming the thinking person’s Lynn Faulds Wood…
October 23rd, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Got all excited then … read it as “GN’R” and thought it was some kind of Battle of the Bands. :p
Fear the train operated by Guns N’ Roses!
October 25th, 2007 at 10:20 am
This isn’t quite accurate. GNER actually use the same booking service as the Trainline. As with all online stores there is the option for ‘Discount Codes’ and GNER use a discount code to apply discounts automatically to their site.
If you use this discount code on the trainline it will give the 10% discount. I think the code is something like GNERWEB or something similar.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Ooh, interesting. Thanks for that, Ian.