Trainline
reviews and complaints

Tonight we were at London Bridge travelling towards Ealrswood and I am utters my disgusted by the way I was treated as somebody with a physical disability. I asked to use the toilet on the platform and I was told I could not and to go downstairs to use the toilet, when explaining that I we disabled I was told to price it all though I clearly had a brace on my left leg and could not walk properly. Upon explaining this I was asked why I was at the train station and why I was there which is absolutely disgraceful and I am utterly repulsed by this.

Train was cancelled due to planned work however I was not informed of this! I was supposed to be in York for a wedding however due to the rail replacement I was going to be late. There was no notice of this cancellation or change. I am unable to claim a refund according to your website however I did select the travel insurance. I am still unable to claim my money back even though I had to make alternative arrangements to get to York on time.

I am extremely unhappy with the service I have received. I paid £21.49 for 2 tickets. At Rotherham train station the service man was very unhelpful and rude.

Policy Number: ERG-[protected]-57149

Travel dates: 2023-04-08 to 2023-04-10

Your Transaction ID: [protected]

Destination: return trip Rotherham Central to York (08 April, 11:35 - 10 April, 13:15)

Ref: TCJ8669R

My mum is 75 years old and she accidentally purchased the same journey tickets twice. She was unaware that the basket hadn’t cleared when she proceeded to the checkout. This is a genuine mistake and as such I would be grateful if you could. As a gesture of goodwill, arrange a refund for the incorrect journey?

It is the 1st journey that was the error 8.05 departing from Cosham.

My email is [protected]@me.com and my mums is [protected]@hotmail.com

The message below was sent to me after I booked a ticket for travel on 17th March. My Senior Rail Card does not expire until the 26th of March but the message below states that I need to renew it BEFORE I travel tomorrow, inferring that it is not valid. This is misleading and should be forbidden by advertising regulations. Perhaps I don't want to renew my rail card for whatever reason after my travel and after the current card expires. This is false advertising and should be stopped.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Trainline

Subject: Your Railcard is expiring – renew it before your journey

Date: 16 March 2023 at 08:32:24 GMT

To: [protected]@me.com

Reply-To: [protected]@comms.trainline.com

Don’t forget to renew your Railcard before your journey

Trainline

My account My account

Your Senior Railcard is expiring! You’ll need to renew it before your trip to keep your Railcard discount - don't forget!



Renew your Railcard

Trainline on Instagram Trainine on Facebook Trainine on Twitter

Please do not reply to this email as this email address is unmonitored.

This is a service message.

Registered address and tax

You have been sent this email by the Trainline Group.

The Trainline Group consists of:

• Trainline.com Limited (company number 3846791) and Trainline International Limited (company number [protected]) whose registered office is at 120 Holborn, London, EC1N 2TD; VAT number [protected]

• Trainline SAS (RCS Paris [protected]) is domiciled at 20 rue Saint-Georges, 75009 Paris with a registered capital of 118 513.94 Euros. The company is registered under IM078100022 with the commercial trade authority at 79-81, rue de Clichy, 75009 Paris; VAT number FR [protected]

Today Tuesday 28th February 2023 time 10.50am train from Inverness to Stirling.

I was appalled at the state of carriage that was allocated for myself and 3 friends on the above train.

The curtain was hanging off the window. The train seats had absolutely no padding and were sunk in the muddle we felt that we were almost sitting on the floor.

The carriages in the normal class were in better condition than the onese we had.

To charge first class prices for this journey was a disgrace i came off train with a very sore back and legs as i was constantly trying to stop myself from falling from the seat.

I accidently bought a ticket for Sunday 11th December, not Saturday 10th December- same line, same times, everything. When I got to the station, I was told that my ticket would not be accepted and I would have to buy a new one for the journey which was twice the cost of the original one. I asked if I could just have my ticket swapped to the right date, I was told to look on trainline so I did and it was not allowed. i then tried to get a refund on my wrong ticket and I could not do so. This is disgusting as I will not be using the train tomorrow so why should I have to pay?

ID [protected]. Because of strike train to Ely from Leamington on

Sat Oct 1 was cancelled. I was taken in car to destination. I collected my tickets (confirmed by Trainline) but when asking for refund they asked for return of tickets. I sent what I had, but not enough. Noone disputing the fact that I paid for ticket from Leamington to Ely on Oct1 which I could not use. Asking refund of £48.40. I must have lost bit they want. I need assistance and find travel difficult even when things go to plan.

Sirs

On the 5th September I sent a complaint via your e-form on your web site, but it would only let me quote the confirmation number for one trip, but I am complaining about several trips and I'm also concerned that the Acknowledgement of my complaint is just confirmation of a 'ticket' having been created, rather than an Acknowledgment of my communication having been sent to you and the fact that below that it says 'Book with Confidence' is a f...n insult, to say the least!

I am very unhappy with the mis-selling to me of your Network Rail Card.

I had to travel to and from Cambridge in late August/early September this year for work and, because of the cost, I responded to your advert promoting the Network Rail Card, which popped up when I viewed the prices, before I purchased them. The Network Rail Card, as you know, promised a third off the ticket price, once I’d paid £30 for this card. Your web site also provided a link in order that I could check if the trip to or from my destination was listed on your eligible destinations, which it was, as it was a trip either to or from Cambridge and I travelled both ways. Since your site showed that my trip was eligible, I paid the £30 for this digital card.

After buying the card, I travelled to and from Cambridge, the tickets for which were either £19.30/.20 or up to £30+ for the Saturday. I had already checked the prices without the Network Rail Card and was annoyed that with the Network Rail Card there was no difference at all.

The fact that you strongly advertised your Network Rail Card as providing a third off the trip, as long as the destination to or from was on your list of eligible destinations, plus your link showing that my travel destination (Cambridge), for, at least, one direction of the trip was eligible, should have provided the discount that was promised. The trips I booked were return trips to and from Cambridge and Attleborough and you will see this from my ticket purchase history on your records. Unfortunately, I’ve not had a chance to complain until now, but I still feel exploited.

Please refund the £30 that I paid for the card by crediting my credit card from which I paid yourselves.

I look forward to your putting things right, in order that this is resolved satisfactorily. Once you have done so, I would expect an apology, not arrogance and an explanation of what you have done to put the record straight, by return of e-mail.

Kind regards

Fenella Carr (Miss, not Ms or Mr)

Just want to let you know that your website incorrectly indicates in a heading that the funeral is to take place at "Westminster Cathedral". That is the Roman Catholic cathedral more towards Victoria Station and is not the location. In the body of the text you then correctly refer to Westminster Abbey. It seems a pity to get this important detail wrong so I thought you might like to change it? Best regards, Tony Marshall ([protected]@armarshall.co.uk)

Dear sir/madam,

Due to NO e-ticket being available for a ticket I bought, I had to stand in a huge queue at Gatwick for 12 minutes to print my tickets and consequently missed my train.

I have used Trainline for years and have always used the E-tickets which is the box ticket on my 'get tickets' option on my phone app.

As I wasn't on the specified train I was later charged £103.50 extra to go from Stevenage to Doncaster, by a conductor who would not accept my reason for being on the later train.

Yes ideally I should have left more time to get my train, but with an e-ticket there would have been no problem!

Attached is a video of all tickets. (Photos would not upload)

With regards Adrian Rawlins

[protected]@yahoo.com

RE: Beware Ticket Return Scam (and other so-called "customer-service" ploys)

Beware of third-party vendors (T-PV), which unfortunately sell most things, but even goods and services purchased directly from the manufacturer or provider might still involve unreasonable refund policies, meaningless warranties, or unsatisfactory repairs. The advice that follows is more than, "get a receipt," and reflects the low standards many businesses have adopted. In the case of travel, deceptive and unethical practices occur overseas too.

A case in point involves, Trainline (a/k/a/ "trainline.com"), that's purportedly a legitimate rail ticket vendor for British and European rails (including Eurostar which Americans should have no problems buying from directly). However (and I've encountered this more than once), some U.K. websites have difficulty with U.S. zip codes, and for convenience and a small fee, it's tempting to resort to a T-PV like "Trainline." In May I used a credit card online to buy a return (roundtrip) fare for an overnight trip (out June 24th), instead of booking directly with Great Western Rail (GWR), which I could have done in person while in London, but I would have lost out on the advance purchase price. GWR allows passengers to pick up the paper tickets at kiosks and some stations by using a code and the credit card involved, instead of having tickets emailed or mailed (the latter not offered for Transatlantic addresses or is cost prohibitive). Trainline's customers may also pick up their GWR tickets in the same manner.

The scenario is you're an American on holiday with limited time and may be unfamiliar with the places you're visiting, but due to an unforeseen event (you booked your tickets weeks earlier), something like a rail strike cancels your train! I picked up my tickets at Paddington Station over a week before the day of travel en route to Brussels, but misplaced my tickets by the time I returned home, and in the interim I was preoccupied with getting bus tickets (leaving from a station I could reach by foot, to more or less keep my original schedule). In Trainline's favor, they did notify me my trip was canceled in advance, by email at the beginning of the week in question, as it was a big story days before the strike occurred. Additionally, Trainline included an application one could click in the message which stated I could reschedule or get a refund without additional charges.

I waited a few days, during which I got bus tickets, before responding to Trainline to simply cancel before the departure date, presumably towards a charge back to my credit card.

As an aside, I was in Brussels when I received notification my train was cancelled and was dealing with a similar situation with a French railroad (Thalys, which promptly refunded my money after a brief local phone call in English); but Trainline's email offered a link to use to cancel; and which started simply enough with a few questions until the final step with small print that read, "Your refund will occur in 5 to 7 days after return of collected tickets." Furthermore, the tickets had to be returned to an address in Scotland, with the suggestion they be dispatched by tracked delivery. Such additional steps would require finding a post office, queuing to pay about $10.00 in postage (for tickets that cost around $75.00) and doing all of that before going home. If one could still find the useless tickets; presumably they were useless because not just the outgoing leg, but the return, portion of the journey was cancelled; and the original email from Trainline, notifying ticket holders stated that they (Trainline) themselves were informed by GWR that the trains were cancelled; but despite that admission, Trainline still required customers to perform additional burdensome steps of returning paper tickets (for what reason other than to hinder making refunds?)! Undoubtedly many customers with low-cost tickets just forgot the whole thing and Trainline would have successfully engineered a fraud, through "customer service" with unreasonable procedures. This seems to be a common practice with retailers who require faulty product to be returned to a location other than where purchased, via insured certified delivery, and/or in the original packaging (after numerous phone calls and emails or letters to various departments) in hopes customers just give up.

Trainline's original emailed notification instructed ticket holders to click on the link to an app to get a refund, or reschedule, at no extra charge (emphasis added). However, returning tickets is in fact a charge; and after successfully finding an email address to indicate my displeasure with their procedures, and asking for proof that "requirement" was part of the contract; nevertheless, all I received was an email with a link that repeats tickets must be returned. As of this writing I am still awaiting the final outcome of a dispute through my credit card issuer, filed upon my return home in July.

In closing, modern business practices seem to blur the line between (intentionally?) poor customer service and fraud. Hopefully, my experience can alert other travelers about Trainline's customer service.

P.S. - Travel insurance also requires you to return the tickets for a refund; but the internet is full of stories where returned tickets or merchandise is claimed to never have been received (even when delivery verification is used), at minimum returning tickets seems to be a tactic to drag out the refund procedure; and the frequency of similar incidents may be less of a common inconvenience and more of an anatomy of consumer fraud. Naturally, many T-PVs will try to deflect that charge by claiming they need the actual tickets to prevent fraud (in a brash turn of the table over who's actually committing the fraud).

I booked return tickets to london paddington from worcester on 26th july and return time 21.50 to worcester. no train arrived and was told to go to oxford and get taxi home. the next train was at 4.30am. you can imagine i was extremely upset by now. Please advise how to complain regards c slemp The ticket i purchased said train to Shrub Hill 21.50. this train did not arrive ticket master said no trains to Worcester till 4.30 am. This is clearly a fault to trainline as had pre booked tickets

I needed to book two tickets, using Trainline App:

1) Brighton to Pulborough Sunday 24th July

2) Pulborough to Brighton Monday 25th July

I have a senior railcard so the ticket price for a single journey was reduced from £13 to £8.55.

After looking up train times I went to book my tickets. By mistake, I booked Sundays ticket for Pulborough to Brighton instead of Brighton to Pulborough,

On the App it claims you can change the date/time. Let it be known: you can’t change the date, only the time!

My only option was a refund.

Ok. So I paid £8.55 for the ticket with senior railcard.

Guess how much the admin charge is ?

£5. Yes you read that correctly.

I paid £8.55. My refund will be £3.

Dear sirs

My request for refund of my train travel ticket from last October has failed.

I am at a loss as to why.

I sent my original tickets as requested and phoned and had it confirmed that they had arrived. I have copies.

My journey was a return from Dunbar/ Edinburgh to Northampton.

The journey was one of the worst days of travel of my life! With cancellations delays blocked lines the lot. It wont take much research for you to verrify my claim.

My transaction ID is [protected]

outward 15th october return 18th October

From: Claire Hunter

Sent: 11 July 2022 12:56

To: Trainline

Subject: Re: Refund request - Action required

Hi there

Reference the above e mails to and from yourselves.

I know it was a while ago but my journey that day was horrendous. If your staff researched at all they would see the difficulties that I endured! cancelled trains at every turn jumping on and off trains incorrect information, Scared to go to the loo in case i missed a call. scared to go to a shop or a cafe for the same reason.

I sent the original tickets as requested and I know that they arrived.

I have copies of the return journey.

Not only am I due a refund but compensation too.

This is made worse as I spoke to someone at your office and he confirmed that the tickets were received.

The journey was a disaster! I didn't get home till 9.30 or 10 00 that night. That was only because I am able to hear, run and jump on and off trains easily. I can't imagine what it would have been like for a disabled person.

I have tried phoning but it says it will cost £3.60 a minute. that is outrageous.

I expected this to be sorted long ago.

At the time I was visiting my disabled sister. She took unwell and I was up all night with her and the ambulance service. Facing this journey after being up all night worried sick and looking after my sister was no joke and sapped all my energy for battling for the justice of a refund and compensation. But now I am requesting that you give this matter urgent attention please.

Thank you

Clair hunterTrying to contact you should not cost money, time and so much effort. phone charges hard to find e mail addresses trying to dissuade customers from claiming refunds.

I bought a return ticket from London to Bristol Temple meads for Friday the 20th 2022 returning Sunday 22nd May

My reason for travel was for work that has been cancelled.

I am currently unemployed and this was my first freelance job since November 2021 due to the pandemic

I took out travel insurance with ERV advertised on your site and offered prior to purchase (policy number below)

ERG-[protected]-5073

The insurance implied flexibility for peace of mind incase something happened and was unable to travel.

I made a claim today 18th May and was declined only to receive the small print stipulating what circumstances are applicable. The list supplied seemed to cover only very dire situations that were not visible when I purchased the cover.

I am unable to refund my tickets as advised.

The price to change my ticket is a full price train ticket which is £20 more than my original ticket.

This is a very disappointing outcome and the service provided is very misleading.

I will pursuing this to the Ombudsmen as would not want anyone else to purchase suxh a poor product.

Yours

Mr L Perkins

Myself and my son caught the train from Wellington train station to Shrewsbury it was great. We then got on the train from Shrewsbury to Wellington after our theatre show had finished. 4.41pm. The train stopped at Wellington (where my car was) we stood pressing door open with a crowd of others it didn't open. We went to the other door the train then started moving. The train conductor was lovely but could not do anything as the the next stop from Oakengates was Telford and this meant waiting an hour for the next train. Myself and 14 year old son who suffers from anxiety had to get off at Oakengates and order a taxi to Wellington. This is not the service I expect and in future I will not get a train. My son said let's go by train as it's an adventure! An adventure it was and now it's put him off. I did it to save my anxieties about parking etc but it actually made both our anxieties worse! No wonder people don't use trains. There was also a disabled lady in a wheelchair who could not get off! As noone had put the ramp down at Wellington I am appalled at this. This was a total mess.

Therefore a lovely day at the the theatre turned into a late nightmare.
I paid for this and then had to pay more to get my car.

I booked this train:
18.35 London Paddington to Swansea on Sunday 9th May
I used Trainline and paid via paypal
£52.40 GBP
Transaction ID 8UA17121KW122701T
Transaction date
9 May 2021 13:15:30 BST
Ticket collection reference W5R8N47L

the train was cancelled and i have asked trainline for a refund
They will not refund the ticket. I posted the tickets to them but they deny receipt (there is no tracking number). I also sent photos.

After around 10 exchanges of emails they refuse to refund the money for a train that did not run, furthermore the train was cancelled already at the time of sale. therefore they should never have taken the payment.

the customer service is slow and unhelpful

I booked two train tickets from Paris to Brussels.Trainline did not send email confirmation, sms confirmation of tickets.

Plus, if you can able to reach their customer service, they can not find your information too. If you want to file a complaint they respond in four days. Here comes the good part they easily accept your 200 euros and refuse to refund. Instead you have to spend another extra 200 to get new tickets from elsewhere.

It is such a scam that, this day and age they really think they can get away with it.

Overall awful service never, ever use when you are traveling.Avoid it all costs.

An absolutely terrible way of communicating with customers. Useless and not helpful. A lot of promises, no actions at all.
I have been waiting for my refund for 5 weeks, even though they promised to refund within one week.
Why is there no balance? They charged me right after I clicked the submit button, but giving the money back is a long or maybe even endless process.
They canceled the train, but I don't want to take any responsibility for this.

Thetrainline.com have repeatedly advertised ( on jobserve.co.uk ) the same or very similar roles for more than a year to my knowledge. I have never had any feedback from my application and cannot understand how this position has not been filled in the current economic environment. I reported them to the ASA as it is illegal to advertise jobs that don't exist.