UK Trains - Online bike reservations

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jonsear
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Joined: 25 Feb 2013, 7:22pm

UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by jonsear »

Hi

For years I've been using the East Coast online booking system whenever I need to make a bike reservation, but they have just withdrawn this facility and require cyclists to phone a call centre which can be very time consuming. Can anyone recommend another website which allows you to make UK wide bike reservations online?

Thanks

Jon
Richard Fairhurst
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

Any FirstGroup railway site (GWR, TransPennine Express, Hull Trains) or Chiltern Railways.

They use a booking system called WebTIS and you can read about it here: http://saveecrewards.co.uk/blog/webtis-last-gift-gner
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mercalia
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by mercalia »

jonsear wrote:Hi

For years I've been using the East Coast online booking system whenever I need to make a bike reservation, but they have just withdrawn this facility and require cyclists to phone a call centre which can be very time consuming. Can anyone recommend another website which allows you to make UK wide bike reservations online?

Thanks

Jon


yes got an email to make a new account - but does it apply to the old website or has that now gone also

if so we all need to email them and tell them it aint good enough :evil:
jonsear
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by jonsear »

Thanks Richard.

and yes - the old East Coast booking site seems to have disappeared as of today
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gaz
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by gaz »

High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
robing
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by robing »

jonsear wrote:Thanks Richard.

and yes - the old East Coast booking site seems to have disappeared as of today

:(
gbnz
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by gbnz »

Richard Fairhurst wrote:Any FirstGroup railway site (GWR, TransPennine Express, Hull Trains) or Chiltern Railways.

They use a booking system called WebTIS and you can read about it here: http://saveecrewards.co.uk/blog/webtis-last-gift-gner


Thanks, booked a ticket on the East Coast mainline via GWR (And sent a "disgusted" email to shabby Virgin East Coast Trains)
gbnz
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by gbnz »

Well, I'm now on my fourth email today, welcoming me to the Virgin Trains "family". They're specifically asking me for my opinion on their new site
nirakaro
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by nirakaro »

I had a rant at Virgin about this, and eventually got a reply that included this -
"This is a temporary issue and is being worked on. We understand the importance of being able to book everything you require all in one go and we want it to be as easy as possible. There have been a few hiccups doing the transition of the old and new website and our Digital Team are working tirelessly to get everything working."
So there's still hope ...
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mjr
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by mjr »

Virgin Trains East Coast tweeted today to ask if people preferred paperwork mountains or mountain biking and suggested using their trains to go mountain biking... they've deleted the tweet so I guess they didn't like the replies :lol:
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mercalia
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by mercalia »

I dont understand why adding a bike booking section can be so hard? is not rocket science? Maybe they should have used a different tech company to make the website if the one they are using couldnt do the job properly? In fact should have been part of the job specification? no excuse really?
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mjr
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by mjr »

mercalia wrote:I dont understand why adding a bike booking section can be so hard? is not rocket science? Maybe they should have used a different tech company to make the website if the one they are using couldnt do the job properly? In fact should have been part of the job specification? no excuse really?

I don't understand it either - but mainly because they've not bothered to really explain what's causing the hold-up. I wouldn't be surprised if the bike-booking back-end system is annoyingly different to the passenger-booking one and there's some sort of face-off happening between the website developers and the back-end providers.

I think I've posted before a report via sustrans that bike-booking was part of the job specification but was delayed in order to hit the launch date (one of those old "pick two" jokes). I don't know what the continuing delay is caused by. The silence from VTEC is frustrating.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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gbnz
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by gbnz »

mjr wrote:Virgin Trains East Coast tweeted today to ask if people preferred paperwork mountains or mountain biking and suggested using their trains to go mountain biking... they've deleted the tweet so I guess they didn't like the replies :lol:


Surprising. Virgin Trains East Coast launch a new website, block cyclists from reserving a space for a bike while booking tickets online and then are surprised when cyclists tell them to f£%^£"£ off!

I had my response from Virgin Trains today, effectively telling me to f%££( off (I.e. I can walk to the station and book a bike on a train or use that 20th century invention - the telephone). Online booking is a big NO from Virgin Trains.

VIRGIN TRAINS (ANTI CYCLING). VTN-170805BCBZ
Thank you for your correspondence on 5 August 2017 regards the problems you have encountered when attempting to book cycle space on the new Virgin Trains East Coast website.

I am sorry that you find the change disappointing, I have logged your comments and they will be used in reviews of the website launch, you can still make cycle reservations both at Travel Centres and stations, right up to the point of departure, space permitting and via contacting the Web Support department on 03457 225 111, between 08.00-20.00 hours Monday-Saturday and between 10.00-20.00 hours on Sunday.

Yours sincerely

Russell Brooks
Customer Solutions Representative
Virgin Trains East Coast
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Sweep
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by Sweep »

Do not whatever you try and do try to use the 20th century tech of the phone if you value your sanity. The virgin call centre is an abomination for bikes. My advice is to stick to the 19th century solution of a pedal to the station. Combined with checking stuff in the station on a mobile, or on a tab if they have free wifi. My next virgin booking will involve a pedal to euston. I have had enough of their micturate poor system.

No excuses Virgin.
Sweep
mercalia
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Re: UK Trains - Online bike reservations

Post by mercalia »

Sweep wrote:Do not whatever you try and do try to use the 20th century tech of the phone if you value your sanity. The virgin call centre is an abomination for bikes. My advice is to stick to the 19th century solution of a pedal to the station. Combined with checking stuff in the station on a mobile, or on a tab if they have free wifi. My next virgin booking will involve a pedal to euston. I have had enough of their micturate poor system.

No excuses Virgin.


even for advanced tickets where there is no refund? what do you do first - get a bike ticket then a person ticket or other way around?
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