Transpenine xpress website no need to phone Virgin for bikes

[Bonroute]

I have previously been booking myself and bike on Virgin trains through their call centre for routes on the west coast. Have now found that I can do all this via the Transpenine express website as they sell tickets for Virgin trains! May be of use to other cyclists.

[mjr]

I have previously been booking myself and bike on Virgin trains through their call centre for routes on the west coast. Have now found that I can do all this via the Transpenine express website as they sell tickets for Virgin trains! May be of use to other cyclists.

But do they sell the cheap special offers?

[Sweep]

I have previously been booking myself and bike on Virgin trains through their call centre for routes on the west coast. Have now found that I can do all this via the Transpenine express website as they sell tickets for Virgin trains! May be of use to other cyclists.

But do they sell the cheap special offers?

In my expedience, the answer to that will be a straight no.
And couldn't give a ****

edit/clarification - I meant Virgin couldn't give a **

I did recently get a special offer virgin ticket and get a bike on the same train but it was a terrible pain.

[Bonroute]

I got a ticket for as cheap as booking with Virgin. Was in a hostel so wanted to get it done quick and convenient.

[Sweep]

I got a ticket for as cheap as booking with Virgin. Was in a hostel so wanted to get it done quick and convenient.

No doubt you did but I very much doubt it was one of their seat sale tickets. They have these sales 2 to 3 times a year, maybe more. Very handy for cyclists. But their usual condition is that these special fares are only bookable through their own site. Search for these fares on any other site and you will not see them.

[Bonroute]

Just checked it was an Advance Single. Don't know anything about Virgin special offers. Probably useful for some.

[Sweep]

Just checked it was an Advance Single. Don't know anything about Virgin special offers. Probably useful for some.

Yes they are. They tend to cover quite long periods and are good if you can book ahead. I find them useful for cycling jaunts. Often about 50 per cent of the cost of an advance single I think. Recently did London to Peterborough for barely over a fiver. You can get on their email list for them. Both west and east coast do the sales. But as I said the tickets are only available online on their own site. Despite being stood in front of an east coast employee in the ticket office, at one of their main stations, Kings Cross, no way could I get him to sell me a ticket I knew existed. So I went through the palaver processs I won't bore you with.

I will try to flag future sales on here.

[Bonroute]

Thanks, I've just gone to the virgin website and registered for the seat sales! Very useful. My local station has started to encouraging me to collect tickets from them as I think it's under threat. But I've had limited luck finding cheap tickets from a ticket office search.

As an aside I just travelled as a normal Virgin passenger without a bike and six bikepackers tried to get on the Edinburgh to Euston train on a Saturday afternoon! I know two made it but didn't manage to speak to them to find out if they had booked.

Scotrail are also going to add carriages for outdoor equipement

https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport ... -1-4755533

It seems that cycle touring is popular.

[Sweep]

My local station has started to encouraging me to collect tickets from them as I think it's under threat. .

Yes, they want us to rely on web sales, with the false promise that it is cheaper/more convenient. In reality they will work towards analysing you as a customer to maximise profit.

A couple of years ago the ticket office in Clitheroe (also under threat) managed to secure me a ticket and a cycle reservation when the Virgin global network had routed my call, on extensive hold, to the other side of the planet. And still screwed it up.

[pete75]

It's Virgin no longer - LNER now. WOnder if they'll go back to the pre Virgin online bike booking..

[Sweep]

It's Virgin no longer - LNER now. WOnder if they'll go back to the pre Virgin online bike booking..

yes I know.

I kind of doubt it to be honest.

Progress.

Layer upon layer of marketing bull***

LNER are only minders as I understand it before the government hands it over to some other bunch of shysters who are, as I tap this in, already crafting their presentations.

I also understand that Virgin and Stagecoach will be able to pitch for a franchise they have previously run away from.

You can't make it up!

In short, it's rapidly getting to the state where it is just easier to pedal the whole way, seeing stuff along the way.

[RickH]

It's Virgin no longer - LNER now. WOnder if they'll go back to the pre Virgin online bike booking..

Just to clarify that it is still Virgin on the west coast line, only east coast has become LNER.