Urgent!

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LondonBikeCommuter
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Urgent!

Post by LondonBikeCommuter »

Sorry, but drawn a comple blank everywhere else.

Ive tried to book a bike onto a south west trains service from Bournemouth to London.

Website wont allow me to do it and the local train station here cant do it either for ANY swt train. Called customer service and they basically say its first come first served. But a couple of weeks ago did book a bike onto an swt train. Worried I pay a fortune for a ticket and cant take the bike meaning a last minute fare costing an arm and a leg or worse there is no train at all.

Anyone have any advice??
LondonBikeCommuter
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Re: Urgent!

Post by LondonBikeCommuter »

Forgot to add im in the GWR region not SWT.
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Lusting my Pinnarello
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Re: Urgent!

Post by Lusting my Pinnarello »

Go back to customer services and ask if there service has changed since you were able to book it?

Maybe you spoke to a numpty?
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iviehoff
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Re: Urgent!

Post by iviehoff »

LondonBikeCommuter wrote:Ive tried to book a bike onto a south west trains service from Bournemouth to London.

Website wont allow me to do it and the local train station here cant do it either for ANY swt train. Called customer service and they basically say its first come first served. But a couple of weeks ago did book a bike onto an swt train. Worried I pay a fortune for a ticket and cant take the bike meaning a last minute fare costing an arm and a leg or worse there is no train at all.

Anyone have any advice??

My understanding is that you can't book on most SWT trains. Maybe there are exceptions for the Exeter line and some routes that don't go to London. If you are getting on at Bournemouth, surely unlikely to be a problem, and the service is fairly frequent.
The Mechanic
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Re: Urgent!

Post by The Mechanic »

Try booking through East Coast. You can book a bike on line for any service in the country
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brianleach
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Re: Urgent!

Post by brianleach »

Reservations only required between Waterloo and Salisbury, Exeter and Bristol.

Also there are no early ticketing prices on this line. Price will be the same subject to railcards and time of day restrictions.

Also most guards are pretty good with bikes.

I only travel to Portsmouth with my bike for the ferry connection occasionally with little problem but my son uses the line to Winchester quite a lot and has never not found a space as far as I am aware.

If you have a smartphone you can check the network rail app which has the cycles policy for all train line.
Adam S
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Re: Urgent!

Post by Adam S »

Is this the same train you booked on previously? the website seems to suggest that reservations are mandatory on West of England route (London Waterloo to Salisbury,
Exeter and Bristol) but others are operated on a first come first served basis. The information could be a lot clearer tbh
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horizon
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Re: Urgent!

Post by horizon »

LondonBikeCommuter wrote:
Anyone have any advice??


I often take a bike on this line. There are usually two bike carriages (as the train splits and joins perhaps?) so six spaces. I have never had a problem but maybe you could tell us if you are travelling morning peak to London. Otherwise booking is neither possible or necessary.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
LondonBikeCommuter
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Re: Urgent!

Post by LondonBikeCommuter »

Thanks everyone... have drawn a blank with the SWT call centre. Can only get a cheap ticket using a specified train. No cycle space no journey so new VERY expensive ticket. Looking to travel between 7pm & 10pm on Friday next week. Train starts in Weymouth. Looks like
my only option is to buy the cheap ticket and pray :(

Feel frustrated and angry!
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mjr
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Re: Urgent!

Post by mjr »

Anyone remember if you can still do the old restriction-dodging trick of taking the front wheel off, turning the bars sideways, putting the bike in a very large bag and calling it large luggage, for up to the half fare for the journey if the conductor is grumpy (I've seen much larger luggage and luggage occupying seats without being charged) and knows about the bulky luggage fares? http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_ ... imals.aspx makes me think it may still work as long as it's not a bike with an electric motor on it.
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horizon
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Re: Urgent!

Post by horizon »

LondonBikeCommuter wrote:Thanks everyone... have drawn a blank with the SWT call centre. Can only get a cheap ticket using a specified train. No cycle space no journey so new VERY expensive ticket. Looking to travel between 7pm & 10pm on Friday next week. Train starts in Weymouth. Looks like
my only option is to buy the cheap ticket and pray :(

Feel frustrated and angry!


LBC: please ....! You will have no problem - you cannot and do not need to book the bike space - there will be plenty of space on this train. if you are really worried book a later train perhaps.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
brianleach
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Re: Urgent!

Post by brianleach »

There will be no problem and as far as I can see the difference between specific train price and standard fare is around a fiver. Not quite the same a long distance northern train fare difference.

Would be interested in your take on a very expensive train fare in this context.

I would be a little more concerned going from Waterloo at that time but not unduly.
LondonBikeCommuter
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Re: Urgent!

Post by LondonBikeCommuter »

Ok have bought a cheap ticket after 100% of people have said you'll have no problems. Still would have been nice to have had the reassurance of a cycle booking. Can't fathom why SWT have done away with them.
LondonBikeCommuter
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Re: Urgent!

Post by LondonBikeCommuter »

brianleach wrote:Would be interested in your take on a very expensive train fare in this context.

With the invalid ticket the cost would be around £60 for a single according to ticket office. O.K not heinous but why throw away good money.
brianleach
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Re: Urgent!

Post by brianleach »

I wasn't suggesting wasting money just interested in what prices you had been given. A single B'mouth to Waterloo next Friday looks to be around £25 so if you are really concerned just get that and not go for a specific train. However I would expect there to space on any at that time.
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