Trainline 2000

Advantages: On-line train ticket booking. Can get cheap tickets.
Disadvantages: Often crashes. A bit confusing.

...advance on the web? The trainline is a website which should let you buy a train ticket from any train company in the country. However, in practice, whether due to the heavy volume of traffic, or lazy coding I don't know, it is slow and cumbersome to use and often freezes halfway through making a booking. It also frequently cannot find the times of trains. If any of these happens, you have to start all over again. However, providing you are in luck ...
...quite useful. It gives you the option of the full range of fares to choose from, including booking two singles instead of a return, which you probably wouldn't get from a human being at a train station, unless you knew exactly what you were asking for. I think it is wrong that there is so much discrepancy in prices of train tickets. Why should a peak ticket cost twice as much as a non-peak ticket? Obviously the train companies are ripping people ... Read review

Advantages: Very easy Rail Ticket purcase. Simple and straight forward
Disadvantages: None

This is about the most civilised way of buying a train ticket that I have come across. The site is extremely easy to operate, as there are only 8 steps involved. One specifies the departure and destination stations; dates and preferred times of travel for both outward and return journeys. If a single ticket is required one simply leaves the return details out. The next step takes a few moments to find train times around those entered and one is ...
...as well as an option to look for earlier and later trains. One then enters the number of people travelling – adults and children, bicycles, type of ticket - the choice is presented on a ‘Drop down’ menu - whether the fastest or cheapest. Specify type of railcard (if any), stations to avoid or pass through as well as an option to avoid changes or to allow for extra time in case of changes. Finally one specifies the type of ticket: single or return. ... Read review

Advantages: Minimal
Disadvantages: Clunky, expensive tickets compared with phone bookings

Tried today to book tickets Kings Cross to Newcastle. Long process compared with Airline booking sites (for example) - badly needs improving and modernising - takes longer than booking direct with GNER by phone (very good service) and much more expensive. Extremely poor site - hence I booked by phone and saved £203 compared with the comparable best price available on Trainline. Should be renamed Painline! It is also worth noting that CIAO requires ... Read review

Advantages: Good web site (navigation and choice)
Disadvantages: Credit card charges - travel insurance automatically added

...the most competitive fares. The Trainline is an excellent website to explore timetable and find out about fares available. Just two things customers should be aware of: - The Trainline automatically adds a travel insurance (£2 for a return ticket) and you always need to remember to opt out of this option (bit like asking for a coffee and ending up with a coffee AND a muffin) - The Trainline adds a credit card charge (another £2) if you choose ...
...charge for credit cards and the travel insurance is not automatically added!!! And if you are used to the Trainline web site and their speedy delivery of train tickets, don't worry the the Virgin Train web site is powered by the Trainline so same service, just much more customer friendly ... Read review