Yesterday I started off with what I thought would be an easy task, but it's proving hellish difficult.

What I'm trying to discover is whether someone like myself who is based overseas can book and pay for via the internet the journey from Heathrow to Newcastle. Even KingsX to Newcastle would do. Preferably complete with Apex or some other cheapy discount ?

www.thetrainline.com say you must have a postal address in the UK where they then send tickets to (ie. not possible when flying in from Sydney !) They aren't able to arrange for me to pick up tickets from the ticket office at Terminal 4.

The GNER web site has lots of info but I don't seem to be able to purchase online.

So does anyone know if I can book the tickets in advance online ? Ta.

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2000

Answers

That must be new, then, cause I ordered from thetrainline.com last year and had no problem picking them up at the station. Don't know of any other way. Pretty sh***y of them if they're not allowing it anymore as it leaves visitors up a very expensive creek otherwise. :-(

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2000

Loony, why not just buy tickets on the day from Kings Cross?

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2000

Cause you pay full price if you buy on the day :-(

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2000

You beat me to it Ciara ... and there's a HUGE difference Rik between coughing up full price and paying 26 quid for a bargain single. Especially once you've converted into p&ss weak Oz dollars ;o))

So does anyone have any solutions ??? Ciara - did you pick up tix at Heathrow, and did you book via TheTrainLine ?

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2000

Could always get them delivered to one of us to post on to you!

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2000

Going some where Loony?

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

Straight to heaven gus ! Straight to heaven. It's just that I'm way too tight to spend a fortune getting there ...

Fancy coming along for the ride ?

-- Anonymous, September 12, 2000

That's the closest you two have come to being civil since Loony told you he was coming over ;))

-- Anonymous, September 12, 2000

Just saw this LT, not been able to keep up with all the threads consistently lately. I got my ticket throught the Trainline before I left the States. Just picked it up at the station.

-- Anonymous, September 12, 2000

You paying?

-- Anonymous, September 12, 2000

Gus - Me no paying, you scabbing b'stard. Me got good deal for myself though. Less than $1500 return. Me very happy. I send you postcard. Maybe.

Gav - Civil to the blackmailing guster from W.A ? Nee chance ;o)

Geordie - As always the solution is blindingly obvious. Ta for that. I'm onto it (always assuming those useless wazzocks are actually able and willing to sell me a ticket over the net).

Ciara - Thanks very much for the info. From the frustrating experiences so far, it does seem that the Trainline may have gone seriously downhill since last year ! Part of the response I got from them was:

>>We limit the stations at which you can collect our tickets to those at which Virgin Trains have a presence and have selected as stations they can support collections from. >>The rail regulations dictate that whoever prints the ticket gets all of the commission for selling it. Through our association with Virgin we have arranged to share their commission but we don't yet have similar sharing agreements with other train operators.

-- Anonymous, September 12, 2000