Am I entitled to a full refund?

Question

I booked my train tickets from my departing station two days before the journey. Come the day the train didn't show up because of engineering works. Well I don't think that's an excuse not to refund, they must have known about it two days before. Eventually after an hour a bus turns up but, as a result my 5 hour journey became over 8 hours. I thought 3 hours late was long enough to get a full refund?

So I send off the First Great Western compensation forms and my tickets and all I get back is a letter that says thanks for your comments. Arriva and Wessex trains have always refunded me in full for being even an hour late. I'm pretty sure I'm entitled to a refund but, what should I do next about getting one?

Answer 1

a ticket has no guarantee of departure time nor-arrival time.  

NO, Refund due if you were delivered to your ticked destination.

Answer 2

Phone up customer services of the train company and explain you're not happy with the outcome. If not ask at your local CAB office.

Answer 3

Pay your local Trading Standards Office a visit.

Answer 4

Hi there. when booking tickets you should have checked if there was engineering taking place. We at Networkrail have to advise the Train Operating Companies 2 years before hand that we are going to carry out maintenance work on a line. Also The train operating company (TOC) has to by law state when the line are going to be closed for engineering works.

I know that I'll get thumbs down for my answer.

As to refunds if the TOC has advertised that there was engineering works & told you when you bourght your ticket, then I am afraid that you will not be entitled to any refunds!

Answer 5

You still went ahead and travelled even though you knew there was areplacement coach instead of a train so I don't see hwy you will get a refund. Had you decided not to travel you could have got a refund on the spot. The ticket gets you from one place to another and that is exactly what you did.

Answer 6

If you had decided not to make the journey, then you would have been entitled to a full refund.

However, as you actually made the journey, you are entitled to some compensation, usually in the form of vouchers, as the train was more than 1 hour late.

The question about the railworks is this:

were the railworks planned, if so, then they would have appeared on the ticket seller's RJIS system and they would have had the information to advise you.  They may have been negligent in not so advising you.

On the other hand, the railworks may have been as a result of something going wrong that day, and as such, the ticket seller would not have been in a position to advise you.

Answer 7

I should think so. Currently First Great Western are the worst UK rail operator earning them the nickname "Forever Getting Worse".

Answer 8

You will not get a refund - see the National Conditions of Carraige by Rail.

The details of all engineering works are posted on the National Rail website at least a month beforehand. In addition, notices are posted in all affected stations. If you chose either not to read or source them, then that is not the fault of either National Rail, Network Rail or the Train Operating Company (First Great Western, in this case).

But do continue writing to the TOC, because the postage will help the finances of Royal Mail and your fruitless letters will give the staff of First Great Western a good laugh!

Answer 9

If they have a costomer Service agency, call them and explain what happened.  I'm sure you'll get some sort of a refund.