On December 21st I was taking an early morning East Coast train from Newcastle to London. About a half hour after leaving Newcastle, the train broke down and we were stuck on the tracks over an hour without power. When they did fix it, we had to depart at the next station because they didn't know how long the fix would last, plus the overhead lines broke further south so all of those trains were being re-routed, etc.

 

When I was on the original train, there was an announcement that we could get a refund for our tickets by going to their website. I sent a request on the East Coast website last week, which indicated they would look into my request ASAP. I still haven't received a response. I'm pretty sure there's a time limit for a refund, so I don't want to sit around twiddling my thumbs waiting for a response that may never come.

 

Have any of you tried to get a refund for a U.K. rail ticket? Any advice you can offer me?

just email them one more time. they may have an alternative email or something ? :thinking:

Ring them?

maybe wait till Monday ?

have patience :P

We were just about to climb on the train and the train driver says we have to go and shut the doors on us and he was early leaving :mean:

They are mean people that is all .

Sue 'em.

The 'funny' part of it is when the train broke down, since we lost power, we also lost heat. It was -10C that morning, so it got cold in there pretty quick. They told us to congregate in one of the cars to stay warm. "Oh and by the way we're also selling hot drinks in the same car if you want to buy something to help keep you warm."

 

As in, give us more money please. :dozey:

i simply would have asked them directly from their office at the station or nearest one where the incident happened. try to phone them or email them again, but soon, if as you say probably the time to ask for it is short.

 

i used UK trains and didn't had any problem, workers were useful and willing to help -at least the ones from the south-, thought my incidents didn't involved the need to ask for a refund or that the machine got broken or stuck, mine were simply that i missed a train or the train left or arrived on delay.

 

i had the problem of it broken in the underground in london, i didn't ask for refund and we weren't warned if we could -i didn't payed much attention to it tbh-, anyways where it broke i was near to were i was going to stop so not much reason to ask for a refund.

Diesel trains rule :P

 

Even when it's snowing they keep going, when the electric trains stop as they can't get the power from the 3rd rail.

Don't know if you still need help, Caribou, but I got a full refund for my ticket! I contacted their ticket booth when we were still in Newcastle, however, so that's not much help. I'd say keep contacting them and save all emails and stuff should they make a fuzz.

Yeah I still haven't heard from them, and that was plenty of time! It wasn't an e-mail, it was an automated form on their website. I think I'll just have to call them, although that's going to cost me more money too since now it is an overseas call. I wouldn't bother if it were £10 or less, but since this was a cross-country train and I purchased it a few hours before it departed... it was more than £100. :| So I definitely want that money back, that's nothing to sneeze at!

Try and get a proper email address and try to email it that way, then at least you've got a trail.

Interesting. This morning I received an e-mail response regarding my original inquiry. Keep in mind my original inquiry was submitted December 29th, so this is almost 3 full weeks later. Okie dokie.

Anyway, their response said that I need to submit a formal complaint letter via mail along with the original tickets, and then they will "investigate the claim and prepare a full written response. Any compensation payable will be determined at this time and will be calculated in accordance with our Passenger's Charter and the National Rail Conditions of Carriage."

 

So basically this won't be resolved for another month or so (if at all). Craptacular.

:facepalm:

 

And you know have to pay for the postage overseas. :|

As an illegal immigrant living in the United Kingdoms without a visa or green piece of card I am at a particular advantage in addressing this question. It is very important you are firm in your dealings with Network Rail, you must say "NO, I am not happy with the service for which I have paid my cash American dollars for and must receive the RECOMPENSATION OR ELSE!", if you use exclamation marks and capital letters in the email they will understand that you are angry and will instantly give you recompensation, but do not tell them you are residing in England illegally because if you do they will get you in trouble sadface.