Rail Firms 'Overcharge Passengers'

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Britain's biggest train companies are routinely overcharging customers who buy tickets over the telephone (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/03/rail_firms_overcharge_passenge.html#more

A survey by Passenger Focus found that one in 10 people calling GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways) and First Great Western were not given the cheapest prices for their journeys. Some were overcharged by more than ^200.

[grahame]

First Great Western said its online journey planner had also been revamped, while GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways) said the mystery shopping exercise had used "complicated and unusual" journeys, so the results were not representative of its customers' experiences.

From looking at the example that the article quoted, I do have some sympathy with the GNER team - although the example quoted was a spectacular overcharge, it might almost have been calculated to entrap the unwary booking agent in my view if the system didn't provide the relevenat help.  On my own experience of FGW^▸ (First Great Western) ticket purchases, the staff tend to be very helpful especially on the ex-Wessex journeys, and offer good advise.  But then on some of the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) routes, I've very nearly been sold something more expensive than I needed on a couple of occasions on what were not complex journeys.