Senior Rail Card Trainline V Ticket From Station/on Board

[2Margaret]

I have only used my senior rail card a couple of times for long distance uk journeys. If I buy a ticket at a station or on board if station unmanned, will the price be the same or will Trainline always be cheaper?

[mushroom25]

you will of course get a better deal if you book in advance (either online or at the station) as opposed to buying on the day.

but "thetrainline" or any other 3rd party booking agency won't "always" be cheaper, because there's a good chance of them adding a booking fee.

use www.nationalrail.co.uk and use the pull down "more options" to click for railcard use to research the cost - then either purchase from that site, or buy from the station - the cost will be the same.

[Buenchico]

As Mushroom25 indicates, using the Trainline website is little short of madness. Third party websites can't provide tickets any cheaper than you'll find here
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
and often add on a booking fee, actually making them dearer.

Further, I use to run a railway station and frequently encountered tickets issued by The Trainline that weren't valid for travel at all! (e.g. they'd be issued using an offer only available on the services of Company A, for a train operated by Company B, with seat reservations on train that didn't even have numbered seats anyway!).

The price for 'walk up' fares (as they're known in the rail industry) is always the same irrespective of whether they're purchased in advance (either from a rail station or through the National Rail website) or on the day of travel (either from a station or, where the departure station is unmanned, on the train).

Cheaper 'advance' fares aren't available on all routes but, where they are available, they'll cost just the same at a rail station as they do online (unless you're silly enough to book through a third party website with booking fees).

Chris