Most reviewers were let down by their experience overall, citing widespread dissatisfaction with the platform. Customers frequently reported extreme frustration when trying to secure refunds for cancelled or delayed train journeys, claiming that valid requests were repeatedly denied or ignored. People also heavily complained about unhelpful customer service teams and automated chat bots that completely failed to resolve basic booking issues.
Some reviewers were not happy with the booking process, noting that payment methods frequently failed or search attributes changed unexpectedly right before purchase. Additionally, travelers experienced unexpected extra charges and hidden non-refundable fees that caused frustration.
I booked my tickets 6 months in advance but unfortunately had a fall 4 days before I was due to travel. I did need hospital treatment for 3 fractures to my right hand, so not able to travel. Had to 'jump through hoops' to get a refund and prove what had happened to me. I had sent hospital letters etc but they tried every way they could not to refund. Talk about adding insult to injury and feeling that I was dishonest! There was no way I would let this go when legally I was in the right. After 3 months I did get my money back but there's no way I would consider using them again.
Second time we had used them, tickets were fine and no problem using them. My issue is the Train was delayed, so I received an email with a link to the tickets to get a refund, but when you click the link, you get a message in what looks like Chinese and no access to the Tickets, won't be using them again
Hi,
I hope everyone is in good health.
I had a very sad experience with this company customers services, TrainPal; I trusted them and bought a ticket well in advance. On the day of the trip, they sent me an official email from TrainPal informing me that the train was delayed by an hour, but when I found out, it wasn't. I didn't use the tickets, I was forced to buy others tickets.
Even with all the evidence I've already sent to them, they refuse to give me a full refund, only wanting to refund - £1.86 and - £3 in vouchers...
I now ask, did I even buy the tickets with vouchers myself?
Due to they mistake, I didn't use they services and I feel that I shouldn't have to pay for a service that I didn't use: They were the ones who have to compensate me for all the shame and humiliation I went through running around the stations and at the Airport to avoid missing my flight.
To me, it's not a fair or trustworthy company. My family, friends, and everyone in my company will never use this company for a train travel or anything else.
I wish everyone all the best.
I had real problems buying a ticket + railcard using a promocode (that reduced the cost of the railcard). The railcard purchase failed for some reason - although my credit card was debited with the cost of it. The e-tickets went through - but I had no railcard to accompany them - so finally cancelled e-tickets and bought tickets at the station (only a hour before train left). I did get refunds for everything including the railcard payment. Of course, having used the promo-code once, I can't re-use it even though the first rail card purchase failed - not my fault - I approved it in my bank app. This app is a bit clunky - hopefully it will improve. Chat line (tedious to use - why do all coms have to be typed?) was helpful - and didn't have to queue for help.
Purchased a ticket through trainpal, given 3 tickets with 3 different seats at either side of the train, it was extremely difficult to go from seat to seat on a moving train and quite dangerous carrying a suitcase and other items trying to pass other passengers
The seats should have been allocated in the same carriage not either side of the train
I’m extremely upset with my experience using TrainPal. I purchased tickets through the platform, and the train was canceled due to an accident—not through any fault of mine. The refund process has been painfully slow and incredibly complicated.
If the system already has all of my records, why do I still have to send in the paper tickets? This seems completely counterproductive and goes against efforts to be more environmentally conscious. Even after I sent the paper tickets, I was told they hadn’t been received and was asked for proof of postage. This is utterly ridiculous. I purchased the ticket online—everything should be in the system.
It’s easy to verify that the train didn’t operate and that I bought a ticket, so why is it so hard to process a simple refund? The whole process has been a waste of time and energy. In the end, I didn’t get a refund because they claimed they didn’t receive the tickets. Who knows if that’s true? They can just claim they didn’t receive them, even if they actually did. Why can’t everything be done online with the proper records? Very disappointing service, and I feel completely helpless.
Tried 9 times yesterday to book tickets for December travel. I used same card i booked last month's travel but this time payment kept failing so I tried my second bank which failed also my wife's card. Although last month's transaction was satisfactory also Trainpal advised I was due a refund for late train however' poor show this time. I would like to speak to someone at Trainpal on the phone.
I booked two return tickets last night applying my rail card. Within 10 minutes I realised that my rail card had also applied to the second set of tickets and this would have been incorrect.
I tried to change this – impossible (and I ‘am’ techi), so I was made to apply for a refund.
So for a £7.65 ticket they were charging £4.99 administration charge!!!
With Trainline this would’ve been easy, just thought I’d take advantage of the £10 off offer they were showing for First bookings… which also didn’t materialise!
Stay clear of TrainPal
I could not retrieve my ticket code at the station due to a problem with the TrainPal app. I therefore had to buy a ticket at full price to get to my destination. I could not get any help from TrainPal chat who kept asking me for my booking number. How can I when the app is not working?! After two hours or more, on showing them the receipt for the ticket I had to buy they agreed to a refund LESS £9.99 ADMINISTRATION FEE!!! It was their fault! I was told there could have been an upgrade to the app so I deleted it and reinstalled the app. Lo and behold my ticket code appears out of the blue. You have the worst customer service and customer experience ever TrainPal and I will never use you again. My £40 ticket ended up costing me £63 which as a pensioner I can ill afford.
Rubbish company and rude, idiotic customer service.
Avoid TrainPal at all costs.
I simply tried to change the date of my return by a day the day after the initial booking. The system was terrible. I ended up doubling the cost of my trip and booking duplicate tickets I then had to try and refund. When I contacted train pal they just failed to understand the problem properly and despite being in touch with them over a couple of days they refused to try and put things right. What an unhelpful expensive mess. Avoid.
I would not entertain this company after being promised a refund when my wife was in hospital and I cancelled my trip to Scarborough. Then you renaiged on your promise and sent countless emails from different people asking for a SICK NOTE! after I had sent proof of her time in hospital.
Why have I got to give one star for this review it doesn’t warrant any stars !!
How stupid is refunds for cancelled train £8.30p for return fare
Navigate app then pay for first class stamp drive to post office pay for tracking etc £3.70p , send tickets and track post to address in Edinburgh then wait up to 15 days for refund
How easy would it be to take photos of tickets and email
No wonder this country is going to the dogs !!
Trip.com’s marketing scam TrainPal App using FirstDirect
Came to know about this via FirstDirect perks offering 15% (about £5 discount) on a £35 railcard.
How do they work?
All railcards are issued via Trainpal app and a train ticket purchase using the app is necessary to activate the railcard as per terms and conditions. Redeeming the railcard is so difficult on the app, and the app is not user friendly. Once redeemed the app displays railcard but you are free to use other sites to purchase discounted tickets. but remember to show the railcard on Trainpal app. This bit felt like a deception hence 1 star.
Bought what was sold as first class tickets but on collection they were standard class. Totally fraudulent and almost impossible to pursue as any legal dispute is referred to their parent company Trip based in China.
Scam.
Appalling lack of customer service now app is definitely not working like it had done!
I have used this app for over a year now, and it has been good booking routes that take longer, but therefore are cheaper to London, but yesterday it started having a glitch, a blip whereby everything I search for said, every train on every day, on every time for the foreseeable future was 'sold out', which could not possibly be the truth, so something is definitely now wrong with the app. There is no customer services.There is no proper communication, a big communication barrier - you try to chat with an agent typing via their app and they don't understand and you have to repeat and say as clearly as possible the situation...hours of typing & retyping!!!!!You phone the numbers, and
that's just recorded messages that are not fit for purpose and don't let you get through to a human being. zilch, customer service. No recognition of loyalty, absolutely pathetic and ridiculous and not sorting the problem out over two days still.....appalling lack of any customer service or any respect towards loyal customers!
I have found my first two uses of Trainpal to be excellent (mid July and mid August 2025). I am getting a better ap' service than with Trainline and cheaper tickets. I received updates about change of train times which was very useful too.
I booked a train ticket through TrainPal’s website. During the payment process, something went wrong — I clearly saw an error message, and I didn’t receive the usual confirmation email right away. Thinking the first payment hadn’t gone through, I tried again using the TrainPal app just a few minutes later.
Both transactions ended up being processed, which means I was charged twice for the same trip. The timestamps on the two tickets are only about six minutes apart — and in reality, the gap was even shorter. The delay in receiving the first confirmation email is a clear sign that there was a technical problem on TrainPal’s side, not an error on my part.
TrainPal’s support team has so far refused to issue a refund, claiming everything on their end was “normal.” I strongly disagree because:
• I personally saw an error message on your website.
• No one would ever intentionally buy two identical tickets just minutes apart.
• The late arrival of the first confirmation email clearly indicates a payment processing issue.
I believe this refusal is unfair and unprofessional. This was my first and last time using TrainPal, and I am now formally requesting once again that you review the records carefully and issue a full refund for the duplicate payment.
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