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.
Do not use TrainPal they are awful to deal with.
I bought a return ticket yesterday at 14.01 I selected an Adult ticket. The email and ticket showed the ticket to be for a child. I immediately took a screen shot to prove I had ordered a ticket for an Adult. The screenshot was taken at 14.03. I then spent sometime trying to find how I could contact this organisation. They have no phone line so I used the AI chat function. That was useless then I got Amy, apparently a human? I sent the screen shot to her she escalated the matter to someone more senior. The reply was that as there was a discrepancy in the times described by them as a “coincidence” and they didn’t believe me 🤷♀️. Why would I purchase a child ticket, especially as I could prove I had ordered an Adult one. They have a faulty website and take no responsibility for it. They have offered a £10 voucher to be used on a £60 ticket. No refund for their error and no way to amend the ticket to an adult that I purchased, despite claiming the ticket could be exchanged but not refunded. I don’t trust this company and if you value your sanity I would suggest you use another online ticket company instead who are reliable and cheaper
This company is awful. My tickets were cancelled without informing me and yet the ticket price was taken out of my account on the day it was bought. Consequently I had to purchase a much more expensive ticket the day before I travelled. Despite 11 e-mails I am still waiting to have my initial ticket reimbursed. I shall certainly NEVER be using this comany again.
Extremely Disappointing Service and Unfair Practices - Avoid TrainPal!
I recently had an incredibly frustrating and disappointing experience with TrainPal that I feel compelled to share. I purchased a railcard through their platform before my 31st birthday and made the payment on the same day. I even received a confirmation email that my railcard had been approved. However, just three days later, I noticed an automatic refund had been processed and my railcard had been cancelled with no reason provided.
When I reached out to TrainPal to inquire, I was told that the cancellation was due to non-payment, which is completely false! I have clear evidence of payment, and they had already confirmed the purchase. To make matters worse, because I’m now over 31, I’m no longer eligible to apply for the railcard due to age restrictions, which means I’m forced to pay up to 1/3 more on every train journey I take.
TrainPal’s customer service has been abysmal, providing brief, unhelpful responses that seem to ignore the core issue. This is an unacceptable level of service and shows a complete disregard for their customers. Their lack of accountability and refusal to fix the problem is shocking, and this mistake on their part will cost me hundreds of pounds in additional travel expenses over the coming year.
TrainPal’s practices feel misleading and unprofessional, and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. Their failure to properly handle this situation has caused unnecessary stress and financial strain. Save yourself the headache – avoid TrainPal and find a more reliable service for your railcards and travel needs!
**BE AWARE THEY HAVE TWO REVIEW PAGES ON HERE. ONE HAS A REVIEW SCORE OF 4.2. SEEMS A BIT UNTOWARD**
I booked through TrainPal at a discounted price for a return journey to Manchester airport. Unfortunately the train journey home was cancelled. I was travelling with three friends who had all booked the same journey together with TrainPal. I applied for my refund (July 2024) and was awarded £3.32. It wasn't until I checked with my friends I was made aware they had been refunded £12.02 each. I queried this with TrainPal and supplied them with my friends order number, which they checked and amended my refund. Refund never came so I contacted them again (August 2024). I realised because I had closed my account the card number was no longer valid. I emailed to offer an alternative card to refund to. I was advised that the refund would need to be put through the system again so it would bounce back and then they would contact me for an alternative card (not sure about this logic) .
Still no refund so I contacted again (October 2024) as it was getting a bit ridiculous. I was advised "Unfortunately, due to the operator's policy and the fare rules associated with your "Off Peak Return" ticket, we are bound by specific guidelines that do not permit partial refunds for this ticket type" (This was the first excuse, I received 3 different ones from different people). What a load of BS..... they already refunded my friends on the same journey!! They then offered me a £10 voucher to use on a journey over £60..no thanks, I won't be using them again. After I made the two points above clear I was told my refund was less because their booking amount/price was three times higher.....that's because there is three times more people on the booking!!!
I am not overly bothered about the money, it's the principle and it does make me wonder how many other people have had a refund amount plucked out of thin air. How many people are they scamming?
Made a mistake in issuing tickets, three were detailed and paid for, only two were actually delivered. I had to pay for an extra ticket at full price. I am still waiting for my refund which was promised two weeks ago.
I agree with the other reviewers - do NOT use.
I agree with all the other one star reviewers. I think they used to be OK but somehow have got involved with trip.com which I have had dreadful experience with and lost money through them.
I was lucky to not lose money reading reviews now. My last experience with them wasted my time- a year ago so had not tried them since then. Tried again and appeared to be about £1.50 charge cheaper than Trainline but payment never got accepted and I wasted so much time, never ever using again.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS- FOR SANITY, MONEY AND TIME!
Absolutely awful company. They scam you and leave you stranded. I booked two open returns and instead they gave me two same day returns. They tried to lie and pretended that the tickets were always same-day tickets but you can literally see on the receipt. It says open return and instead they’ve given me the same day tickets is obviously an admin error but it’s ridiculous that they don’t just own up to the mistakes as a giant company with lots of money and just give people their bloody refund.
TrainPal changed my tickets just before travel, blamed me, and then refused to help. I had no choice but to buy a brand new ticket.
Customer service is very slow and poor, with no sense of consistency or that anyone at TrainPal cares.
TrainPal promised it would share chat transcripts, as normal companies do by default - but has after weeks of asking now refused. How does this meet UK Data Protection Act requirements?
TrainPal has repeatedly ignored requests for its legal address at which court action letters could be sent.
Apart from the incredible rudeness in ignoring my repeated request, how can a company offer in the UK outside of the law?
Do yourself a favour and book direct with a UK based train operator, within the reach of UK law.
Ordered a 16/17 Railcard. We did this carefully together and ended up with the 16-25. Whilst email support was responsive they would not help stating it's non refundable. But it wasn't the card we ordered!!!
I pre-ordered a three-year Railcard on Trainpal early last year, which was confirmed by email on 18 February 2023. The card was supposed to come into force when my old one expired in June 2024. However the card is still saying 'to be issued' in the app.
I have spent 3 weeks so far trying to get Trainpal to show my new card in the app. As other people have noted, complaints to customer service receive a quick, but totally useless, response. They seem completely uninterested in resolving my problem and are just happy for endless emails to go back and forth. The customer service team said it has escalated my issue and I would hear back in 24 hours. That was 5 days ago.
Until now I have regarded Trainpal in a positive light. This experience has made me reverse that opinion. I won't buy a Railcard from them again.
Wish TrustPilot had the option of 0 stars, and that i read the reviews before making a costly error !!
Made a train booking 02.08.2024 , using Applepay and to date, I have had had no confirmation of the booking.
They allege they cannot find it ???!!!!!!
This is despeite submitting a screen shot of the transaction from my bank , showing it clearly to Trainpal, along with the ID transaction number, to no avail !!!!!
The only form of corresspondance they offer is email, despite several requests for a contact number call.
DO NOT USE THIS SHODDY COMPANY .
APPALLING SERVICE !!!!!!!!!
Trainpal appear to have "lost" the tickets I returned for a refund. Yet another delaying tactics. They need to own their mistake/scam. Also why do they have 2 Trustpilot accounts. The other gives a rating of 4.2 and is the one which comes up straight away when you go on Trustpilot!!
they sat me and my 10 year old at different ends of the train carriage. there were plenty of seats and luckily Avanti were very helpful in changing them. Dont get caught out with this, use a different provider. No customer service to help you out.
Interesting that are 3 different sites for reviews for this company. One averages 4.2 and the rest 1-2. Guess which one comes up first! Personal experience lady month 1 star, zero if I could. Put review on first site and really can't be bothered to waste my time going through it again.
I have been trying to get a refund for weeks after some trains were cancelled and I was due a full refund for those journeys. Every time I emailed I spoke to a different person, they changed their minds about what was happening all the time, they quoted a journey I have never bought when evidencing why I shouldn’t get a refund and then when they did send very excited emails that my refund was successful I received 10pence!!! I have not received customer service this bad in a really long time and definitely won’t be using them again in future. Stay well clear!
I got what I paid for but support is non existent.
I am giving Trainpal a 3 star rating because I did, for the most part, get the tickets I booked, and at a very good price. (I say for the most part, because the last leg via tube was not there, despite the ticket saying that it should have been. Not the end of the world though). I was unable to get through to them with a query though. The helpline was automated and had no applicable options. I am also still waiting for a response to my email.
It all worked out at the end of the day, but I can only advise that if you do use them, be very sure of the details before hitting send. I personally will probably not take a chance on them again.
Needed a refund for a incorrect weekly ticket, questioned chat who said they couldn't refund it as it has been used (it hadn't) went back and forth with their TOS which I seemed to quote better then them..in the end gave up and was cheated out of £25
I would give a zero if I could. I tried to asked a question via chat which was a nightmare so reverted to email. Then after days of back and forth I gave up.
Not one person answered my query about the incorrect railcard being listed on my ticket. One would say we don't sell that railcard (I didn't want to buy one), another you can't have a refund for that railcard (I didn't want one), another said they didn't control the ticket prices (hadn't asked that). I sent screen shots and booking references but to no avail. I felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall.
Disgusting company and don't waste your money on them. Angeles ticket before travel which cost me £62 and they issued me with a 15 pence refund. Rip off company and stay well clear!
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