Finding the best rail fares
A new site - with “loyalty points” - for booking train tickets and a revamped one means it’s time to look at that marketplace. What’s on offer for train travellers?
1. The newcomer. The new contender is Redspottedhanky.com (http://www.redspottedhanky.com) where “you can save up to 80% on advance tickets” and if you find a cheaper price elsewhere, they’ll refund the difference… in “loyalty points”. You get one loyalty point for every £1 spent and you redeem the points on your next purchase. The site covers 28 UK rail operators, there are (disappointing) destination guides and you can choose where you want to sit. It’s operated by a UK IT services company - ATOS Origin. There is also a “European Rail” section but when you click on that, you’re transferred to the revamped RailEurope site (http://www.raileurope.co.uk).
2. The site with a revamp. AtRailEurope, the UK arm of French operator SNCF, you can book tickets to, among other countries, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. You can book Eurostar tickets, high speed trains (TGV, Thalys), local trains in France, overnight trains to Berlin, Venice and other destinations, and get an InterRail pass. There are destination guides with things to do and where to stay, but they are a bit sparse.
3. Others in the frame. An alternative if you are travelling to Europe is The Man in Seat Sixty-One (http://www.seat61.com/Europe.htm). A favourite of ours for years, it’s operated by Mark Smith (the man) and is packed with advice (e.g. taking your bike, changing trains in Paris, travelling with kids, etc.). It’s amazingly comprehensive with details of how to go by train to everywhere in Europe, including Bosnia, Slovakia and Turkey). The trainline.com (http://www.thetrainline.com) is an independent site covering 23 UK rail operators and many international options; it has UK ticket alerts and a “best fares finder”. Finally, the Association of Train Operators (ATOC) runs National Rail (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk) and sister site Best Value Rail Fares (http://www.bestvaluefares.co.uk). The former has various travel tools, such as the “train tracker”, while the latter focuses on special offers, top tips and has a useful guide to the various types of tickets available in the UK.
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