Did you know that amid the current rail chaos you can currently book tickets for ScotRail services that may not actually run during its temporary timetable?
I certainly didn’t until a colleague and I found ourselves set to travel on one of these ghost trains last night.
Confused – because I was sat with a ticket for the 8.18pm service right in front of me – I headed to the station along with a colleague who was in the same boat, assuming there was an error on the website.
Much to my surprise, we were swiftly told by someone working at the ticket barrier that the train did not exist – and hadn’t done since May.
I knew trains were plagued by temporary timetables, but my ability to book and collect a physical ticket for the 8.18pm service led me to believe it would be there waiting for me.
Exhausted after having sprinted for the last bus to get us at least close to home, I wondered exactly had gone wrong.
Are booking systems being updated?
As part of the temporary timetable, the last service from Aberdeen to Inverness departs the station at 6.18pm.
At the time of writing, I could still book a number of trains leaving after that time on dates as soon as four days away.
A spokesman from ScotRail told me that booking systems are usually updated around a week in advance so “may not reflect the temporary timetable.”
He added that anyone booking further ahead is encouraged to check the temporary timetable to see whether the service they want to book will run or not.
What should customers do if the last train has already left?
My colleague and I were advised to speak to someone at the help desk at the station once we realised we were stuck.
After a member of staff walked swiftly away from us, we realised the bus leaving in a matter of minutes was our only chance of getting home that night.
Phil Campbell, head of operations at ScotRail, said customers in this situation can use their ticket on another day or apply for a refund.
He said: “If customers purchased an advance, peak, off peak ticket, and their upcoming journey is affected by our temporary timetable, then they can use their ticket to travel on an alternative service that day, or the day before or after their planned journey or of course they can claim a refund.”
It is hoped the temporary timetable will soon come to an end as ScotRail train drivers recently accepted a new pay deal, but an exact date for this has not yet been announced.
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