trainsplit.com

Refused refund for unused ticket after emergency incident

UPDATE: TrainSplit have responded to this review claiming my ticket was used simply because I stepped foot on the train - even though my journey was never completed (it didnt even make it to its first stop!) and it was never scanned on the train itself. Here's what they're conveniently ignoring: Grand Central, the actual train operator, explicitly told me in writing that my original ticket remains unused and that I was eligible for a refund from the point of purchase. If my ticket was genuinely used as TrainSplit claims, why would the train operator themselves say it remained unused?Even more absurdly, TrainSplit state that I would only have been eligible for a refund if I had stayed on the train and travelled back to London after the emergency evacuation at midnight. So, after the train manager instructed all passengers to leave the train and find accommodation due to a stabbing on a train, TrainSplit believe I should have ignored those instructions, stayed on the train, and travelled backwards to London - adding hours to an already disrupted journey and incurring even more expense - just to satisfy their refund policy. This is completely divorced from reality and shows zero understanding of the stress and confusion that both passengers and rail staff face during major emergencies.If it wasn't for Grand Central's excellent customer support stepping in, I would be out of pocket because of something entirely out of my control.ORIGINAL REVIEW:Extremely disappointing customer service from TrainSplit. My journey from King's Cross to Doncaster on 1st November was abandoned at St Neots due to the serious incident at Huntington station that evening. The train manager instructed all passengers to leave the train and find accommodation for the night - my ticket went completely unused for its intended purpose.Despite this, TrainSplit repeatedly refused to refund my ticket, claiming it was "deemed as having been used" simply because I'd entered the gateline at King's Cross. They offered me a measly £3.65 refund for an unused connecting leg while ignoring the fact that the main journey never happened due to circumstances entirely beyond my control.What makes this even more frustrating is that when I contacted Grand Central (the train operating company for my journey), they confirmed my ticket had remained unused as it had not been scanned on the train, only at the Kings Cross gateline, and I should have been eligible for a refund from TrainSplit as the journey was cancelled.Grand Central ultimately processed the refund through their Charter Compensation system after TrainSplit refused to refund me, though as the point of purchase, TrainSplit should have handled this directly, not made me go back to the TOC and ask them to intervene.Instead, I was met with unhelpful responses, refusal to discuss the matter by phone, and customer support going in circles asking the same questions repeatedly without progressing towards a solution. They showed no understanding of the exceptional circumstances, especially given Grand Central themselves had confirmed to me the ticket wasn't used!Avoid TrainSplit - buy directly from train operators instead!TrainSplit lure you in with cheap prices and a fancy website but when things go wrong, they offer little help.

Date of experience: Nov 24, 2025