‘Blunt logic’: where the rail-booking websites are getting it wrong

LONDON TO THE FRENCH ALPS Website searched

Trainline

Destination Bourg-SaintMaurice

Advertised journey time and changes 10h and 52mins in total, changing trains at both Lyon and Paris

Actual journey time and changes 10h and 26mins, with only one change, in Paris

The details Bourg-SaintMaurice is a hugely popular destination in the French Alps, but the Trainline website offered only a journey with an extra, unnecessary change of train, rendering the journey longer, too. Which would you prefer?

LONDON TO NORTHERN ITALY Websites searched Trainline and Rail Europe Destination Oulx Advertised journey time and changes 17h with stopover in Paris

Actual journey time and changes Nine-hour daytime journey, one change in Paris

The details Oulx, in northern Italy, is a key access point for ski and summer resorts in the Southern Alps. For a return journey, both websites failed to display any daytime journey back to London, suggesting instead an overnight stay in Paris or travelling on the Sunday instead.

LONDON TO AUSTRIA Websites searched Trainline and Rail Europe Destination Wörgl Advertised journey time and changes: 16h 33mins with two changes – but two-minute interchange Actual journey time and changes 16h 33mins with two changes

The detailsThe journey from London to Austria, by Eurostar to Brussels, then ICE train to Cologne, and Nightjet sleeper train to Wörgl, in the heart of the Tirol, is a relatively easy trip. However, the Trainline and Rail Europe websites were unable to pick out the easiest route. They suggested a two-minute interchange between trains at Bonn, with a high risk of missing the connection when a far more relaxed journey is available. It has the same overall duration but with time to have dinner before boarding the overnight train.

LONDON TO SWITZERLAND

Websites searched Omio Destination Geneva Advertised journey time and changes

No journey found

Actual journey time and changes 6h 34mins daytime journey, one change in Paris

The details Omio’s website failed to show any journeys for London to Switzerland, though other sites were able to show plenty, combining the Eurostar to Paris and a TGV from there.