STAR Coach Bookings

[Royalphil]

I've just tried to book the Wigan coach via the Sales Centre... and after 18 mins wait I was told they don't do that now! Having now read the current thread on Coach Travel and confirming that....... as well as getting fully educated about contact with minors ... I thought I'd start a new thread...

Why?

I work away and can't get to the Mad Stad during the week, so can only book the Coach at the STAR Kiosk on Saturday when it's v busy and there are other things to do..... this can't be right...

Hopefully this is only temporary? Or are RFC being totally 'unhelpful'!!!!!

[Scrappy]

You can also book via STAR kiosk between 7pm and 9pm Tuesday and Thursday.

[STAR Liaison]

I've just tried to book the Wigan coach via the Sales Centre... and after 18 mins wait I was told they don't do that now! Having now read the current thread on Coach Travel and confirming that....... as well as getting fully educated about contact with minors ... I thought I'd start a new thread...

Why?

I work away and can't get to the Mad Stad during the week, so can only book the Coach at the STAR Kiosk on Saturday when it's v busy and there are other things to do..... this can't be right...

Hopefully this is only temporary? Or are RFC being totally 'unhelpful'!!!!!

It is not RFC being deliberately unhelpful but more the point that now STAR has a facility easily available to all it makes sense to keep control of the issue of coach tickets ourselves.

I am sure you are aware of errors made by the Sales Centre - they can be annoying for a single ticket but imagine coping with sorting out who is travelling when one person books for 4 and the Sales Centre does not note the names of the other 3 and maybe several times for each away game, then maybe finding when they turn up to travel that they are not members. It has at times caused a lot more work than is necessary and as we are all volunteers somethingwe would rather avoid!

In fact the problem we have we unaccompanied minors has really brought it to a head as we cannot allow under 18s to book on any coach, just on Coach 5, and there is no way we can be sure not to overbook if the Sales Centre is booking at the same time, and a risk that they would book unaccompanied under 18s onto the wrong coach with the result that they would be left behind at the Madejski Stadium - not a nice thought.

We are looking for ways to make it easy for you - as Scrappy has said the STAR base is being manned certain evenings and you can use the STAR travel phone at those times to book we hope.

An added bonus is that we will receive the money for coach travel before we have to pay for the coach - this can be very useful

[Scrappy]

To be honest why would you not want to wait in the STAR queue instead of paying shockingly high prices for alcohol which tastes like crap? STAR, saving fans' money...

[The_Cat]

When will there be more details on the unaccompanied minors of how it works?

[The 17 Bus]

Would it not be possible for STAR to take paypal, or some such type of paynet, and book from email accounts?

Just an idea.

[Dirk Gently]

Would it not be possible for STAR to take paypal, or some such type of paynet, and book from email accounts?

Just an idea.

That sort of thing is easy to do - but the problem is what happens if more people book and pay than they have spaces on the coaches?

[STAR TRAVEL]

We are looking for ways to make it easy for you - as Scrappy has said the STAR base is being manned certain evenings and you can use the STAR travel phone at those times to book we hope.

Just one minor point the STAR Travel Phone is for information only. Bookings have to be made in person.



Would it not be possible for STAR to take paypal, or some such type of paynet, and book from email accounts?

Just an idea.

This is a service run by STAR volunteers, we are not National Coaches.

When will there be more details on the unaccompanied minors of how it works?

Coach 5 is specifically for unaccompanied under 18's We will book them first and fill any empty seats later. However, they will have to book at least four days before the game to ensure they have a seat. This will be for the Wigam game onwards, we cannot get our procedures into place before then.

We are open on matchdays and Tuesday & Thursday evenings.

[The 17 Bus]

[b]

Would it not be possible for STAR to take paypal, or some such type of paynet, and book from email accounts?

Just an idea.

This is a service run by STAR volunteers, we are not National Coaches.

.

so sending an email to STAR to book and payment to be from Paypal, I would have thought for regualr travellers this would be easier than someone having to man a portacabin.

[STAR TRAVEL]

Keeping it simple means less chance of a mistake. We are happy to man the cabin. It is not a problem to us.

[The 17 Bus]

Keeping it simple means less chance of a mistake. We are happy to man the cabin. It is not a problem to us.

shame that RFC do not use this mantra.

[Blue Heart]

Keeping it simple means less chance of a mistake. We are happy to man the cabin. It is not a problem to us.

shame that RFC do not use this mantra.

Amen to that.

[Royalphil]

....... you can use the STAR travel phone at those times to book we hope.

Just one minor point the STAR Travel Phone is for information only. Bookings have to be made in person.

We are open on matchdays and Tuesday & Thursday evenings.

As I said in the first post, I can't get to the Mad Stad during the week... is there any chance of having a telephone in the kiosk that we could use when the kiosk was manned??? Or phone located elsewhere perhaps, with lines opened for same, or similar, limited times?

Only an idea? Knowing, and very much appreciating, that this is all voluntary!

[STAR TRAVEL]

....... you can use the STAR travel phone at those times to book we hope.

Just one minor point the STAR Travel Phone is for information only. Bookings have to be made in person.

We are open on matchdays and Tuesday & Thursday evenings.

As I said in the first post, I can't get to the Mad Stad during the week... is there any chance of having a telephone in the kiosk that we could use when the kiosk was manned??? Or phone located elsewhere perhaps, with lines opened for same, or similar, limited times?

Only an idea? Knowing, and very much appreciating, that this is all voluntary!

The STAR TRAVEL phone is 07919931716. but as we have said we will not take bookings on it it is for information only.

We are always open on a matchday, before the game, at half time (East Stand only) and after the game, we take coach bookings then.

[Royalphil]

The STAR TRAVEL phone is 07919931716. but as we have said we will not take bookings on it it is for information only.

We are always open on a matchday, before the game, at half time (East Stand only) and after the game, we take coach bookings then.

Thanks Star Travel, I think you've made your point... I will have to do it on Saturday..... Obvious question I guess then, why can't we book the coach on that phone number?

[STAR TRAVEL]

The STAR TRAVEL phone is 07919931716. but as we have said we will not take bookings on it it is for information only.

We are always open on a matchday, before the game, at half time (East Stand only) and after the game, we take coach bookings then.

Thanks Star Travel, I think you've made your point... I will have to do it on Saturday..... Obvious question I guess then, why can't we book the coach on that phone number?

Because we have to take payment at the time of booking, because we can't run the risk of having people say they want seats and then not turning up leaving us with spaces on coaches that are very expensive to hire. By filling coaches we keep prices down. We are trying very hard to enable people to travel at affordable prices.

[Royalphil]

Because we have to take payment at the time of booking, because we can't run the risk of having people say they want seats and then not turning up leaving us with spaces on coaches that are very expensive to hire. By filling coaches we keep prices down. We are trying very hard to enable people to travel at affordable prices.

Thanks again ST, fully understand, it was just so handy in the past, being able to book seats at any time through the SC. I will just have to be more organised on a match day now....

[STAR TRAVEL]

Because we have to take payment at the time of booking, because we can't run the risk of having people say they want seats and then not turning up leaving us with spaces on coaches that are very expensive to hire. By filling coaches we keep prices down. We are trying very hard to enable people to travel at affordable prices.

Thanks again ST, fully understand, it was just so handy in the past, being able to book seats at any time through the SC. I will just have to be more organised on a match day now....

You are welcome.

[HereWeCome]

I thought i would just add this onto this thread so apologies if i should have started a new one. I have never used a STAR coach for away games before and am going to start using them as petrol/train costs were getting a bit high. I often have to go to away matches on my own and was wondering if there are many other people that travel on without friends or family to away games. This isn't a problem for me just don't want to be the quiet one sitting in the corner and have no idea what the coaches are like!

[Royalphil]

I thought i would just add this onto this thread so apologies if i should have started a new one. I have never used a STAR coach for away games before and am going to start using them as petrol/train costs were getting a bit high. I often have to go to away matches on my own and was wondering if there are many other people that travel on without friends or family to away games. This isn't a problem for me just don't want to be the quiet one sitting in the corner and have no idea what the coaches are like!

We're a friendly bunch HWC, I usually travel on my own and there are quite a few others... bearing in mind the coaches are always full (or very close to) you will more than likely be sitting next to a 'single' anyway... but at least we all have a common interest to talk about!!