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greves
Just Starting
Joined: 05 Jan 2008
Posts: 1
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 Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject: Another Angry Connect Russia / Inter Group Moscow Customer |
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Hello,
I found this website through Lonely Planet, and tried to arrange some tickets using the online order page as many of you have through Inter Group Moscow (formerly known as Connect Russia). Unfortunately, I only found out all of the negative side-effects of dealing with Inter Group Moscow after experiencing them first hand, and then coming here to see if anyone had similar experiences. Surprise, surprise.
Communication is basically non-existent, with Alexander Oskin leading me on a wild goose chase of emails that do not pertain at all to the relevant questions of when my tickets were/will be purchased and delivered. For the last 2 weeks, I received absolutely no response, until I called Chronopay and they sent Alexander an email which forced him to respond, yet again with no information. Here is his response in full:
| Quote: | | Please can you email us when you will leave your home address? |
This service is absolutely unacceptable, and based on the stories I've now read on this forum, I have absolutely no idea whether or not the tickets will be received. I opened tickets with Chronopay and my bank to have the money refunded to my credit card, and provided them with all relevant documentation and correspondence. It has gotten late enough now where I must purchase tickets through a more reliable agency, or I'll be worried about missing the train altogether. After reading these boards, I'm not willing to give Alexander the benefit of the doubt that my tickets will be waiting for me on arrival in Moscow.
Please advise, and for God's sake take Inter Group Moscow OFF of WayToRussia.net! It is highly irresponsible that you allowed Alexander to continue business here, for whatever reason, after you knew his practice. |
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danbrew
Just Starting
Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:25 pm Post subject: |
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Very sorry to hear of your troubles - but, unfortunately, as you've discovered, it's becoming more and more common.
I am planning on using Svezhy Veter next time - many folks have good things to say about SV. http://www.sv-agency.udm.ru/sv/rutrains.htm.
I agree - Connect Russia or Intergroup or whatever they are calling themselves these days should not be permitted to advertise at Way To Russia. More appropriately put, Alexander shouldn't be permitted to attempt to change his identity and prey upon unknowing customers. He certainly hasn't changed his ways.
I realize I'm being really vocal about Alexander - I'm not out to get him, but I'm out to inform others about his inability to deal with problems - he just doesn't seem to get that it is a very big deal when tickets are not delivered on time.
It's complicated enough to travel to Russia and not being able to get tickets as planned really screws up travel plans - most foreigners will have lots of difficulties obtaining last minute tickets when on the ground in Moscow. Given that many of us are traveling on vacation days and have limited periods to wait around for another train, our only choice in the case of missed connections is to buy last minute expensive airline tickets. And, of course, visa issues further complicate the entire situation.
I really enjoy & appreciate the folks here at Way To Russia - I've learned a lot about travel in Russia from the folks here over the years, so I do want to be clear - I'm not criticizing WTR. I'm criticizing Alexander and simply suggesting that it is bad business for WTR to continue to support him. I've never once heard from Alexander since he promised to refund my money. Clearly he knows that my bank has reversed the charges with his credit card processing people. No email. No call. No nothing. I'm quite sure he also knows that I'm the vocal pissed off customer trashing his name (i'm really not going too far out of my way - just here and on Thorntree and only when I see people complaining about service problems with him) - yet I've never heard a thing from him.
Buyer beware. |
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hunter001
Just Starting
Joined: 19 Oct 2007
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:32 pm Post subject: sorry to hear about your problems |
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Me and my wife are sorry to hear about your problems with this company
that guy totally ruined our trip for us and we ended up having to take a flight straight to china and try and save some of our holiday.
i've tried to email him again to ask why he just stopped comuicating with us and things still have not changed, still no reply.
And i totally agree that 'way to russia' have a obligation to customers that use this site and should remove him and save some other unfortunate people from experiencing what we have gone through. i've been busy posting warnings on all travel forums on the web and i've had a few emails thanking me for highlighting intergroup.
So come on alexender. fight your corner and put us all in our place and tell us how wrong we are. we are all waiting (again!!) |
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Briener
Just Starting
Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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I can only tell you a similar story.
i booked tickets going from irkutsk to moscow with connect russia last april/ may.
i was leaving australia in july, flying to beijing for a while and then catching the train to moscow from irkutsk.
the tickets were due to be delivered mid june to Australia, they arrived a week after i left australia at the end of July, luckily i had a friend who was able to get them fed-ex'd to me in beijing, which cost me another 100 dollars, otherwise they would never have got to me. needless to say the week before i left i prayed they would arrive on time, lost lots of sleep, and then resigned myself to not catching the train, which would have left us stuck in irkutsk.....
my recommendation is never to use connect russia, they simply dont deliver tickets when they say they will, they will have you pulling your hair out with their lack of communication and bad service also.
having been on the trans-siberian express now, i would recommend not using these guys, just fly to russia and get the tickets when you get there at the train station....... there are any number of trains leaving from irkutsk, and the 2nd train we caught from yekateringburg to moscow was almost completely empty in july, which is the busiest time, getting tickets would not have been a problem.
In short, when you book with connect russia, you will pay a high price for your tickets (up to 7 times the face value!), they will then tell you that the faster train is completely booked after you have paid,and put you on a cheaper train, you wont get any money back for this.
then they will send the tickets to your country after you have left, forcing you to make other arrangements....they're a bunch of con artists, i'll never use their service again.....
honestly booking with these guys will be one of the most expensive mistakes you'll ever make, i'm just lucky that my friend was able to get them fed-exed to me in beijing before we left.....
no thanks to Alexander or anybody else that works there..... |
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jeanny
Just Starting
Joined: 29 Feb 2008
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:18 pm Post subject: Buying tickets through agency |
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Hi everyone,
After research on this website I used SV for buying my tickets. I always received an answer within 24 hours. They were very helpful in proposing alternatives in case the trains I had picked were not available anymore or the schedule had changed.
I work in Moscow so I will pick up the tickets from the train station. However, I am pretty sure that their delivery service is working, too.
Regards,
Jean |
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