Night Riviera, Purchase only with UK credit / debit card

There is no workaround on the 12 week release date other than it is slightly extended at the moment with booking available up until 31 May.

I am sure the workarounds you mention are related to using 3rd party websites. Do not do that, they have no privileged access, all they are doing is taking your money now on the promise of securing tickets when they are released.
That is just foolhardy. There have been long periods of time this winter when the sleeper has not run due to major engineering works in Devon and Cornwall.

Wait, like everyone else does, until tickets are released.

Timetables are not released to GWR by Network Rail until that 12 week deadline- sometimes less. GWR will not take bookings on day or night trains until that confirmation is through.

When released tickets can be purchased online, but only through the GWR website or app. The app is only available in the UK and is horribly glitchy, but the website works anywhere. Only recently an Italian lady on this forum purchased on the GWR website using an Italian credit card, so you are being given wrong information.

Your implication that getting a local to purchase the tickets for you could go wrong is unfortunate.

It is not how you get favours done for you.

I do a lot of genealogical work for overseas clients. I can't tell you how often I have been short changed by such clients paying me net of the PayPal charges, or deciding to otherwise short change me. So much so that my hourly rates now assume that everyone overseas is going to avoid paying the full sum, the rates have accordingly been lifted and I now insist on full advance payment. I utterly hate having to assume that everyone is a criminal.

If your daughter is in London what is to stop her going to Paddington ticket office on or after the date of release, and paying in cash- physical bank notes? She must be able to withdraw cash from an ATM in London.

I don't understand. You should be able to book it online at GWR, and using any credit card. I believe you have to do it in stages - you book the ticket first, then book whether you just want a seat or cabin.

I just did a dummy booking and had no problem with it. Have you been booking it at the Great Western Railroad (GWR) site? If not, I suggest you there. https://www.gwr.com/

Oops, I stand corrected - I didn't go far enough. It looks like you can't use a credit card, but you can pay with PayPal, if you set that up (or have it already).

Ticket office suggested we find a local to purchase ticket for us and reimburse them... This sounds like it could go wrong in so many ways.

I'm sure you did not mean this to mean anything detrimental against locals. I agree that it would be a very unusual thing to do and I would balk at doing it as well. :-)

BTW, I found this interesting blog about their experience on the Night Riviera that you might enjoy. https://www.ontheluce.com/night-riviera-sleeper-train-cornwall/

@isn31c, I agree with you. We do not want to make an uncomfortable situation where someone would not be fully compensated if a local citizen were to buy our tickets with the assumption of repayment. We are NOT considering that option.

Thank you for the information about engineering work. And thank you for the glitchy app info... Interesting about the Italian CC. We were laughing about our daughter going out to Paddington. She LOVES getting herself around London so she knew where she'd have to go. Per her conversation with the ticket office - she said that they conveyed that purchase only with CC/debit, online or with them on the phone - not cash or some kind of bank note. And finally they (because there were two people talking back and forth and she really wanted the one in back who seemed to know...) seemed to be annoyed with her American accent. :)

Ahhh - my husband further explained that he believes our troubles lie with trying to use our Eurail passes. Our daughter was also able to get onto the website to see the the reservations / cabins. We're still outside of the 12 week window.

Right, so you are on a Eurail. I have just looked at the ACP website. They give instructions on how to reserve a seat only (that is, when you already have a rail ticket-Eurail or any other ticket).
For reference of others I copy those below-
Go to ‘My Account’ and sign in (or register)
Click on ‘Bookings’
Click on ‘Make a Seat/Bike reservation’ and press ‘Next’
Fill out your stations, time and passengers and proceed to ‘Find service’
Select the preferred time and tariff (both free) and ‘Continue’
Select ‘I would like to reserve a seat’ and choose the preferred options
Click ‘Add reservation’ to make the final reservation

I have found a date in the next few weeks when the sleeper is actually running, and tried it out for you. Unfortunately you can only reserve a seat in the seated car that way- not in the sleeping berths.
It is illegal in the UK for any merchant to require payment in person only by credit card, they have to accept cash.

I have just looked at the ACP Eurail website and you can't reserve berths on there- only seats.

So, as far as I can see, it does seem that if you wish to use Eurail the only choice is to either call them, or go to Paddington in person.

Or to admit defeat and buy tickets on line without using your Eurail

I'm pretty sure you won't have any problems paying with a US card. I've booked numerous tickets on the GWR site and app using my Singapore card without issues. Tickets are available for physical collection or as etickets.

" We do not really want to go through the processes to get a UK online bank account."

You won't be able to get a UK online bank account unless you're resident in the UK (they're strict about this). If you're thinking something like Wise or Revolut, it will be an account based in your home country.

Hi jkpdx - I had a really frustrating time last year trying to get a Night Riviera Sleeper train ticket with my Canadian credit card. I tried for days, using the app as well as their website, even asking my friend who has a Lloyd's Bank cc to help. In all attempts, I was rejected at the payment stage. In exasperation, I gave up my plan to take the night train altogether, yet I wanted to get to the bottom of the problem so I did some digging. I found out from Seat61 that GWR may reject some non-UK credit cards. He suggests calling GWR telesales from abroad. The following is from the Seat61 website:

Overseas visitors: www.gwr.com may reject some non-UK credit cards. Unfortunately, it's the only website that can sell Night Riviera sleeper tickets, and it normally won't accept non-UK payment cards. Tip: One user had their card rejected on GWR's desktop site, but successfully bought Night Riviera tickets when he accessed the mobile version of the GWR website on his phone. Feedback appreciated! Alternatively, you can buy tickets by calling GWR telesales from abroad on +44 345 7000 125.

Interrail, Eurail & BritRail passes: If you want a sleeper reservation to go with a pass, this cannot be done online, call GWR telesales.

I hope this helps and good luck with your purchase.

We are still a few days out of the 12-Week Window, which is quickly approaching. If somehow we were to overcome all the payment obstacles we realized that we'd need 2, 2-berth units because our Eurail passes require 2nd Class. Someone is the odd duck out and without an adjoining single cabin someone thought possible - it's not the family experience envisioned.

Of course we could book the sleeper chairs. This will be a couple weeks into our trip and by that time our college daughter might want to be a couple cars away :)

We may book day trains and see the scenery both ways. Anyhoo reserving lodgings. As a friend said... there is no more ad-libbing Europe (like 25 years ago), at our age anyway. And for everyone's safety it's best we not rent cars.

I am the italian lady who bought a night riviera ticket a few weeks ago. :)
If it can be of help to anyone reading this topic in the following weeks, I used my Revolut card to buy the ticket on the GWR website. I had no problem whatsoever. I will collect it physically at the ticket machine in Penzance with the same card.