Rail Travel

Retlaw · 18-10-2011, 15:16

On another web site, some one was complaing about rail travel, the cost of fares, and the variations in prices, compared with coach travel. Perhaps Graham Jones could make enquiries.
I posted this.
I don't travel by train or bus, but what gets me about trains, is how can a carriage attached to a train, all going to the same destination have so many different prices, can the idiots not calculate cost of running the dammed things, divide by number of seats available, add a reasonable profit margin & make that the cost of of a seat fair for every one. I know some people have travel cards, wife has one, and she gets a reduced fare, but somebody makes that up to full fare surely.
Retlaw

groove · 18-10-2011, 15:22

Groove understands that if you book a train ticket well in advance, especially on cross-country routes, you get a cheaper ticket than just turning up and getting a ticket on the day of travel. Groove does'nt know the reasoning behind this, as a train seat is a train seat regardless of when that seat is paid for.

cashman · 18-10-2011, 18:06

A few years ago- 4/5 i think, enquired about train tickets to Norwich, about 6 months in advance, the price i was quoted was MORE than i had just paid a few days earlier fer flights to Malaga. so seems yeh can only get cheap uns early if yer going to places like London, which i did the year before that.

cmonstanley · 18-10-2011, 19:49

i used to travel every weekend and pre-booked through virgin saved me hundreds, if we want cheap and relliable railways its back to national railways, yes nationalise its better than subsidising private shareholding companies where billions have been frittered away and made a lot people rich instead of investing back in the railways

flashy · 18-10-2011, 20:06

we do a lot of traveling by train and for me it's always cheaper to buy an annual railcard, i save a fortune

Tealeaf · 19-10-2011, 15:45

The simple answer to Retlaw's question is that the train operators use differential pricing in order to get bums on seats during the relatively quiet periods of late morning/afternoon/late evening.

I'll give you a little tip, however. If you want to save money travelling from Accy to the south, then don't start your train journey from Accy - get on the bus to Manchester & go from Piccadilly. The overall travel time is slightly longer, but three trains an hour run from Manchester as against one from Preston (usually 3/4 full when it gets in). You'll get much lower prices starting from Manchester (check the websites); you'll also get a better seat.

The same goes for coaches - don't set off on one of the 3 daily coaches from Accy to London. Go to Manchester and get on it there. You'll save lots of money and in this instance the overall journey is actually quicker.

flashy · 19-10-2011, 19:42

from Manchester to London for me and Reece return with a railcard it's £59.50 + £7.15 return to Manchester (£66.65)

from Preston to London for me and Reece return with a railcard it's £63.15 + £4.25 return to Preston (£67.40)

all the way to Manchester to save 75p? i'll stick to Preston thanx Teabag, it's nearer

and before anyone asks, it's cheaper to get two tickets than get one straight through

Tealeaf · 19-10-2011, 19:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

from Manchester to London for me and Reece return with a railcard it's £59.50 + £7.15 return to Manchester (£66.65)

from Preston to London for me and Reece return with a railcard it's £63.15 + £4.25 return to Preston (£67.40)

all the way to Manchester to save 75p? i'll stick to Preston thanx Teabag, it's nearer

and before anyone asks, it's cheaper to get two tickets than get one straight through

Well, I don't have any kids to drag around with me. However, I travel far more regularly between London & Accy than you do and I have been doing so for the last 33 years so I suggest you check your numbers again. On top of which, I prefer to travel in a little bit of peace with a good seat rather than board the cattle trucks from Preston with hoards of little brats such as your own running up and down the aisles ruining the journey for everyone.

flashy · 19-10-2011, 20:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

Well, I don't have any kids to drag around with me. However, I travel far more regularly between London & Accy than you do and I have been doing so for the last 33 years so I suggest you check your numbers again. On top of which, I prefer to travel in a little bit of peace with a good seat rather than board the cattle trucks from Preston with hoards of little brats such as your own running up and down the aisles ruining the journey for everyone.

those prices where checked 5 minutes before i posted so stop being an arrogant wazzock and get YOUR facts right

and teabag, my son is 15, hardly a little brat who runs up and down the train, you really haven't a clue about the amount of traveling i do so until you do i suggest you shut your yap Mr

Tealeaf · 19-10-2011, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

those prices where checked 5 minutes before i posted so stop being an arrogant wazzock and get YOUR facts right

and teabag, my son is 15, hardly a little brat who runs up and down the train, you really haven't a clue about the amount of traveling i do so until you do i suggest you shut your yap Mr

15? Even worse! No doubt some little plonker with his earphones on listening to some rap rubbish at full volume driving the rest of the carriage insane. We don't get that nonsense going in and out of Manchester, thank god.

flashy · 19-10-2011, 20:25

you really should stay down south you know...permanantly

Tealeaf · 19-10-2011, 21:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

you really should stay down south you know...permanantly

Who says I'm down south?

I could now be at the bottom of your street for all you know.

flashy · 20-10-2011, 08:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

Who says I'm down south?

I could now be at the bottom of your street for all you know.

bring it on twinkle toes, would you like my phone number?

yerself · 21-10-2011, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

from Manchester to London for me and Reece return with a railcard it's £59.50 + £7.15 return to Manchester (£66.65)

from Preston to London for me and Reece return with a railcard it's £63.15 + £4.25 return to Preston (£67.40)

all the way to Manchester to save 75p? i'll stick to Preston thanx Teabag, it's nearer

and before anyone asks, it's cheaper to get two tickets than get one straight through

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

those prices where checked 5 minutes before i posted so stop being an arrogant wazzock and get YOUR facts right

Innit good when you know everything.

The £4.25 price to Preston is single, not return. Whilst true in some instances it's not cheaper to buy two tickets for this journey. Blackburn to London return for 1 adult, one child with a Friends and Family Railcard is £63.55, somewhat less expensive than flashy's (incorrect) price of £67.40.
Who's the wazzock now? 1 - 0 to Tealeaf methinks.

flashy · 21-10-2011, 16:49

Try again