Train fare rises in January - what date?

[aclivity]

Just been hearing that the train fare rises have been capped at 6% by the boy chancellor ... I'd rather not spend 6% more than I have to, so will be buying an annual pass the day before the rise takes place (or so my plan goes). But I don't know if I need to be at the ticket office on New Years Eve, or can I wait a few days? I have googled but cannot find anything online.

[BrabusMog]

I can't believe I haven't considered doing this for the last couple of years! I will ask when I get to the ticket office this evening and post up what they tell me - I travel SWT from Clapham Junction to Farnborough Main return every day so not sure if it will be the same if you use a different operator.

[aclivity]

I thought - but I don't have any valid reason why I thought this - that all of the train operators raised fares on the same day?

[Russ T Bolt]

I used to do this when I worked in London, fairs used to rise on 6th Jan, not sure if that is still the case.

[BrabusMog]

Not too sure, I was more wondering if one operator would charge you the increased fare if purchasing an annual ticket the day before the rise was due and another operator may not.

I just went on the SWT website and at the moment I can purchase an annual season ticket commencing on 24DEC for the current rate so I'll probably end up doing that - cheers again for posting this, I usually buy monthly and resent getting humped on the fares at the beginning of Jan!

[Puggit]

BrabusMog said:

I can't believe I haven't considered doing this for the last couple of years! I will ask when I get to the ticket office this evening and post up what they tell me - I travel SWT from Clapham Junction to Farnborough Main return every day so not sure if it will be the same if you use a different operator.

Had an interesting 'experience' outside of Farnborough today - our train hit a tree... Small explosion and flash of light, followed by wobbling carriages. Driver brought us to a slow halt and then we carried on in to Farnborough for a quick inspection.

Never want to witness that kind of thing again!!

[BrabusMog]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

£11.80 CLJ to FNB anytime day return = £59pw = £2714 a year.

At the moment a 6% rise will equate to £162.84 or £2876.84 if I buy daily next year

A yearly ticket will cost me £2832 at present which is a tiny saving really - £44.84. But then I don't have to queue up every morning at Clapham for a ticket (I hate just doing it once a month) so I think I will be buying up front.

Edit - that makes the yearly ticket work out at £12.31 per day, I am quite surprised.

Edited by BrabusMog on Tuesday 29th November 16:06

[aclivity]

One of the benefits of commuting into Manchester rather than London - annual pass is £950 at the moment, covers buses, trains and trams from Appley Bridge in the west to Glossop in the east.

Before I moved up here I was paying best part of £3000 for an annual pass into London.

[Ozzie Osmond]

On an annual season I thought the smart game was to make sure your ticket purchase is always just before the price rise? In other words, this year's travel at last year's prices.

[alangla]

There's an easy way to find out when the season tickets change - try going to this link and try playing about with the dates - it'll let you try dates up to a month ahead.
Ignore the Scotrail branding - it's got every season in the UK loaded (I just tested it with Ryde - Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, £644 a year apparently)

I think the fare goes up on the first Monday in January, so playing about with that site at some point next week should show the effect for your own specific journeys. HTH!

[paulrockliffe]

aclivity said:

One of the benefits of commuting into Manchester rather than London - annual pass is £950 at the moment, covers buses, trains and trams from Appley Bridge in the west to Glossop in the east.

Before I moved up here I was paying best part of £3000 for an annual pass into London.

fking hell man, keep it quiet, they'll all want a piece!

[aclivity]

Ozzie Osmond said:

On an annual season I thought the smart game was to make sure your ticket purchase is always just before the price rise? In other words, this year's travel at last year's prices.

That's the plan:

OP said:

buying an annual pass the day before the rise takes place

But I don't want to buy the pass on December 31st if the price rise happens on the 6th, for example, as I am not in work until the 3rd of January.

[V8mate]

Ozzie Osmond said:

On an annual season I thought the smart game was to make sure your ticket purchase is always just before the price rise? In other words, this year's travel at last year's prices.

Yep. Bought mine last week.

WRT the OP's question, I'm pretty sure it's no earlier than the first working day of the year, so 3rd Jan in 2012. He should just ask at the ticket office or drop his TOC a question through their website.

[tomw2000]

Yay, mine will only up by @£50 a month.

I'll just have to work harder to earn more.

[aclivity]

alangla said:

There's an easy way to find out when the season tickets change - try going to this link and try playing about with the dates - it'll let you try dates up to a month ahead.
Ignore the Scotrail branding - it's got every season in the UK loaded (I just tested it with Ryde - Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, £644 a year apparently)

I think the fare goes up on the first Monday in January, so playing about with that site at some point next week should show the effect for your own specific journeys. HTH!

Used the link in this post and confirmed that I can save £72 by buying a ticket starting on the 1st January, which is handy as my current monthly pass runs out on 31st Dec. Glad I checked here, though, as when I asked at the ticket office they told me "second week in January".

[Randy Winkman]

For South East rail, the prices go up on 2nd January. I asked at the ticket office today.