Newquay to Scotland via rail - a snip @ £1000!
Discussion
Just goes to show how ridiculous rail fairs have got in this country....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8340561.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8340561.stm
euroboy said:
No, but it was pretty surprising to find it cheaper and almost as quick as flying.
I went to Hull once, to film a rather rusty Bangladeshi freighter. Just as we were filming the Captain pretending to drive it, some geezers appeared on the bridge and impounded it on safety grounds. I expect it's still there!Recentish train journeys I have taken:
Manchester to Indian Queens, Cornwall in my Audi, about £40 fuel. Return, Indian queens to Birmingham was £97.
I frequently travel from Pembrokeshire (Tenby/Narberth) to Manchester. £20-£25 by car for fuel, the train ticket was over £100. Also, this takes me less than 4 hours by car, but took well over 7 by train.
This is what frustrates so much about the green taxes/use cars less rhetoric from politicians et al.
Fine, but IF you increase the cost of motoring, give us an alternative!!! Then, the car could be used for a pleasurable drive, and the boring commute could be public transport. Currently, it's nothing but increased costs all round.
Last year, I drove from Tenby to Inverness-shire. Motorway 650 miles (I went the coast road, 550 miles) and it cost about £60 fuel. I wonder what the train would have been?
Manchester to Indian Queens, Cornwall in my Audi, about £40 fuel. Return, Indian queens to Birmingham was £97.
I frequently travel from Pembrokeshire (Tenby/Narberth) to Manchester. £20-£25 by car for fuel, the train ticket was over £100. Also, this takes me less than 4 hours by car, but took well over 7 by train.
This is what frustrates so much about the green taxes/use cars less rhetoric from politicians et al.
Fine, but IF you increase the cost of motoring, give us an alternative!!! Then, the car could be used for a pleasurable drive, and the boring commute could be public transport. Currently, it's nothing but increased costs all round.
Last year, I drove from Tenby to Inverness-shire. Motorway 650 miles (I went the coast road, 550 miles) and it cost about £60 fuel. I wonder what the train would have been?
Recently my Mrs wanted to figure out bus fares from Worcester to Rotherham; don't ask!
Bus wanted 27 quid and took 7 hours + each way. 1 person
Train wanted £41 (£23 if booked in advance and no change of train used allowed.) Again 1 person.
Both these options had some indeterminate local travel costs to/from stations, bus garages etc. At least a tenner say.
Car £23.22 door to door 2h 30m. Can take 4 in good comfort. No additional costs.
Now before the smartarses say, ah but the car costs more than just the fuel, that is true. Yet because the car is THE ONLY solution in many many cases, especially if you live out in the sticks with 3 buses a day like we do, then to do without a car is impossible. Thus a lot of costs which some would say are variable costs are in fact fixed costs because you have to have a car and so you are paying them regardless.
Bus wanted 27 quid and took 7 hours + each way. 1 person
Train wanted £41 (£23 if booked in advance and no change of train used allowed.) Again 1 person.
Both these options had some indeterminate local travel costs to/from stations, bus garages etc. At least a tenner say.
Car £23.22 door to door 2h 30m. Can take 4 in good comfort. No additional costs.
Now before the smartarses say, ah but the car costs more than just the fuel, that is true. Yet because the car is THE ONLY solution in many many cases, especially if you live out in the sticks with 3 buses a day like we do, then to do without a car is impossible. Thus a lot of costs which some would say are variable costs are in fact fixed costs because you have to have a car and so you are paying them regardless.
ApexJimi said:
cretin from Cross Country said:
"Someone wanting a first-class return would be likely to book a saver return in advance and pay £561."
Yeah, that is SO much better value .fvckin' cretinous ba$tards.
Mojocvh said:
ApexJimi said:
cretin from Cross Country said:
"Someone wanting a first-class return would be likely to book a saver return in advance and pay £561."
Yeah, that is SO much better value .fvckin' cretinous ba$tards.
euroboy said:
In contrast to the crappy UK prices I just last night booked a train from Maastricht in the Netherlands, all the way to Hull (inlcuding the Eurostar) for a grand total of.....
70 EUR!
Bloody brgainous if you ask me!
I presume you booked through the Netherlands rail service?? How did you get this price? I've looked at going the other way and its ££££70 EUR!
Bloody brgainous if you ask me!
grumpyscot said:
Edinburgh to Inverness by train = 4 hours - £59
Edinburgh to Inverness by coach - 3.5 hours - £10 (or free if you're over 60 and resident in Scotland)
Bit of a no brainer here, I think!
And by car, that can be 2.5 on a clear run... Although just under 3 would be more normal...Edinburgh to Inverness by coach - 3.5 hours - £10 (or free if you're over 60 and resident in Scotland)
Bit of a no brainer here, I think!
and 3.5-4 in the summer, caused by Tesco's Lorries (Why oh why do they do 35-40mph and never, EVER let the queues past? - 2 mile tailbacks) and Caravans.
Dimski said:
grumpyscot said:
Edinburgh to Inverness by train = 4 hours - £59
Edinburgh to Inverness by coach - 3.5 hours - £10 (or free if you're over 60 and resident in Scotland)
Bit of a no brainer here, I think!
And by car, that can be 2.5 on a clear run... Although just under 3 would be more normal...Edinburgh to Inverness by coach - 3.5 hours - £10 (or free if you're over 60 and resident in Scotland)
Bit of a no brainer here, I think!
and 3.5-4 in the summer, caused by Tesco's Lorries (Why oh why do they do 35-40mph and never, EVER let the queues past? - 2 mile tailbacks) and Caravans.
just worked out, for me to get to at 9am using public transport ( in car, I would leave home at 8am), I would have to get a train that leaves my local station at 6.25 am, this would be preceded by a 45 minute walk (no buses at that time of the morning) and cost me at least £20.00... as opposed to a 30 minute car journey....
hmmm.. let me see now....which would I rather do...
hmmm.. let me see now....which would I rather do...
F i F said:
Dimski said:
Tesco's Lorries (Why oh why do they do 35-40mph
Probably because the limit for them is 40mph, add in the scammers, then add in timed deliveries and that is what you get.It puts it in perspective how many lorries break the speed limit if Tesco ones are the only ones remembered for holding up the queues.
Anyway, we appear to be wandering off topic!
Trains! Damn them!Even with a horrible drive from Edinburgh to Inverness, it's still faster than the train.
Two points that are overlooked slightly.
Firstly, the journey is split over 3 TOCs, only one of which provides first class so a first class ticket for the whole journey is pretty pointless.
Secondly, how much do flights cost if booked on the day? If you're seriously thinking of taking the train the length of the country then you book in advance, just like you would if booking a flight.
They did also say that no-one had actually used that fare and probably never will!
I don't doubt the prices are too high though. It pains me to think what I could buy instead of commuting to London each day!
Firstly, the journey is split over 3 TOCs, only one of which provides first class so a first class ticket for the whole journey is pretty pointless.
Secondly, how much do flights cost if booked on the day? If you're seriously thinking of taking the train the length of the country then you book in advance, just like you would if booking a flight.
They did also say that no-one had actually used that fare and probably never will!
I don't doubt the prices are too high though. It pains me to think what I could buy instead of commuting to London each day!
This country has it all wrong
an example : you can travel on the Trans siberian Railway from Moscow - Tyumen in Western Siberia 1st class for 250 euros , thats with a two berth compartment and includes meals .
thats 2144 km !!
http://www.expresstorussia.com/trains_moscow_peter...
The trains would knock ours into a cocked hat ...and they run in all weather conditions ....not ""the wrong type of snow ""
an example : you can travel on the Trans siberian Railway from Moscow - Tyumen in Western Siberia 1st class for 250 euros , thats with a two berth compartment and includes meals .
thats 2144 km !!
http://www.expresstorussia.com/trains_moscow_peter...
The trains would knock ours into a cocked hat ...and they run in all weather conditions ....not ""the wrong type of snow ""
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