How do they make up these prices? - Train tickets
How do they make up these prices? - Train tickets
Author
Discussion

Blues

Original Poster:

8,546 posts

248 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
WTF is going on?
I thought that this poxy government (along with all their scabby predecessors) want take cars off the road? I have to take my daughter down to have a recce of Swansea University on Friday, and thought we should let the train take the strain. Think again!
£390 FOR TWO STANDARD CLASS TRAIN TICKETS, READING TO SWANSEA RETURN. Robbing bds!!

It is 167 miles each way rolleyes

Get a grip Train companies. In the meantime, i'll continue wafting in the bimmer.

Pothole

34,367 posts

311 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
thetrainline.com has first class returns for less than that. Where did you get that price from?

Off peak returns would appear to be £71.00

RichB

56,206 posts

313 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
Yeah, National Rail Enquires is showing the same £71.50 return.

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk

Indeed there's one ticket on there for £29 single but it's at an odd time!

HTH smile

Blues

Original Poster:

8,546 posts

248 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
I used mytrainticket and national rail... will hurriedly recheck!


we have to be there for 11:00 am and leave after 14:00, and i see little point in hanging around in Swansea for longer than required.

thetrainonline and Nationalrailshows £225 for two (I cant find those £71 fares), much cheaper thanks, but still not compared to about 11 gallons of petrol, and perhaps a half hour faster.

£234 direct with Virgin. They hike the price of the outbound train (£83) because it is during "peak" as opposed to one hour later (£27)I say again, theiving bds!!

Edited by Blues on Wednesday 9th February 12:40

stevieb

5,253 posts

296 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
you need to be creative with your ticket.

What you need is a Single from Reading to Swindon (It needs to be the station after the fare break point) you then get a second fare from Swindon to Swansea. This way you usually save approx 40%

Then you can get a return from swansea to reading.

There are creative ways you can reduce the railfare.

The guys in our office do it all the time when travelling to MAnchester for early morning meetings

RichB

56,206 posts

313 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
stevieb said:
you need to be creative with your ticket.

What you need is a Single from Reading to Swindon (It needs to be the station after the fare break point) you then get a second fare from Swindon to Swansea. This way you usually save approx 40%
Oh yes, I didn't realise that, I could do 06:56 Reading>Swindon 07:28 for £30.50, then 07:38 Swindon>Swansea arriving 09:44 £27.00 and return Swansea to Reading leaving at 14:30 for £29.50 = £86.10 all in smile

stevieb

5,253 posts

296 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
RichB said:
stevieb said:
you need to be creative with your ticket.

What you need is a Single from Reading to Swindon (It needs to be the station after the fare break point) you then get a second fare from Swindon to Swansea. This way you usually save approx 40%
Oh yes, I didn't realise that, I could do 06:56 Reading>Swindon 07:28 for £30.50, then 07:38 Swindon>Swansea arriving 09:44 £27.00 and return Swansea to Reading leaving at 14:30 for £29.50 = £86.10 all in smile
Soem of the Guards on the train get a bit shirty when you do that. But there is nothing stopping you doing that.

But you can actually do it for the same train so you dont have to change.



Blues

Original Poster:

8,546 posts

248 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
Thanks Rich. I see that you can do it on a "budget", but still shockingly expensive compared to two in a car AND a very early start, messing about with changes etc.. I think I'll let the car take the strain smile

RichB

56,206 posts

313 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
Oh I absolutly agree, car is alwys my first choice, leave and arrive when you please, door-to-door, air conditioned, choice of music and don't have to share with the unwashed.

BrightYellowTVR

1,258 posts

296 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
What annoys me most is that it's £40 a day to get to the office via paddington or £25 going via Waterloo, it takes the same time on either option door to door. Also if I leave an hour later I can halve those prices! Agree Car would always be 1st option if you can park it when you get there!

stevieb

5,253 posts

296 months

Wednesday 9th February 2011
quotequote all
This scenario highlights how stupid rail fairs are in the uk.

A friend at work travel to Manchester on Friday to see parents etc, but flies Gatwick to Zurich to Manchester for £43

On the train it will cost him over 160 single. He now spend his Friday either in zurich or another European city and works on the plane .

Coming home he gets a flight back to at wick for £30 late on Sunday night.

He like traveling a lot, but just shows wha you can do with the same money.

He only lives 10 minutes walk to Gatwick

Lubermans

201 posts

204 months

Thursday 10th February 2011
quotequote all
Definitely worth booking in advance (if you can). I travel a similar route - Thatcham to Swansea / Carmarthen every six weeks or so and if booked a few weeks in advance I can often a first class seat for under £30 each way although last time round it was £35. Ticket prices always seem to be cheaper on the return leg - My OH yesterday booked Thatcham to Tenby travelling next Saturday for £29.50 and the return a few days later was only £15 (standard class).