Train Prices

[tyreon]

Could someone tell me why a single train ticket of 25 miles costs all but 10p shy of a day return ticket? I guess there's logic in it.

I rather fancy cycling one way with my wife to return by train. Howsoever, I feel shortchanged at (almost) paying the price of a return ticket.

On a longer train trip I can by an open return that lasts a month. Fair do. I could cycle one way,return by train. On another day,go by train return by bike. But less than 25/30 miles the return and single fares make single fares the price of returns...or thereabouts. Why?

 

[screenman]

I imagine because they can.

 

[vickster]

It’s always been thus if travelling off peak. Go one way at a more expensive time (if you can take bike)...or cycle both ways and do the half imperial century

 

[TheDoctor]

Because you get off-peak returns, but not off peak singles.
You can find ways of making returns work in your favour.
Last weekend, I fancied a ride around Ashwell and to the old WW2 Steeple Morden airfield, which has a rather good memorial wall.
What I actually did was to get a return ticket to Royston, got off early at Ashwell and Morden, rode a roundabout route to Royston, got the train to Letchworth and then rode home from there. I did all the nice bits, but avoided the A505 and the tedious slog between Baldock and Ashwell, which is repetitively hilly. And saved a fair amount over buying the two singles for the trips I actually did.

 

[Littgull]

Could someone tell me why a single train ticket of 25 miles costs all but 10p shy of a day return ticket? I guess there's logic in it.

I rather fancy cycling one way with my wife to return by train. Howsoever, I feel shortchanged at (almost) paying the price of a return ticket.

On a longer train trip I can by an open return that lasts a month. Fair do. I could cycle one way,return by train. On another day,go by train return by bike. But less than 25/30 miles the return and single fares make single fares the price of returns...or thereabouts. Why?

I travel regularly on trains because I got rid of my car last January and wont be getting another one. I also ride my bike a lot to various places. I too have wondered why many single fares are virtually the same price as return tickets. I believe the answer lies in the fact that the rail companies operate with minimal resources and there are insufficient staff to check ticket purchase by customers on both legs of a journey. But in my experience you usually get asked for your ticket on one leg of a journey. So, as many people make return journeys the rail companies figure that by making the cost of single tickets virtually the same as return fares between stations and routes where they are under resourced they will maximise their income without staffing the trains and stations properly.

There are some very strange situations regarding train fares and tickets. For example, if you obtain a special price advanced ticket for a particular train e.g. Leeds to Kings Cross, London where the price is cheaper than the normal ticket price for that route and you get off at an earlier station than Kings Cross e.g Stevenage (because you have relatives there) as you exit the Station you will be requested to pay the difference between the special and normal Leeds to Kings Cross fare. If you refuse, you will be arrested for fraud! Not a lot of people will be aware of that.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Although of course if you had planned ahead and bought a single for (say) a Hitchin to Stevenage train, and put that ticket through the barrier, then you wouldn't have a problem.

 

[TheDoctor]

Good planning!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Get a return valid for a month. Do the riding one way bits in that month. So ride oneway this time with your wife then within the month reverse it using the other half of the ticket,

 

[TheDoctor]

You can only get a return valid for a month for longer journeys, not shorter ones.
The OP made that point.

 

[ianrauk]

Get a return valid for a month. Do the riding one way bits in that month. So ride oneway this time with your wife then within the month reverse it using the other half of the ticket,

Blimey that's a great idea. Noted for future use.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You can only get a return valid for a month for longer journeys, not shorter ones.
The OP made that point.

Just tried it for a 30 mile train journey and it was fine.

 

[si_c]

When the government decided to franchise the railways, they made the poor choice of regulating the price of return tickets and not singles. This has all sorts of effects like making triangular tickets an unreasonable option.

Most regulators control singles, which makes more sense.

 

[classic33]

I travel regularly on trains because I got rid of my car last January and wont be getting another one. I also ride my bike a lot to various places. I too have wondered why many single fares are virtually the same price as return tickets. I believe the answer lies in the fact that the rail companies operate with minimal resources and there are insufficient staff to check ticket purchase by customers on both legs of a journey. But in my experience you usually get asked for your ticket on one leg of a journey. So, as many people make return journeys the rail companies figure that by making the cost of single tickets virtually the same as return fares between stations and routes where they are under resourced they will maximise their income without staffing the trains and stations properly.

There are some very strange situations regarding train fares and tickets. For example, if you obtain a special price advanced ticket for a particular train e.g. Leeds to Kings Cross, London where the price is cheaper than the normal ticket price for that route and you get off at an earlier station than Kings Cross e.g Stevenage (because you have relatives there) as you exit the Station you will be requested to pay the difference between the special and normal Leeds to Kings Cross fare. If you refuse, you will be arrested for fraud! Not a lot of people will be aware of that.

Nothing to stop you breaking the journey though.

 

[Littgull]

Nothing to stop you breaking the journey though.

I think there maybe. I'm not certain but I think the advanced ticket (special price) tickets only entitle the passenger to that price if they take that particular timed train and do not board or alight at any station other than the start and end station on the ticket. So if for example you got off at an earlier station the ticket inspector at the station exit would ask you to pay the extra. even if you tried a ruse, for example, and said you have had a sudden emergency and had to alight early. For stations with automatic ticket barriers, I think the ticket when fed though would be rejected and not open the barrier so that would generate a ticket inspector to appear.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Ticket barriers are far from everywhere. So provided it is a small station in the country you are starting your ride from it should not be a problem.