Train Prices

[classic33]

Texas Eagle, #22 to Chicago, 2 hours late from Texas, just past my house now.

http://www.acwr.com/economic-development/rail-maps

And for those stuck on the platforms in the UK
http://www.opentraintimes.com/maps

 

[mjr]

GWR, LNER, LMS & SR were the big Four. First GW is a more modern slant on the GWR.

First GW (purple and light blue on dark blue nightclub paint job, officially called dynamic lines IIRC) has rebranded itself GWR (silver on dark green).

The UK national rail system is currently split up between Stagecoach (a bus company), First (a bus company), Arriva aka German Railways Deutsche Bahn, Abellio aka Dutch Railways, GoVia which I think has some French Railways SNCF involvement , MTR which is far eastern somewhere, and various others. Look up "battling business units" on Dilbert.com for a basic overview

 

[classic33]

First GW (purple and light blue on dark blue nightclub paint job, officially called dynamic lines IIRC) has rebranded itself GWR (silver on dark green).

The UK national rail system is currently split up between Stagecoach (a bus company), First (a bus company), Arriva aka German Railways Deutsche Bahn, Abellio aka Dutch Railways, GoVia which I think has some French Railways SNCF involvement , MTR which is far eastern somewhere, and various others. Look up "battling business units" on Dilbert.com for a basic overview

First isn't only into trains or buses, nor are they only in the UK and their CEO had a cousin who was transport manager for the NXGroup.

 

[mjr]

First isn't only into trains or buses, nor are they only in the UK and their CEO had a cousin who was transport manager for the NXGroup.

Of course, but most people will know them for their bus monopolies.

 

[nickyboy]

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.

I have evidence that is not the case. I had an advance London-Manchester and got off at Stockport. It has automated ticket barriers. They allowed me to exit

There is some logic to this. If you have an advance ticket you can get on the specific train at any point in the journey you've booked. I've done this; I had a Llandudno-Manchester advance ticket but I got on in Rhyl. This was a manned station. I can't confirm whether ticket barriers would accept this or not but I can't see why not

 

[TVC]

Leicester to London the cheapest return you can get is £65 and that is at a time that Doesn't suit anyone, the average is closer to £100. However if you go to Rugby or Nuneaton about 15 miles away you can routinely get returns to the smoke for £13. That's the difference between a monopoly and competition.

 

[NorthernDave]

Did you go via Leeds? on a 156?

156? Luxury! Try it on an unrefurbished 142...

First GW (purple and light blue on dark blue nightclub paint job, officially called dynamic lines IIRC) has rebranded itself GWR (silver on dark green).

The UK national rail system is currently split up between Stagecoach (a bus company), First (a bus company), Arriva aka German Railways Deutsche Bahn, Abellio aka Dutch Railways, GoVia which I think has some French Railways SNCF involvement , MTR which is far eastern somewhere, and various others. Look up "battling business units" on Dilbert.com for a basic overview

I think one of the reasons behind the rebranding was that they were making such a hash of running the trains that they'd become more widely known as 'Worst Great Western'

 

[classic33]

156? Luxury! Try it on an unrefurbished 142...



I think one of the reasons behind the rebranding was that they were making such a hash of running the trains that they'd become more widely known as 'Worst Great Western'

Did it many times.

The first one delivered, and in operation in these parts, is still running having been "refitted".

 

[Littgull]

I have evidence that is not the case. I had an advance London-Manchester and got off at Stockport. It has automated ticket barriers. They allowed me to exit

There is some logic to this. If you have an advance ticket you can get on the specific train at any point in the journey you've booked. I've done this; I had a Llandudno-Manchester advance ticket but I got on in Rhyl. This was a manned station. I can't confirm whether ticket barriers would accept this or not but I can't see why not

That's really interesting @nickyboy. To confuse things, I know of travellers who have purchased advance tickets and when attempting to get on or off at a station other than the start or end of journey printed on the ticket have had to pay the difference to avoid being apprehended for 'fare dodging'.
At the very least, the enforcement of the ticket travel terms and conditions seems to be very inconsistent across the rail franchise companies!

 

[srw]

Leicester to London the cheapest return you can get is £65 and that is at a time that Doesn't suit anyone, the average is closer to £100. However if you go to Rugby or Nuneaton about 15 miles away you can routinely get returns to the smoke for £13. That's the difference between a monopoly and competition.

It's also a perfect illustration of the failure of the free market to perform its (claimed) role of allocating resources in the most efficient way possible - and an indictment of 20 years of transport policy.

 

[Littgull]

It's also a perfect illustration of the failure of the free market to perform its (claimed) role of allocating resources in the most efficient way possible - and an indictment of 20 years of transport policy.

Here, here! I totally agree.

 

[tallliman]

One of my favourite websites is here http://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php

It lets me know where I used to be able to get a train from!

 

[400bhp]

I have evidence that is not the case. I had an advance London-Manchester and got off at Stockport. It has automated ticket barriers. They allowed me to exit

There is some logic to this. If you have an advance ticket you can get on the specific train at any point in the journey you've booked. I've done this; I had a Llandudno-Manchester advance ticket but I got on in Rhyl. This was a manned station. I can't confirm whether ticket barriers would accept this or not but I can't see why not

They do. I’ve often bought a manc-London return knowing full well I’ll be leaving and arriving in Stockport.

 

[NorthernDave]

Another good one for former lines - I live near one and work next to another!

http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk

 

[classic33]

That's interesting, but it's not really much in the way of evidence. The way barriers react and the validity of a ticket are not always synchronised. I won't bore you with stories of barriers refusing valid tickets, just trust me it happens.

People can be and have been prosecuted for terminating journeys short. And it's pretty clear in the conditions of carriage, or whatever they call it these days, that it's not allowed. You got lucky, that the operator didn't want or was unable to enforce the terms that you agreed to when you bought the ticket.


Indeedy.

I've had valid tickets refused at the stations named on the tickets. By both machine and revenue protection officers.