I think that's what sticks in most people's throats, certainly on the London commute. Even with my walking stick (bad ankle) I have to spend entire journeys standing.
"Trains are a rich man's toy" says Transport Minister.
- Thread starter Danthus
- Start date
I think that's what sticks in most people's throats, certainly on the London commute. Even with my walking stick (bad ankle) I have to spend entire journeys standing.
My season ticket for the year was 2kfor overcrowed late trains total rip off but my only other alternative is a 13 mile bike ride each way
They have got commuters by the balls!
Yep :/
My season ticket for the year was 2k
They have got commuters by the balls!
I'd bike that distance to be honest. Have you tried it?
Hmmm commuters with jobs (mostly office jobs) earn more money than the general population (which includes, the unemployed, students, pensioners, people living in inner city areas....) - not really surprising...
Could quite easily reduce fares and you'd still have the same demographic using trains the most, and they'd still be earning more than the general population (albeit with more money in their pockets).
Having said that, train fares are high and we do need to build more capacity.
Soldato
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I'm looking at £360 a month for the commute should I go to Glasgow for work, pretty awesome for a miserable service where you get no seats, constant delays and much disappointment.
If I get the job, I'll definitely be buying a cruddy car for this commute.
Even a disgusting, ancient, French diesel hatchback would offer a cheaper and more pleasant experience than the train.
If I get the job, I'll definitely be buying a cruddy car for this commute.
Even a disgusting, ancient, French diesel hatchback would offer a cheaper and more pleasant experience than the train.
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So don't use it? Drive instead if you think thats so much better?
£306.10 with a season ticket. Edinburgh - Glasgow (Central or Queen Street).
Saved you £648. Can I have some please?
I'm not sure how it's a miserable service. You just put in your headphones, read a book/paper for 50 minutes and then get off in the middle of the city. I'd much prefer that than have to battle rush hour traffic.
I do like trains for the lack of hassle, and for local travel (especially with my West Yorkshire 1/2 fare card) they are reasonably priced compared to driving, but this changes when there's more than one person going.
With a railcard, it's still a reasonable prospect to travel cross country on your own price wise, even without much notice. But again, if it's not just you going then it's much better to drive usually.
But I suppose that when the train companies are there to profit, they must have worked out that this pricing structure gives them the most profit, and who is to stop them? Fundamentally, if people don't want to get on a train they don't have to, but it does make things much more inconvenient if you don't have a car. People still use trains because they are the best method of transport at that time, or they wouldn't use them. While being milked isn't an agreeable concept as such, with the train companies out to make a profit, what can you do?
With a railcard, it's still a reasonable prospect to travel cross country on your own price wise, even without much notice. But again, if it's not just you going then it's much better to drive usually.
But I suppose that when the train companies are there to profit, they must have worked out that this pricing structure gives them the most profit, and who is to stop them? Fundamentally, if people don't want to get on a train they don't have to, but it does make things much more inconvenient if you don't have a car. People still use trains because they are the best method of transport at that time, or they wouldn't use them. While being milked isn't an agreeable concept as such, with the train companies out to make a profit, what can you do?
Soldato
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I used to hate getting a train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow queen street. They really are overcrowded at rush hour, it is bliss when it is quiet.
Hamilton to Glasgow return is around £3.90 for 30 minutes each way,every 15 minutes usually and a chance of a seat most times. Even get my bike on sometimes.
I'm glad I can cycle to work and selling bikes seems to be on the up for us as transport costs keep going up and up. The government have already, or are going to very soon, add vat on to the cyclescheme that was designed to be a tax free way to purchase a bicycle.
Hamilton to Glasgow return is around £3.90 for 30 minutes each way,every 15 minutes usually and a chance of a seat most times. Even get my bike on sometimes.
I'm glad I can cycle to work and selling bikes seems to be on the up for us as transport costs keep going up and up. The government have already, or are going to very soon, add vat on to the cyclescheme that was designed to be a tax free way to purchase a bicycle.
Anyone commute to central London from north Hertfordshire? This thread reminded me about seeing what the cost of a season ticket was. I looked on the first capital connect website and couldn't find a way to get a season ticket that actually covers both travel to London and on the tube. Do you use an oyster card after kings cross?
I booked those particularly tickets about 2 months in advance. Obviously some routes are better than others for cheap tickets.
Soldato
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Train travel in this country is pathetc and has been for a long time.
Birmingham to London takes lees than two hours
London to Norwich takes less than two hours
Yet travel from Norwich to Birmingham and it can take 4 hours and costs over £60.
I travelled about 400 miles on TGV for £35 in France a week ago. On a much better train than the ones I see around here and with loads of leg room. Oh and it was on time.
Birmingham to London takes lees than two hours
London to Norwich takes less than two hours
Yet travel from Norwich to Birmingham and it can take 4 hours and costs over £60.
I travelled about 400 miles on TGV for £35 in France a week ago. On a much better train than the ones I see around here and with loads of leg room. Oh and it was on time.
But thats as much our geography as it is the rail network.
It's only 160 miles from Birmingham to Norwich yet it takes 3 hours in the car. Birmingham to Penrith is almost 20 miles further yet takes less time..
When times are better, would anyone be wanting to see the re-nationalisation of the railways again? The private companies are basically just state backed monopolies so there would be no difference and people could actually be held to account for failures.
Go to the National Rail website:
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/seasonticket/search
Put in your from/to (just make to the closest rail station in London) and it should give you an option of a Season ticket which includes the travelcard for unlimited use on the underground.
Hate train fares.
Main gripes:
I cannot advance book on the line I live on - NXEA. (It works if I go to say Bath or Birmingham, but if I try to go to London in advance there's no joy).
Frequent rail replacements at weekends, yet there is no discount for this inconvenience and delay.
The trains are generally horrible condition.
If you make honest mistakes with the insanely complex ticketing and routing it's always a song and a dance to try and pursuade them that it was a mistake, particularly with the random nature in which train tickets are given the ability to work on the underground (eg: Bought a ticket to Clock house from Victoria, I would assume that this would cover the underground part of the journey since all other tickets I've ever bought have done (eg: chelmsford to clock house), but this was no the case.
The most frustrating part is the tickets will let you into the underground but not out, which to me is a form of entrapment - surely if the ticket is not valid and you will get fined for not having a valid ticket, it should not let you in?!
Main gripes:
I cannot advance book on the line I live on - NXEA. (It works if I go to say Bath or Birmingham, but if I try to go to London in advance there's no joy).
Frequent rail replacements at weekends, yet there is no discount for this inconvenience and delay.
The trains are generally horrible condition.
If you make honest mistakes with the insanely complex ticketing and routing it's always a song and a dance to try and pursuade them that it was a mistake, particularly with the random nature in which train tickets are given the ability to work on the underground (eg: Bought a ticket to Clock house from Victoria, I would assume that this would cover the underground part of the journey since all other tickets I've ever bought have done (eg: chelmsford to clock house), but this was no the case.
The most frustrating part is the tickets will let you into the underground but not out, which to me is a form of entrapment - surely if the ticket is not valid and you will get fined for not having a valid ticket, it should not let you in?!
Do people actually have a problem with leg room on our trains? Compared to coaches, planes and even cars they actually seem pretty good.