Train Travel

[xoxoxoBruce]

If you're traveling by train from to anywhere, the man in seat 61 will give you the straight poop.

Train travel is a more rewarding, low-stress alternative to flying, which brings us closer to the countries we visit and reduces our contribution to climate change. It's time to rediscover the pleasure, romance & adventure of travel by train or ship. This site explains how to travel comfortably & affordably by train or ferry where you might think air was now the only option. For help with train travel, ask the Man in Seat 61!

[Carruthers]

I don't think that I am being controversial when I say that rail travel in the UK is often perceived as complex and expensive.
An in depth knowledge of the byzantine ticketing system is a helpful starting point for anyone wishing to undertake a railway journey.
Very often tickets are beset by all manner of terms and conditions which seem to have been imposed with the sole intention of catching out the unwary traveller.
This usually results in the full fare for the journey being imposed in addition to the fare already paid.

Bizarrely it is possible to pay less for a journey by 'split ticketing'.
As an illustration, let's say that you wish to travel from London-Kings Cross to Newcastle.
It might well be cheaper to buy a ticket from Kings Cross to York and another from York to Newcastle.
You stay on the train and probably have the same seat. It's perfectly within the terms and conditions and the only requirement is that the train is scheduled to stop at the intermediate station.

If faced with that journey I think I'd fly from either Luton or Heathrow.
The cost and time involved travelling to either of those airports probably wouldn't be much different to that of Kings Cross.
And there's no risk of having to stand for half the journey.

[xoxoxoBruce]

All well and good if your just considering point A to point B as quickly/efficiently as possible. But you're overlooking the adventure, intrigue, mystery, and romance of the trains.
What if Agatha Christie had been a flier?

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

All well and good if your just considering point A to point B as quickly/efficiently as possible. But you're overlooking the adventure, intrigue, mystery, and romance of the trains.
What if Agatha Christie had been a flier?

There's more than enough mystery and intrigue in the timetable and ticketing system for anyone!

[Undertoad]

I think it was over £200 round-trip, London St Pancras to Derby, if booked in exactly the worst way (last minute, direct, at a window)?

(They told me I did it wrong, but when your employer is paying for it, and doesn't give you any instructions....)

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

I think it was over £200 round-trip, London St Pancras to Derby, if booked in exactly the worst way (last minute, direct, at a window)?

(They told me I did it wrong, but when your employer is paying for it, and doesn't give you any instructions....)

'Dynamic pricing' at its best. Otherwise known as being held to ransom.


Fares rose 3.1% (in most cases) earlier this month.

UK rail fares will rise by 3.1% in January, the Rail Delivery Group has said.

New fares published on Friday will add hundreds of pounds to many commuters’ annual travel from 2 January 2019.

Fares rose at the start of this year by 3.4%, slightly below the 3.6% cap set for regulated fares.

Passenger groups had demanded a freeze after widespread disruption this year, particularly on Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and Northern services, after the botched introduction of a new timetable in May.

Northern fares will rise by slightly more than the industry average, 3.2%. More disruption is expected on Northern trains on Saturday due to an RMT strike, although the company and union are now in talks to avert further planned industrial action.

GTR said its fares would rise at just below 3%, while C2C (2.6%) and Chiltern (2.8%) were implementing the lowest rises among those companies which had revealed their plans.

Britain’s rail fares have grown faster than wages, with real pay having fallen in the last decade.

Link

If you have the misfortune to be a daily commuter into London you really do pay through the nose.
It's a business model that would have made Al Capone blush.

[Gravdigr]

I wouldn't travel (via any mode of transportation) in London if they paid me.

[glatt]

I think you would enjoy a canal boat ride.

[lumberjim]

Originally Posted by glatt

I think you would enjoy a canal boat ride.

That's canal, not anal.

And you never know until you try, Digr

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

I wouldn't travel (via any mode of transportation) in London if they paid me.

Not even this one?

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

I wouldn't travel (via any mode of transportation) in London if they paid me.

Originally Posted by Carruthers

Not even this one?

A few years ago Stephen Fry made a six episode TV series about his trip around the US in a London black cab.

In this video he stops at London, KY. Scene starts at the 17 min. mark.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Is KY the Deep South?
At 19:22

[Gravdigr]

Thank you Mr. Carruthers! I watched the whole episode!

By far, the best part was when he got to Miami. I think his favorite part of Miami was the "You are now leaving Miami" sign.

I was aware of the show, as I like Stephen Fry. Might have to check out the other episodes.

Thanks again.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Is KY the Deep South?
At 19:22

No, I guarantee they were thinking "Whut did he say?".

[Gravdigr]

Doubtful.