[kevkev57]

Ok, its now official. I have been out of the country for too long.   This was brought home to me yesterday when I tried to book a train journey on line.

Well actually I did not get past the price !   Single journey , second class from Reading to Chester.  £75.10 please.   Oh, and three changes and it takes 3 hours 22 minutes.

Here in Belgium , I can buy ten single tickets to go any distance for 50€. I am sure those reading this from France have a similar deal.

How on earth can anyone afford to travel by train ? Answers on a used train ticket please.

Kevin ( moan over ) 

[gavo]

Count your blessings we don't really have much of a train network over here IRELAND north or south of the border

[Rosemary]

Kev, you might have been cheaper with a return ticket (believe it or not) or seperate tickets from each station along the way. It's a minefield.

I love travelling by train, though.

[JulieS]

There seems to be so many different prices for the same journeys.

I travelled from Barnstaple to Reading a couple of weeks ago (car broke down!) and it worked out cheaper to buy two single tickets (£23 each way) than a return (£78).  This was online a few days beforehand.

Much cheaper to buy tickets before you travel instead of waiting until you are on the train and buying from the conductor (not sure if they still call them that, I'm that old and that's what we used to call them!! lol)

I was sat next to a man on the way home that had 'forgotten' to buy a ticket.  He was charged £295!!

[Tullywood Farm]

The only good thing about being ill, because of major surgery complications

- free train pass -

Considering everything - I would prefer to pay and be free of tablets and pain though

Julie

[sandy]

I love traveling by train but it is hard to buy online and get the best deals and when you ring up they have no idea of alternatives and the cheap deals are either gone or it's too early to publish the fares!!!

[sellickbhoy]

you need a degree to figure out the cheapest (note, not necessarily cheap!) train ticket to go anywhere in the UK.

good luck to you!

[Roxy]

My brother travels a lot by train, and I am quite often gobsmacked by how much he pays.  I think the further he goes in distance he gets better value.  It appears they have "special deals" but do not tell you this when yo book ......its up to you to spend ages looking on the internet, comparing prices, to find these "deals" - only to find you can only go at a certain time, certain day, and have to have a return ticket.

I think the bus offers better value.  I have seen bargain prices between here and Scotland, and here and London etc.

I have just read on the internet that  people are not being given the cheapest fares when they enquire about train fares!!

[sandy]

I will go down to see my family in Leicestershire soon and I noticed last time I spent hours looking, even to fly, I only save a few pounds but added to the stress and inconvenience. I hate rushing around differnet stations with  your hands full, looking for the platform that has been altered and clambering on a full train and looking for an empty seat that is not booked from one stop ahead to another stop past your destination when your eyesight is not too good. I have booked seats previously and that is much better, especially when you have to "wake" someone up who usually dose not speak English and looks grumpy when you tell them it's your seat!!!!!! Another peeve (wrong posting) is when you book a table and someone sits the other sides and sprawls out all over it with papers and their laptop and I am holding on the by scolding cup of coffee in case it spills all over it!!!!!! Can't Waite to go though, I talk to some strange people, (I suppose they say that as well)

[doganjo]

www.thetrainline.com


£7.80 return to right into centre of Edinburgh from 10 minutes along the road found in 20 seconds.  Couldn't do it cheaper by car, and probably about the same time taking account of traffic into Waverley street due to the tram fiasco!

[HappyHippy]

Once again this just shows how stupid the powers that be actually are ! 
They want us all to use public transport cos it eases congestion and trains are better than planes and cars when it comes to carbon emmisions, by making train journies that expensive why would you not fly ? Especially if there's not much difference in cost ! Duh ! They say one thing, suggesting it's for the good of the planet - but just don't have the gonads to make it happen.

[sandy]

I love going into Edinburgh via the train, the strange thing is, I can go from Alloa and pass through Falkirk to Edinburgh yet if I go to Falkirk and miss out a few miles, the price is the same??

[Rosemary]

My daughter and I took the train from Alloa to Stirling - 10 minute journey. I can't remember how much it cost - about £5 return - but it felt like a proper day out. If we had taken the car, it would have been a chore.

I wish we could get our railways sorted out. I'm not sure privatisation has improved anything. Or in the utilities - I can't get my head round how gas and electric are different prices from different companies - it's the same gas and electric genetrated in the same place and coming down the same pipes so how come? Security of supply also worries me.

Sorry, bit off topic.

[sellickbhoy]

www.thetrainline.com


£7.80 return to right into centre of Edinburgh from 10 minutes along the road found in 20 seconds.  Couldn't do it cheaper by car, and probably about the same time taking account of traffic into Waverley street due to the tram fiasco!

i like the trainline.com site, BUT, and this is the problem

is that the cheapest ticket available? try work that out.

[sam.t]

my kids on a trian now from GOOLE to MANSFIELD (about 1 half hours buy car) to go direct change once  £30.10 each to go and change 2 twice £14.75 each WHY