OT - Train Fares

[Owain]

That's a known problem with some browsers.

Owain

[brass monkey]

If they can't compete, something has to be done.

[Clive George]

Strange as it may seem, some people are prepared to pay a premium to have a more comfortable journey than a bus, with the ability to have a drink, read, whatever you can't do in a car.

And even stranger, the rail companies do offer cheap tickets that undercut driving a car if you're on your own.

(they also offer group discounts for eg 4 people - still probably going to be more expensive than a car but if the cost of parking at the end is very high (think airport) it can win)

[brass monkey]

Why should you have to "pull strings" to find a reasonable ticket price? If you wanna go somewhere at a specific time, that's what you wanna do, the time shouldn't matter. It reminds me of offers in ASDA, Bachelors cup-a-soups, £1.08 each or 2 for a quid. We're being shat-upon, folks.

[brass monkey]

I'm sorry but I'm not prepared to be crapped upon. If the "suits" aren't prepared to take a lil less profit, I'm not prepared to fund'em. Maybe I should've been born a frog.

[Clive George]

Maybe it shouldn't, but it does - and indeed it's very important. And this is the same for most forms of transport - try driving round the M25 at 830am on a weekday and try the same at 3am.

Similarly, expect to pay more for the train at busy times - at least the train doesn't get in a jam as often.

Are you going to start complaining about airlines offering similar pricing? Or ferries?

You're being incoherent.

[Clive George]

What's being crapped upon about getting a subsidised ticket? There's plenty of them about.

[brass monkey]

As you wish, prices for virtually anything are a lottery. The "suits" pick a price and we have to pay it (or not). The prob is that most folks haven't a clue as to how much they pay for what. Neither do they care. That's how the "suits" get away with it. The result? Crapped upon we are.

[Clive George]

Well, sort of. There is a market, and supply and demand and stuff. Some stuff is really very cheap indeed - see eg mobile phones, the marvels of technology and low labour costs in China that they are. Other stuff is more expensive - see professional services for high labour cost examples.

So in the case in question, the tickets that are in high demand are expensive, and the less popular ones are cheaper. That's pretty normal.

You're one of the people who doesn't have a clue how much they pay for what - see your comparing train cost to fuel cost alone, not taking into account the other costs of running a car, not taking into account the availability of lower-priced tickets.

[Dave Liquorice]

The fuel cost of a car is only about 50% of the actual running cost. Though I guess if you were given it, drive around on thread bare tyres without insurance or MOT then it might only cost you fuel. Provided you don't get caught...

London from here is a 500 mile round trip that'll be about =A3100 in fuel.

[stuart noble]

Or even free tickets with a freedom pass. Some would say it's the old crapping on everyone else

[Huge]

I think the experience of the Cambridge guided busway shows that trains suck even when they're buses.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you couldn't catch a train for less than the accepted mileage cost for running a car, you might have a point. But at the moment you don't.

[tony sayer]

In article , Tim Streater scribeth thus

No course not!, its just a play around experimental thing sort of..

Same author has done a very good arrivals/departures board that works very well..

[tony sayer]

In article , Tim Streater scribeth thus

Yes windows based I believe;!.

I think they've cured that one now....

[tony sayer]

Well you say that but I have to admit it is working rather well from those who've used it, but its done bugger all to improve the A14 ...

[tony sayer]

You should see the amount of people coming and going in the rush hours and even some side of that at Cambridge. Must be doing something right!. Why don't they all use their cars if its better and cheaper?..

[tony sayer]

In article , brass monkey scribeth thus

Well what would you prefer a state run commie system?...

[Huge]

But not those who've paid for it.

The only people saying it would were the politicians with their hands out.

The A14 needs making into a motorway.

[The Natural Philosopher]

well it needs to cut across the Fens North of Cambridge so the Newamarket-Cambridge stretch and the Cambridge-Huntingdon stretch gets relieved from traffic heading from Ipswich to the Midlands..

BUT whose back gardens will it have to run through?