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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that Avanti West Coast trains are CF?!

21 replies

Trainsstrains · 18/10/2021 20:15

We used to travel by train as a family a lot. Pre lockdown. Pre Avanti too. Virgin trains had a capped family ticket so for all of us it was around 100 quid ish. This made sense as it saved us driving up north- we live down south but all our family is still in the north. Less traffic pollution from us and cheaper than petrol. Anyway now the prices have sky rocketed. The cheapest ticket we could get for our next journey was literally double the price and more. We had to travel at really rough times with kids to get it that cheap. I contacted them to ask what was going on, and was told if I want to book at the family capped rate I’d need to book 24 weeks in advance. Which is just a bloody joke. For the journey we booked at more reasonable times it was at least another 100 quid. Also they seem to have cheaper options if you book to travel Thursday to Tuesday but for most families with school age children that is naff all use over one week half terms or weekends. The website is also rubbish. It’s very hard to travel backwards in your booking to alter anything or alter any selections after the fact without cancelling the booking at which point the effing price goes up. Last week the exact same journey we booked this time was half the price. I think they are massively more expensive than Virgin ever was. I can see us making all our journeys by cat in the future. Which is something we don’t want to do.

OP posts:
ConstantlyIrksome · 18/10/2021 20:17

I know this is not the point of your post but would very much like to see you travelling North astride your giant cat, waving two fingers in the air at Avanti

Wombat49 · 18/10/2021 20:18

My bil is now driving to see us. Whereas pre-Avanti he used to always take the train. Less frequent services, way more expensive.

AlbusSeverusMalfoy · 18/10/2021 20:20

Travelling by cat - I have an an images of you and family going up North, riding something similar to the cat/dog thing from Never Ending Story.

Trainsstrains · 18/10/2021 20:20

😂😂 Irksome That would be a splendid way to travel. My Cat would eat Avanti for lunch 😆😆

OP posts:
MoiraNotRuby · 18/10/2021 20:20

Yanbu. Virgin was great, Avanti is shit. I tend to stick to the local slower trains now, they most have phone charging sockets and for the price they are better value.

PearlclutchersInc · 18/10/2021 20:21

I book trains via trainline (and use the split ticket function as well) but rail travel has gone through the roof over the last 18 months. The train operator is totally immaterial.

Travelling on Fridays was always more expensive though - supply and demand. Simple as that - everyone wants to travel at bank holidays and school breaks.

BasiliskStare · 18/10/2021 20:21

I went to see relatives in the NW - much more expensive - but not sure what the other option is - don't want to drive 300 miles Sad or indeed 600 there and back

Trainsstrains · 18/10/2021 20:22

Albus- let’s not drag Falkor the dragon into this. But dragon would also be a good way to travel. Bet we’d be able to arrive before 11.39 at night too.

OP posts:
BasiliskStare · 18/10/2021 20:24

( Sorry meant to say for equivalent Avanti appears more expensive. ) - But hey - what can you do? - I'll book further in advance - but given elderly parents 24 weeks isn't practical.

SunShinesBrightly · 18/10/2021 20:24

Have you got a Friends and family railcard?
1/3 off for adults and 60% off for children.
T&Cs here:
www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/about-railcard/are-you-eligible/

Lovequinngoldberg · 18/10/2021 20:25

YANBU

They're terrible.

The journey I travel 3-4 times per year is £20 or so more expensive (for an off peak ticket) than off peak was with Virgin.

And don't get me started on their Standard Premium seats or whatever nonsense that is!

The train I was on last week was filthy, and noalso considerably overcrowded, all seats filled and not one person wearing a mask. The last time I travelled in May/ June, the train was half full and there were messages on a continuous loop telling us to mask wear which felt unduly oppressive, it's like one extreme to another.

Wasn't a fan of Virgin but this lot are so much worse.

BasiliskStare · 18/10/2021 20:25

@Trainsstrains - could I have a lift on your dragon ? Grin

Trainsstrains · 18/10/2021 20:29

Yep Basilisk the drive post family visit is depressing at best. Why is it so bloody expensive though?? That’s what I don’t get. It starts at more than double the price if we are lucky.

OP posts:
BasiliskStare · 19/10/2021 16:03

DH is still working but he is now 60 so maybe can get a rail card - DS is under 25 he gets a rail card - the problem is sometimes it just has to be a friday - maybe we need to investigate this more and take a friday off as well as a monday - but yes I agree the 300 miles trip back home is tedious ( which is why we tried the train )

All best @Trainsstrains Flowers

ChubbyK · 19/10/2021 18:00

I don't think it's just avanti, I think it's train travel in general.

A journey of 1.5 hours I used to do frequently has almost tripled in price since 2019.

Littleants · 19/10/2021 19:09

Its this country, though, innit? All the prices are going up everywhere and there’s sod all you can do about it

JanetandJohn500 · 19/10/2021 19:25

We're going to London next week from the NW. it's been cheaper to book flights (Man - Heathrow) and a hotel than it was to get Avanti train. Utterly ridiculous!

Ljmumun · 19/10/2021 19:35

Going preston to euston on Thursday £69 return with split tickets and friends & family car. For adults and 1 child. Next week its double. Never use them now to visit family in Scotland. Used virgin all the time. They are appalling but no other choice for this trip

Jemsi · 19/10/2021 19:49

I really fancied a show in London and matinee theatre tickets were cheap- however the day return train ticket cost for DH and I from Manchester was £180!
Safe to say we will be waiting until the show tours

Jemsi · 19/10/2021 19:51

I imagined OP on cat bus!

To think that Avanti West Coast trains are CF?!
relativenewbie · 19/10/2021 20:04

Completely understand the frustrations, but the rose tinted glasses for Virgin is not entirely fair. The Avanti trains are exactly the same as the Virgin trains (just with different vinyls) and the staff are largely identical too (TUPE across from Virgin). Over 50% of fares are set by the government not by the operator.

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