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Original poster

The price of train tickets!

182 replies

PopNotPolitics · 30/12/2023 18:19

The cost of train tickets is rising AGAIN! We seem to get this every single year!

I earn okay, but I almost always take the coach when I travel between cities as I just can't justify the cost of the trains anymore as they are.

Surely they will just be unaffordable to most people soon, and what will happen then?

OP posts:
Ostu · 30/12/2023 19:17

StaunchMomma · 30/12/2023 18:56

I've been thinking the same, recently. I loved a 4am coach into London, as a student. Slept the whole way, came back late and slept on way back, too. Think is was a tenner return, back then.

Might do that next time we pop down.

Show quote history

Probably best to keep your glorious memories of fuck o'clock in the morning coach journeys as they are rather than spoil the magic by attempting to recreate them in middle age, with a family.

Blackcountryexile · 30/12/2023 19:21

I use trains regularly and often don't pay the full fare as I can claim back part or sometimes all of the fare when the train is late or cancelled .

maximist · 30/12/2023 19:22

The government seems to think that the reason people don't use the trains is because they're not fast enough. It's not. It's because they're ridiculously expensive. I'd love to hop on a train for a day out, but it's pretty much always cheaper to drive, even on my own. If I've got company it would be ridiculous to waste money on train fares.

HisNibs · 30/12/2023 19:26

I go on holiday next week. For the cost of a one-way ticket to the airport for 3 adults, I can pay for an overnight hotel, car parking and the fuel both ways. Now add in the return journey and the taxis to/from the station and there is just no way I can consider public transport. It's far too expensive, unreliable and generally crap.

Gusti · 30/12/2023 19:29

The Uk is crumbling on so many fronts. The Tories will walk away with very fat pockets while the infrastructure is left in tatters. Our rail service is shocking compared to other western nations. We are becoming the strange ancient disheveled relation of the western world who occasionally comes to and spouts off some memory of the good old days.

LordEmsworth · 30/12/2023 19:30

It's a moot point surely, because you'll get your money back in full when Avanti cancels your train at the last minute?

anothernamechangeagainsndagain · 30/12/2023 19:37

I took the train this week (off peak return tickets not bought in advance and we reckon it cost £25 more than driving (£125 vs £100 in fuel) paid for parking at the station but would have had to pay for parking if we had driven. We have a 2 together railcard that helped. Its less stressful taking the train for sure but anything longer than 3 hours I just fly

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 30/12/2023 19:39

When we go to London we drive from the south coast. Last summer it was going to be £190 for 3 of us to go on the train. Petrol, parking and tube fares in London cost us £80 for the 3 of us by driving. It doesn't make sense to get the train and be tied to the times etc.... driving means we can leave when we want.

StaunchMomma · 30/12/2023 20:06

Ostu · 30/12/2023 19:17

Probably best to keep your glorious memories of fuck o'clock in the morning coach journeys as they are rather than spoil the magic by attempting to recreate them in middle age, with a family.

Edited
Show quote history

I dunno, you know. Think DS & DH would sleep, if previous naps in airports are anything to go by, and if it saves us £100 odd quid a trip then it's gotta be worth a try.

Train journeys are hardly a joy, are they?

penjil · 30/12/2023 20:20

SutWytTi · 30/12/2023 18:59

It's awful. I could cry when I see train prices in e.g. Belgium, Netherlands.

Italy also has such cheap prices and their trains are like modern spaceships!

HermioneHerman · 30/12/2023 20:43

Couldn't agree more. I'm a full time mature student in London, live in Surrey and don't really enjoy driving so would love to rely on the train. I would ideally also use the time to study since I'm on a very demanding course and have 3 kids at home so less flexibility and freedom than younger students.

But my 40 ish minute journey (on a good day without delays, cancellations, skipped stops and fastest route) costs £20-25 return even with split tickets/off peak for return journey, AND with a student Railcard! And my provider cuts out all the outer London interchange stations during peak times so I have no choice but to pay a zone 1 premium and pricier tube journeys to get to where I need to be on time. Off peak my journey time can sometimes be halved and cost approx £10 less but I often do need to be for 9am like many people.

It's completely unaffordable now that I'm not earning and get the very bare minimum maintenance loan (no tuition fee loan for previous graduates). I tend to drive halfway to three-quarters in to areas where I can park for free and use an Oyster card but I'd really rather not when I have a perfectly good train station within walking distance. I've complained/fed back a lot but of course they couldn't care less. Profit profit profit.

kitsuneghost · 30/12/2023 21:03

We are 60 miles from London. We are going to London less as it is too dear. About a month ago coming home there was a ticket inspection. 3 separate people just in our carriage on a low occupation train had no tickets. If you do this every week, the lack of inspectors mean you would be cheaper with the odd fine.

halfmice · 30/12/2023 21:05

£6 return for one stop, literally 5 minute train ride away. Don’t think that’s great value tbh

RedSnail · 30/12/2023 21:08

Train prices are atrocious, there needs to be a railcard for single adults who catch a lot of trains. I don’t drive long distances due to disability, but don’t qualify for a disabled railcard as I’ve not applied for PIP (the process is too inaccessible), and there aren’t coaches to my destination. Just means I travel less now than I’d like to.

Hermione101 · 30/12/2023 21:10

I’m an expat with a family in London and I don’t bother traveling anywhere in this country, trains are horrendous, everywhere is overcrowded, and expensive. Shame because I’ve wanted to see some beautiful parts of this country. We take care very holiday abroad. Not worth it in the U.K. anymore.

electriclight · 30/12/2023 21:11

Just tried to book a journey between two uk cities. I could drive it in 2 hours. It'll take 3.5 hours, two changes and a 'bus replacement service' for part of the journey. The cost is £35 but there are three of us travelling so hard to justify. Last time we went, all return trains were cancelled without warning. It's a fucking joke. Prices spiral while service declines.

Katemax82 · 30/12/2023 21:13

My husband used to be a train driver on southeastern. We had free train travel for 22 years..until last year. He changed to freight driving and I so miss the free train travel!!! Its ridiculous trying to go to London from Kent.

DdraigGoch · 30/12/2023 21:23

dastidlydaschel · 30/12/2023 19:00

It really is a disgrace. I never get trains in the uk in recent years. Ironically (given the government apparently want to get people using public transport) it more comfortable and cheaper to drive and pay carparks, even the extortionate NCP ones!

I don't understand it. I use trains in Spain every year. They are clean, on time, air conditioned and very affordable. Why is it so bad in the uk?

The government don't want to get people using public transport at all. Didn't you see that they severely cut a project designed to boost capacity (and by consequence allow peak fares to drop to more sensible levels) on one of the busiest routes in Europe. Where did they decide to spend the money instead? Road repairs in London.

Rishi won't notice the high fares, the unreliablity and the overcrowding, not when he's whizzing over in his helicopter.

I wish I spoke Dutch, I'd move there in an instant.

Scottishdreams1991 · 30/12/2023 21:31

I travelled Edinburgh to perth then back again today and it cost 23 pound for me and 3 kids so not that bad

Woush · 30/12/2023 21:34

I just got a new job that is 50miles one way commute. My home and my work are both on a train line (in Midlands). Thought I'd look into an annual train ticket. Journey time is 1h on the train, 1h 10 driving, but costs just shy of £5k a year. I can buy a new car for that, madness costs.

kitsuneghost · 30/12/2023 21:39

Woush · 30/12/2023 21:34

I just got a new job that is 50miles one way commute. My home and my work are both on a train line (in Midlands). Thought I'd look into an annual train ticket. Journey time is 1h on the train, 1h 10 driving, but costs just shy of £5k a year. I can buy a new car for that, madness costs.

By the time you include parking at the train station (£1500 a year at ours). You would be cheaper driving.

WellWillWoll · 30/12/2023 21:47

Gets me so cross that it's considerably cheaper for me to drive to work than it is to get the train. And that takes into account all the costs of running my car, not just the petrol.

Why would anyone choose to help save the planet and use public transport when it's over crowded, unreliable, dirty and expensive??

RockaLock · 30/12/2023 21:54

We (me, DH, 2 DC) looked at the price of train tickets from south London to Cardiff last year.

Even booking several weeks ahead, it was going to be well over £200 for all of us. Or we could drive it on one tank of petrol.

We drove...

Disturbia81 · 30/12/2023 22:02

Don't get it either.. thought we were meant to be using cars less!?

JMSA · 30/12/2023 22:05

TooMuchPinkyPonkJuice · 30/12/2023 19:08

Yup. I need to travel to my aunts funeral in the new year but I cannot afford the train ticket so it looks like I can’t attend. It’s horrendous.

Oh no. Where are you based, if you don't mind me asking, and where do you need to go? Flowers