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Original poster

Scotrail season tickets - ouch!

31 replies

StillFrankie · 27/08/2015 07:50

I'm moving offices within my company - moving from one a 10 minute drive away (with free parking), to Glasgow city centre.

My options will be either £12 a day parking or a train season ticket which will cost me over £1200 per year!

I will get a pay rise, but this will be completely eaten up by train or parking.

Those who live in the city centre, please advise if there is an easier way?

My office is near Queen St station so the train would be the easiest option if it wasn't for the cost!

As for parking further away and walking, there are two problems with this - I have slight mobility problems and I don't want to be a sweaty, rushed mess when I arrive at work!

OP posts:

Original poster

StillFrankie · 27/08/2015 07:53

PS a bus journey would involve 3 bus changes and getting up like 3 hours earlier, not good when you have a young child.

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00100001 · 27/08/2015 07:54

do your company subsidise train tickets? Might be worth checking out

Ubik1 · 27/08/2015 07:57

Sounds like you will have to get the train.

Penfold007 · 27/08/2015 08:05

It might be worth seeing if you qualify for a blue badge and checking out accessible parking.

If you get the train its going to cost roughly £5 a day but you won't be spending so much on petrol. May things will even out.

BikeRunSki · 27/08/2015 08:49

When we moved offices (from Leeds suburbs to city centre) people whose journeys become more than 3 miles longer were paid a "displacement allowance" for 3 years. This has happened in 2 cosines I've worked for and once for DM so seems quite common. Are your employers prepared to do anything like that?

Original poster

StillFrankie · 27/08/2015 11:43

My employer pays travel expenses if I travel elsewhere, not home to office

I've checked our policies and there's no mention of any other help.

Presently I pay £10 a week petrol to my current office (it's a really cheap car to run) so petrol isn't a problem, it's the train fares/parking that worries me.

No I don't qualify for a blue badge.

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BloodyDogHairs · 27/08/2015 11:49

Is there a car share option?

Zogthebiggestdragon · 27/08/2015 11:51

I used to drive to Easterhouse station, park there and then get the train. It's easy access from the M8 and free parking locally. Loads of other stations with on street parking nearby, (obviously depending where you are coming from), could that be an option? It's a bit of a pain driving to get the train though.
Alternatively, I'm sure the car park on King St was £5 a day which might work for you, not too long a walk? (I'm a couple of years out of date though).

OllyBJolly · 27/08/2015 11:57

I'd always travel by train if given the choice - time to chill, catch up on work, read, people watch. No stress, no jams - wrong kind of snow on the track then it's not my fault I'm late.... Remember to subtract your current commuting costs from that £1200.

People I know who work in Glasgow and don't have parking provided park in the west end and take the underground, or park at the retail park (the Quay?) just south of the river and take the bus over.

catgames · 27/08/2015 12:01

I feel your pain. i've just moved from Glasgow city to Sterlingshire and it's costing me £250/mth in season tickets to commute back in for work! If you employer will let you be flexible about working hours it is significantly cheaper to travel off-peak (after 9am). I used to do this and you have the bonus of nice quiet trains! Otherwise check out which "zone" you are in and whether, as Zog suggests, it might be cheaper to drive to a station in a closer zone and get the train from there.

Original poster

StillFrankie · 27/08/2015 13:37

Car share is an option although I do t know who lives in my area...

I'll have to travel around a bit too with work so that's confusing me re: car/train

Maybe train on days I'm in the office all day, car for those trips that aren't near a station...

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ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 27/08/2015 13:43

Still quite pricey, but could you drive to one if the Park and Ride places and then get the Subway into Buchanan Street?

Original poster

StillFrankie · 27/08/2015 18:01

I have a disabled railcard but it seems this cannot be used alongside season tickets? If I just use my disabled railcard without buying a season ticket, the cost works out exactly the same for the year - £1200ish :/

I've discovered my employers do a season ticket loan thing. Not really sure how this works or if it would save me more money than my railcard would alone?

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WankerDeAsalWipe · 27/08/2015 22:50

I think the season ticket loan is so that you can buy an annual ticket thereby getting it cheaper than 12 x 1 month tickets, but you can pay it up monthly via your salary - I am not sure if they can deduct it from the gross too and save you tax on it?

I'd definitely check whether they are contributing to your extra costs for a time period though, I've had similar happen to me with 2 separate employers and bout paid towards travel on a reducing scale for a period - think you have to be moved over a certain distance to qualify though.

Or is it simply that you've got a promotion and it is in a different location? If so then that will be down to you unless you negotiate something with them as a condition of accepting the role. The times it happened to me, the entire office was relocated.

prettybird · 28/08/2015 15:20

If tickets with your disabled railcard cost the same as a season ticket and you might be having to travel round a bit to other places (which you can claim back if it's business travel), then it doesn't make sense to buy a season ticket.

howabout · 28/08/2015 16:39

Petrol plus parking sounds like it will be more than £1,200. Parking and driving in rush hour central Glasgow is no fun. Get the train. (I may be biased due to 2 fines for inadvertently driving in a bus lane)

Original poster

StillFrankie · 28/08/2015 20:02

That's what my dad says prettybird

I just have to think of where to park for those days when I'll only be in Glasgow for part of the day and need my car to go elsewhere (where there may not be a station nearby)

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prettybird · 28/08/2015 21:41

If you're near Queen Street and have slight mobility problems you have two choices: either park in the city centre car parks close by (Buchanan Galleries or Buchanan Street Car parks) or use a Scotrail (North side) or Subway Park and Ride, both of which would get you to Queen St/Buchanan St.

Not sure which side of the city you are coming from to give you more specific advice.

Behooven · 28/08/2015 21:59

A yearly season ticket saves a lot compared to the daily ticket price - about a third iirc. My company do a yearly travel loan, it covers the price of the season ticket then they deduct it in equal monthly payments. It is quite cost effective that way, although yes I wish big organisations would think about moving away from the city centre.

prettybird · 28/08/2015 22:41

StillFrankie has said that she has a disabled rail card which saves (I think) a third, but can't be used as far as she is aware with a Season ticket, so therefore there's no saving buying a season ticket versus buying daily. Indeed, there might be a cost, as with a season ticket, the she would already have bought her ticket into Glasgow even if she is going elsewhere on business - which she would be able to claim for.

AyeAmarok · 28/08/2015 23:28

Ooooh, are you moving into one of those snazzy new city centre office buildings that are popping up all-over?

Original poster

StillFrankie · 29/08/2015 12:03

prettybird it's about 50 minutes by train, not near any subways, not too far from the erskine bridge though.

Yes, it seems a disabled rail card and season ticket can't be used together and it's looking like just used my rail card on its own is the way to go if there's a chance I won't be in the city centre every or all day

ayeamarok its not a new building, its always been there, but I think its not long been converted into offices

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prettybird · 29/08/2015 12:31

Is it worth on the days that you might need the car, coming off at the M74 and then parking at the Shields Road Park & Ride and getting the subway into town? Buchanan Street underground is right beside Queen Street station. It means you don't have to get across the Kingston Bridge and you have easy access to the car within 10-15 minutes if you need to go elsewhere. All day parking including the return journey only costs you £5

Original poster

StillFrankie · 29/08/2015 17:12

That's an option, I would normally drive past sheilds road when on the M8 although not sure how to get to it...must look

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prettybird · 29/08/2015 18:13

Come off onto the M74, then the first junction off that again (M77 and Pollokshields, I think). Stay in the left hand lane on the slip road (right hand one takes you onto the M77). Turn right at the roundabout at the bottom of the slip road and then turn left (left hand lane). Shields Road multi-story car park is on your left, straight through the traffic lights, just after Shields Road subway. Easy!

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