"AyrAlex" (AyrAlex) wrote in message
...
I just wondered, as I seem to remember an off-peak half single from London
to Dover costing a lot of money back in 2001. On top of the large cost, I
had to change at Chatham, and the train split in two at Faversham. The
trains were all very old and slam-door.

Now it seems that for about a quarter of what I paid then, I can get a
single for 45-odd miles from Ayr to Glasgow, in under an hour, without
changing trains, and on a lovely, nice, new (but a bit dodgy) Alstom
Juniper for £5.30.

How to train fares there mount up? PS: A peak return from Ayr to Glasgow
is
considerably more at £9.10


I live in Dover (not through choice I may like to add).

I stayed in London for two nights at the end of March/beginning of April. I
originally purchased a "Network Away Break" in Dover, thinking I was coming
back the next day, but I wasn't (didn't know that when I bought it). For
that ticket, I paid £23.40.

When I did decide to come back from London to Dover, I went to the ticket
office to get a single. I was absolutely disgusted to find out that it
would cost £20.70. (Had to pay it, otherwise I was a bit stuck).

Can anyone tell me why it costs £20.70 to get from London to Dover single,
but only £12.90 from Dover to London single? Both were off peak prices.

And, with regards to the trains splitting...trains from Dover tend to join
with others at Faversham now, and then go straight on to London, and they
are the new Electrostar 375's. You get the odd incident (such as the one
that happened to me last week - train hitting a tree between Selling and
Faversham), where they can't attach the damaged carriages to the train
already waiting, so they don't bother attaching any, and everyone has to fit
into 3/4 carriages. Even with the air conditioning, it was hot.

Laura-Ann

I just wondered, as I seem to remember an off-peak half single from London
to Dover costing a lot of money back in 2001. On top of the large cost, I
had to change at Chatham, and the train split in two at Faversham. The
trains were all very old and slam-door.

Now it seems that for about a quarter of what I paid then, I can get a
single for 45-odd miles from Ayr to Glasgow, in under an hour, without
changing trains, and on a lovely, nice, new (but a bit dodgy) Alstom
Juniper for £5.30.

How to train fares there mount up? PS: A peak return from Ayr to Glasgow
is
considerably more at £9.10


I live in Dover (not through choice I may like to add).

I stayed in London for two nights at the end of March/beginning of April. I
originally purchased a "Network Away Break" in Dover, thinking I was coming
back the next day, but I wasn't (didn't know that when I bought it). For
that ticket, I paid £23.40.

When I did decide to come back from London to Dover, I went to the ticket
office to get a single. I was absolutely disgusted to find out that it
would cost £20.70. (Had to pay it, otherwise I was a bit stuck).

Can anyone tell me why it costs £20.70 to get from London to Dover single,
but only £12.90 from Dover to London single? Both were off peak prices.

Some railway companies decide to charge more from London than to
London. It's a bit silly really. This is definitely the worst example
I've come across. Another amusing one is:

Birmingham (NS) to London (Euston) SVR £32.10 (Route: Any Permitted)
London (Euston) to Birmingham (NS) SVR £36.80 (Route: Any Permitted)

Meanwhile:

Birmingham (SH) to London (Marylebone) SVR £25.60 (Route: High
Wycombe)
London (Marylebone) to Birmingham (SH) SVR £25.60 (Route: High
Wycombe)

The result is I'll buy the Any Permitted ticket if I'm starting in
Brum, but I'll go to Marylebone if starting from London.

And, with regards to the trains splitting...trains from Dover tend to join
with others at Faversham now, and then go straight on to London, and they
are the new Electrostar 375's. You get the odd incident (such as the one
that happened to me last week - train hitting a tree between Selling and
Faversham), where they can't attach the damaged carriages to the train
already waiting, so they don't bother attaching any, and everyone has to fit
into 3/4 carriages. Even with the air conditioning, it was hot.

Ah, so that's how (Connex) SE manage(d) to run 4 car trains in Rush
Hour!