Buying Train Tickets

[Chippy_Tea]

I haven't been on a train in donkeys years and i am quite happy using a PC to pay for stuff online so closing ticket offices will not effect me but having listened to the radio today i can see why people are fighting their closure, Andrew Mar said he feels secure knowing there is an open ticket office when he travels s as being mildly disabled (his words) he sometimes needs help, a lot of people cannot book online so need the human touch and i agree with the union when they say its ok the government saying they will have more staff on the platform to help but we all know what will happen once they get this through those staff will slowly thin out and there will be unmanned stations where vulnerable people will not be able to get help.

Are any members regular train users, what are your thoughts?

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[YeastFace]

In my experience the ticket office will help you to get the best fare.

When I first started commuting, the ticket office saved me a decent amount on what I'd expected to pay for my monthly ticket.

The websites and machines also seem to auto-default to peak fares which can catch you out if you're travelling off-peak but not a regular user.

Agree with your last point, that was my thought when I read the plan.

 

[MashBag]

The websites and machines also seem to auto-default to peak fares which can catch you out if you're travelling off-peak but not a regular user.

Now that is the good argument and makes real sense.

I also thought, it's the occasional traveller that need most help. Seasoned commmunters and the regular users have had time to work it out.

 

[Graz]

Not that I go by train anywhere that often but usually I try to find the best deal online and then purchase the tickets ahead of time. I just use the ticket machine to pick up my tickets when I get to the station.

I'd really like to use trains more but as most of our travel is as a family of four it's usually a lot cheaper to just drive.

They should spread the London thing of tapping in and out with a contactless card to the whole public transport system, it can just determine the lowest cost for you then based on whatever route your are travelling on. I know this wouldn't ever work in reality due to all the different train companies, peak / off peak times, advance tickets etc. but if the whole lot was better coordinated (and probably nationalised ) then something like that could be done?

 

[JockyBrewer]

In my experience the ticket office will help you to get the best fare.

When I first started commuting, the ticket office saved me a decent amount on what I'd expected to pay for my monthly ticket.

The websites and machines also seem to auto-default to peak fares which can catch you out if you're travelling off-peak but not a regular user.

Agree with your last point, that was my thought when I read the plan.

The problem is that the fare system is a nightmare to navigate. Varying peak times, advance fares, special offers, different fares for different companies that travel between the same destinations.

If they could simplify that then it should just come down to tapping in and out.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

 

[Chippy_Tea]

 

[jeremy Hall]

In my experience the ticket office will help you to get the best fare.

When I first started commuting, the ticket office saved me a decent amount on what I'd expected to pay for my monthly ticket.

The websites and machines also seem to auto-default to peak fares which can catch you out if you're travelling off-peak but not a regular user.

Agree with your last point, that was my thought when I read the plan.

I struggle to know when off peak is. I travelled up to London yesterday and paid full price as I arrived in London before 10:00. The ticket machine said it was peak so I assumed it was.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

It is crazy.... 6 weeks ago I went up to London, Redruth to Paddington £78, I was trying to figure out a cheaper method so I typed in Ealing Broadway (west london) the station before Paddington but which the train doesn't stop at. This ticket was £38, and you have to go through Paddington anyway, so I did that.

 

[obscure]

I struggle to know when off peak is. I travelled up to London yesterday and paid full price as I arrived in London before 10:00. The ticket machine said it was peak so I assumed it was.

The other thing to watch out for is some services particularly into London have both an evening peak and a morning peak (hence being left with the choice of pay a huge premium and be able to get home at a reasonable hour or pay a slightly smaller premium for a couple of pints to pass the time while I waited for the first off peak train of the night (and given how much you pay for a pint in London should make it clear how big the price difference as).

 

[jof]

Yep. The rail network is full of little tricks like that. Getting standard daily tickets from station A to C via B was cheaper than getting A to B even based on anual rail card between A and B.
So did that for years, but you had to use a standard ticket that allowed any permitted route & to break the journey (just to be on the safe side)

Also going into London from the south it can make a big difference to get off at Clapham junction & switch to tube line earlier rather than pay extra to go into waterloo

 

[MashBag]

Better still drive to Cockfosters, tube in and claim mileage to the door. Oops

 

[dad_of_jon]

return form Gowerton to Shrewsbury for 2 - £51 all in £30.50 there £20.50 back. (off peak return £70)

I bought 2 advance singles each way which was cheaper. The train to Shrewsbury (by the way the tap n can - right next to the station is recommended.) The scheduled 9:20 arrived in Gowerton at 9:25 so too early to use two together. what if the train arrived late after 9:30 could I claim a £10 refund as the card would now have been valid?

Next time I might split the ticket so I can use the two together card on the portion of the journey after 9:30

As for buying tickets I've noticed that some machines dont recognise the travel time as peak off peak so they can offer you the dearer fare as a default.
I'll be charitable and say it's bugs in the software design rather than intentional.

There is no ticket office at our home station so its a machine on the platform or internet.

 

[Empty bottle]

I don't use trains very often but when i do my mate showed me a wee trick that gets you a big discount on the fare when you purchase your ticket from a machine. Simply click on the part where it asks if you are in the armed services and you get the ticket much cheaper. I have never been in the armed services in my life but the train machines think that i have which is fine by me.

 

[obscure]

I don't use trains very often but when i do my mate showed me a wee trick that gets you a big discount on the fare when you purchase your ticket from a machine. Simply click on the part where it asks if you are in the armed services and you get the ticket much cheaper. I have never been in the armed services in my life but the train machines think that i have which is fine by me.

This one sounds like it is the Armed Forces (or veteran railcard) and if it is this is a really bad idea, the rail companies do periodically do spot checks that you haVe the relevant railcard (senior rail card, young person railcard and in this case a HM Forces railcard).

Standard penalty is £100 (reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days) plus full single fare for the journey. And unlike most fines the ones issued on the railways are legally enforceable (and you can be prosecuted).

You may be lucky and never caught but again they do do fairly regular checks at mainline stations that you have the relevant railcard, so really cannot agree with you on this one being a money saver.

 

[lancon]

If you're journey takes you through London then the cost is higher than if you can avoid the city. Brighton Canterbury was £42 through London the normal way, but via Ashford (Kent) avoiding the smoke £19, it took 20-30 minutes longer but for the saving

 

[JockyBrewer]

I don't use trains very often but when i do my mate showed me a wee trick that gets you a big discount on the fare when you purchase your ticket from a machine. Simply click on the part where it asks if you are in the armed services and you get the ticket much cheaper. I have never been in the armed services in my life but the train machines think that i have which is fine by me.

You should just select a child’s fare. Even cheaper, and you were even a child once!

 

[lancon]

It is crazy.... 6 weeks ago I went up to London, Redruth to Paddington £78, I was trying to figure out a cheaper method so I typed in Ealing Broadway (west london) the station before Paddington but which the train doesn't stop at. This ticket was £38, and you have to go through Paddington anyway, so I did that.

I wouldn't rely on that method, I jumped on the wrong train ending up at Victoria (rather than a smaller station en route) and had to pay to get back. Wasn't allowed to jump on my bike and cycle back (which would have been quicker)

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I wouldn't rely on that method, I jumped on the wrong train ending up at Victoria (rather than a smaller station en route) and had to pay to get back. Wasn't allowed to jump on my bike and cycle back (which would have been quicker)

You have to get off at Paddington though, it won't stop at Ealing Broadway. You get 2x tickets so the barrier exit will let you out at Paddington.

 

[lancon]

You have to get off at Paddington though, it won't stop at Ealing Broadway. You get 2x tickets so the barrier exit will let you out at Paddington.

Though it is a good solution, and unlikely to be apprehended, it is not allowed, and you can be fined.