FabSwingers.com forum: Train fares staggering increase

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

It is the biggest rice for 5 years and on the news they say it was like a robbery as they dont improve the service, can they justify the increase? Here in spain it is very cheap

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By *oddyWoman
over a year ago

between havant and chichester

"It is the biggest rice for 5 years and on the news they say it was like a robbery as they dont improve the service, can they justify the increase? Here in spain it is very cheap

"
it has only gone up 10p for my route

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

When I first started using train it was £70 for a return from Portsmouth to Burnley full price. Now it’s £120 with my rail card (1/3 off, not good at maths so I’m not sure what the full price is) 11 years later. I’m still catching the exact same small train to Southampton, the same big train to Manchester and the last train to Burnley? Well that thing is older than me, it being a Pacer train (rail bus)!

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By *oddyWoman
over a year ago

between havant and chichester

"When I first started using train it was £70 for a return from Portsmouth to Burnley full price. Now it’s £120 with my rail card (1/3 off, not good at maths so I’m not sure what the full price is) 11 years later. I’m still catching the exact same small train to Southampton, the same big train to Manchester and the last train to Burnley? Well that thing is older than me, it being a Pacer train (rail bus)! "
125,10 and 4 changes

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The cost of travelling by rail in the U.K. Is scandalous. I lived in Germany for 18 months and the fares on their state owned railways are significantly lower, the service and trains themselves are far better too.

I priced up going to Edinburgh for a few days in May with my kids, and for four of us (2 adult & 2 kid) fares it was £600 each way off peak. I'm now taking them to Berlin instead which has cost me £200 in flights

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Jeremy Corbyn has the right idea. It's a scandal what's going on with our trains

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By *lue NarwhalMan
over a year ago

Iceland, but Aldi is closer..

The train fares are such because of the thieving bastard unions holding the nation to ranson..

Southern rail have just agreed with ASLEF a 28% wage increase over the next five years which will takes the average drivers wage to £70k!!

The RMT are still holding out for a better deal...

That of course excludes the additional contributions being paid into their DB pension schemes..

So in a period when most are getting payrises of 1%, train drivers get inflation busting rises on their already over inflated wages..

Its pure greed, there is no other term for it..

The trains may be crap, the stations and lines in desperate need of upgrade and the Government pumping almost £4 billion into the railways last year out of tax payers money, but at least the train drivers can afford two luxury holidays a year, a brand new car and get a mortgage in London...

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By *lue NarwhalMan
over a year ago

Iceland, but Aldi is closer..

The train fares are such because of the thieving bastard unions holding the nation to ranson..

Southern rail have just agreed with ASLEF a 28% wage increase over the next five years which will takes the average drivers wage to £70k!!

The RMT are still holding out for a better deal...

That of course excludes the additional contributions being paid into their DB pension schemes..

So in a period when most are getting payrises of 1%, train drivers get inflation busting rises on their already over inflated wages..

Its pure greed, there is no other term for it..

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By *ensuallover1000Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

My usual route goes up about fifty pence each year....counterbalanced with the quality of the service dropping. Hmmm....something’s really not right here

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The train fares are such because of the thieving bastard unions holding the nation to ranson..

Southern rail have just agreed with ASLEF a 28% wage increase over the next five years which will takes the average drivers wage to £70k!!

The RMT are still holding out for a better deal...

That of course excludes the additional contributions being paid into their DB pension schemes..

So in a period when most are getting payrises of 1%, train drivers get inflation busting rises on their already over inflated wages..

Its pure greed, there is no other term for it..

Agreed! The thing is I remember BR and never want to go back to that ever again!

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By *lue NarwhalMan
over a year ago

Iceland, but Aldi is closer..

Agreed! The thing is I remember BR and never want to go back to that ever again! "

Wasn't their advertising slogan "We're getting there"..

does anybody know if they actually did arrive?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Yes it was were getting there. ....and who starred in the ads? None other than paedophile, Jimmy savile

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The train fares are such because of the thieving bastard unions holding the nation to ranson.. "

And then a metoerite sturck and all the dinosaurs were wiped out.

Same old same old. How odd that despite all the laws, rules, regulations and controls on unions since the dinosaurs roamed the earth back in the 80s, they're still the problem. Nothing to do with Richard Branson and his ilk sucking billions in subsidies from public money, while they leave the unprofitable part of the network in public hands.

The Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change (CRSCC) did a hefty stufy on how the rail service has fared since privatisation. It's a horrifying 166 pages long but no need to read it because the conclusion is simple: Branson and the vast majority of train barons make their profits through handouts from the taxpayer.

Direct subsidies for Branson's west coast mainline service between 1997 and 2012, converted to today's prices, means £2.79bn handed over by us, before a single ticket has been sold and before £9bn upgrade and a new fleet of Pendolino trains, both from public funds.

As Branson's advisors said during their consideration of buying a train service: "It's a licence to print money. Can't go wrong."

It doesn't end there. Indirect subsidies don't get as easily spooted but the access to the rail network was halved, following the upgrade funded by public money, which gave Branson a profit of £538m.

Investment banker and advisor to the Treasury,Shriti Vadera said in 2001 that the entire industry is peopled by "thinly capitalised profiteers of the worst kind."

You're right about one thing: it's pure greed.

But you keep getting mad at people who can go to Benidorm twice a year.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We've never had a problem with trains though we do use them infrequently. We have a railcard and we usually pay around £70 for a return to London for 5 inc underground.

Friends that use them regularly don't have anything positive to say about the rail network.

Ginger

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The increase is set by the goverment not the train companys.This was set out when the railways were privatised by the Tories.

The RMT are fighting to keep guards on the trains for safety of everyone.

The salary increase was whst Aslef the drivers union got for taking some of the guards jobs away.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The travelling by train to work experience is stressful. My season ticket into London was nearing 5k. I received little help towards the cost of it. Most days the trains were late, cancelled, dirty, strikes and standing room only sometimes. I loved my job but the commuting became unbearable. I don't know how they get away with it! I did it for years but, in the end, quit my brilliant job because of the appalling service and ridiculous costs. I also had to pay to park at the station which is now £6 a day. Robbing bastards.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The train fares are such because of the thieving bastard unions holding the nation to ranson..

Southern rail have just agreed with ASLEF a 28% wage increase over the next five years which will takes the average drivers wage to £70k!!

The RMT are still holding out for a better deal...

That of course excludes the additional contributions being paid into their DB pension schemes..

So in a period when most are getting payrises of 1%, train drivers get inflation busting rises on their already over inflated wages..

Its pure greed, there is no other term for it..

The many failings of this country's trains are not caused by a union that actually work's for it members.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

So I live in East Sussex along the coastline but I study at university in mid Wales, if I want to use the trains to travel home it costs me £107 for a return ticket

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Conmpare our railways network to pretty much anywhere else in Europe and the cost difference is staggering. As is the quality in rolling stock and service

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Fortunately I only use the trains sporadicly; watching a football match or visiting friends. Couldn't afford to use them regularly.

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By *arnsley guy100Man
over a year ago

Sheffield

I spend around £3500 a year on rail fares... It's going cost me a extra around £125 a year this year... I could have for a couple of return flights abroad trips with that.. That's what it's cost me... My spending money.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Us diesel drivers have been penalised for years now.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Fortunately I only use the trains sporadicly; watching a football match or visiting friends. Couldn't afford to use them regularly."
nowt wrong with the roads coaches cheap as chips on the megabits!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The train fares are such because of the thieving bastard unions holding the nation to ranson..

Southern rail have just agreed with ASLEF a 28% wage increase over the next five years which will takes the average drivers wage to £70k!!

The RMT are still holding out for a better deal...

That of course excludes the additional contributions being paid into their DB pension schemes..

So in a period when most are getting payrises of 1%, train drivers get inflation busting rises on their already over inflated wages..

Its pure greed, there is no other term for it..

The many failings of this country's trains are not caused by a union that actually work's for it members.

Works for its members but fuck everyone else over!!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Just had a look for a return to Edinburgh next weekend from Portsmouth. To fly is £135 return and 2 1/2 hours inc the train to Southampton first, one way. To do the train the whole way is £159 for a return and 9 hours one way.

Hmm which option to go for? Plane I think- quicker and cheaper!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The train fares are such because of the thieving bastard unions holding the nation to ranson..

Southern rail have just agreed with ASLEF a 28% wage increase over the next five years which will takes the average drivers wage to £70k!!

The RMT are still holding out for a better deal...

That of course excludes the additional contributions being paid into their DB pension schemes..

So in a period when most are getting payrises of 1%, train drivers get inflation busting rises on their already over inflated wages..

Its pure greed, there is no other term for it..

The many failings of this country's trains are not caused by a union that actually work's for it members.

Works for its members but fuck everyone else over!!"

A concise but accurate summary...allegedley..

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By *oachman 9CoolMan
over a year ago

derby

Even after all the railfare charges, give it 3 months, 6 months, or even a year there will be unhappiness within the unions or its members and threatening to come out on strike somewhere in the uk, Its been the same story ever since I was a little lad here, its probably where the unions have their greatest power to after the pits closed thank god I hardly use transport, like someone said thee other night transport is a luxury if you can afford it.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Fortunately I only use the trains sporadicly; watching a football match or visiting friends. Couldn't afford to use them regularly.nowt wrong with the roads coaches cheap as chips on the megabits! "

I would take that option if I ever got an away ticket!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Some things never change .....

Why can't they pay the French or Germans to show how to run a much more modern , comfortable , faster , reliable & far cheaper railway network?

All you get on TV is how great the British railways 'used' to be, - blah, blah, jolly blah in a loud jacket & shirt!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

In Japan if a bullet train is a minute late it makes the main news of the day. Now in the UK the news would be overwhelmed by the running times of "British rail"

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By *ENGUYMan
over a year ago

Hull

There was a recent story about a train operator whose owners are part Japanese owned, who publicly apologised about one of their trains which left a station 1.5 minutes EARLY! They stated the crew would receive extra training to ensure it wouldn't occur again!

Problem in the UK is the powers that the Unions hold. Take the Christmas period. Train operators would run trains but unions demand anti social fees of up to £500 per hour per driver, making it financially non viable.

My brother works in the railway industry in IT Systems with his own company working for railway clients world wide. Despite what we may think of our rail systems, they are the envy of other countries, especially the USA, whose rail networks are 20 years behind the rest of the world.

In his experience too, German rail systems aren't all they're supposed to be but have lots of time issues. The French and Spanish systems are some of the best in Europe with Singapore having the best reputation. Consider that the Singapore transit company has a major share in the running of Crossrail, it will be interesting to see how they'll fare in the UK.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Problem in the UK is the powers that the Unions hold. Take the Christmas period. Train operators would run trains but unions demand anti social fees of up to £500 per hour per driver, making it financially non viable.

Nothing to do with the huge amount of engineering work that gets scheduled for christmas day and boxing day then?

Or the fact that there would be virtually no demand?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The trains may be crap, the stations and lines in desperate need of upgrade and the Government pumping almost £4 billion into the railways last year out of tax payers money, but at least the train drivers can afford two luxury holidays a year, a brand new car and get a mortgage in London... "

So are you suggesting that people who work in London shouldn't be able to afford to live there?

The shareholders do pretty well too.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"There was a recent story about a train operator whose owners are part Japanese owned, who publicly apologised about one of their trains which left a station 1.5 minutes EARLY! They stated the crew would receive extra training to ensure it wouldn't occur again!

Singapore is a tiny island but in my personal experience as a customer, any criticism of the German rail system is totally laughable when the Subject is on Britain.

It's just so much more cleaner, comfortable, faster & cheaper, - everything that a customer wants.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Well British rail are updating electrifying everywhere now it's only took 30 years lol or so who's gonna pay for that ?

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By *r Potato HeadMan
over a year ago

Manchester

Mine went up this year, and then as a special bonus they're going on strike Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week....

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The cost of travelling by rail in the U.K. Is scandalous. I lived in Germany for 18 months and the fares on their state owned railways are significantly lower, the service and trains themselves are far better too.

Totally. I lived by the med for a few years, I used to do Trieste-Venice for about 10-15 euros.

This is the cheaper, more efficient, more enjoyable rail travel that Thatcher told us would follow privatisation. We're living the dream

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Bring back Golden rail away days lol..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Totally. I lived by the med for a few years, I used to do Trieste-Venice for about 10-15 euros.

This is the cheaper, more efficient, more enjoyable rail travel that Thatcher told us would follow privatisation. We're living the dream

"
Come on the italian trains are our old trains they imported from us after thatcherism in the 80s lol

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Totally. I lived by the med for a few years, I used to do Trieste-Venice for about 10-15 euros.

This is the cheaper, more efficient, more enjoyable rail travel that Thatcher told us would follow privatisation. We're living the dream

Come on the italian trains are our old trains they imported from us after thatcherism in the 80s lol"

Are they? Well I learn something new every day. Even so they are just as comfortable and reliable, and infinitely more reasonably priced than comparable journeys in this country.

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By *oachman 9CoolMan
over a year ago

derby

"Mine went up this year, and then as a special bonus they're going on strike Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week....

"
Somethings never change..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Bring back the goldenrail savers card

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By *htcMan
over a year ago

pure greed. all they are after is profit. a journey in another country with faster trains on time, is far-far cheaper. can even get a first class ticket for less than what we have to pay for a small journey to London

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

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