Rail bosses - let the plane take the strain as trains are too expensive for business travel

[Teaboy]

Its probably worth pointing out that that Cardiff to Anglesey flight service is heavily subsidised by the Welsh government. As the transport connections are so poor between North and South Wales the assembly thinks its vital for business. Its a strange place where railways are expected to fend for themselves yet flights must be subsidised by government.

Also it appears that the flight is on a Jetstream 41, not one of Flybe's props. Still a prop mind and I'd rather walk.

 

[Spymaster]

Its a strange place where railways are expected to fend for themselves yet flights must be subsidised by government.

Nah, it's because trains are crap and everyone who uses them are dickheads.

 

[pengaleng]

train dickhead an bus wanker

 

[teuchter]

Its probably worth pointing out that that Cardiff to Anglesey flight service is heavily subsidised by the Welsh government. As the transport connections are so poor between North and South Wales the assembly thinks its vital for business. Its a strange place where railways are expected to fend for themselves yet flights must be subsidised by government.

It has to be said, they do also subsidise the "Gerald" train.

Wales on rails: fine food and great views on the Holyhead to Cardiff

Obviously, if I wanted to use up Welsh taxpayers' money I'd be enjoying a cooked breakfast on the train rather than being squashed into a plane next to the kind of people you find there.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

It's increasingly clear that train travel is the preserve of the monied elite, gentrifiers with time and money to spare, people who then berate the regular Joe for using the transport options that are open to them. Classic Tory scumbag-business.

 

[existentialist]

Fairly sure Spymaster is a name-change from Cobbler - I think he changed his board name about 4 or 5 years ago? Or might just be a multiple log in thing, can't remember. Should probably be permabanned either way.

I think Spymaster would have to go a long way to approach Cobbler's level of monitor-bespittling stary-eyed lunacy, TBF. For a start, I think Cobbler was at the back of the queue when self-awareness and senses of humour were being given out, while you were up at the front with Spymaster taking the piss out of the people behind the counter

 

[skyscraper101]

Why can't you believe it?

View attachment 175218

Five times faster and far less than half the cost.

Air travel often has been cheaper and more efficient than crappy railways for years.

Only a moron would take the train.

You know who's picking up the actual cost for that? The taxpayer. To the tune of £156 per passenger.

North-south Wales flights cost taxpayers £156 per passenger

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

You know who's picking up the actual cost for that? The taxpayer. To the tune of £156 per passenger.

North-south Wales flights cost taxpayers £156 per passenger

Good.

 

[Spymaster]

You know who's picking up the actual cost for that? The taxpayer. To the tune of £156 per passenger.

North-south Wales flights cost taxpayers £156 per passenger

Excellent.

 

[Spymaster]

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Excellent.

 

[Supine]

Stealing from the poor to support your airplane lifestyle. Robin Hood gone wrong

 

[Rob Ray]

Good news everyone, prices are only rising by earnings growth, so those unaffordable tickets will only be as unaffordable as they were prior!
Rail fare rises in England will not exceed 9% inflation figure in 2024

Horse, bolted, gate.

 

[Elpenor]

My pay rise is less than 9% so I’ll probably stick to the coach instead

 

[kebabking]

I (while perhaps smoking Crystal Meth from a discarded Monster can...) considered getting the train up to Glasgow to see sprog #1 in September - I thought '6 weeks in advance, it'll be cheap as chips, I'll go first class and I'll be well executive...'

Obviously, tickets were weren't available. Perhaps they weren't even sure they'd be running trains in September....

I've just checked it again - booking on the 16th August, to go the last weekend in September, Worcester Parkway to Glasgow Central, pretty much 300 miles door to door. usual driving time about 5 hours, with a return trip using about £90 in fuel.
Between 5 and 6 hours on the way up, £90 in cattle class, £350+ in first (IE: getting a seat). That's one way...


On the way back it's between 6 and thirteen hours, another £100 if I want to stand all the way, or £370 if I'd like the luxury of a seat.

Fuck off and behave....

 

[agricola]

I (while perhaps smoking Crystal Meth from a discarded Monster can...) considered getting the train up to Glasgow to see sprog #1 in September - I thought '6 weeks in advance, it'll be cheap as chips, I'll go first class and I'll be well executive...'

Obviously, tickets were weren't available. Perhaps they weren't even sure they'd be running trains in September....

I've just checked it again - booking on the 16th August, to go the last weekend in September, Worcester Parkway to Glasgow Central, pretty much 300 miles door to door. usual driving time about 5 hours, with a return trip using about £90 in fuel.
View attachment 387524Between 5 and 6 hours on the way up, £90 in cattle class, £350+ in first (IE: getting a seat). That's one way...

View attachment 387525
On the way back it's between 6 and thirteen hours, another £100 if I want to stand all the way, or £370 if I'd like the luxury of a seat.

Fuck off and behave....

Its terrible, but you can get it cheaper if you travel Thursday and Monday rather than Friday and Sunday. Cheapest possible version is £118.50, or with a safer off-peak return its £174.90.

 

[teuchter]

I (while perhaps smoking Crystal Meth from a discarded Monster can...) considered getting the train up to Glasgow to see sprog #1 in September - I thought '6 weeks in advance, it'll be cheap as chips, I'll go first class and I'll be well executive...'

Obviously, tickets were weren't available. Perhaps they weren't even sure they'd be running trains in September....

I've just checked it again - booking on the 16th August, to go the last weekend in September, Worcester Parkway to Glasgow Central, pretty much 300 miles door to door. usual driving time about 5 hours, with a return trip using about £90 in fuel.
View attachment 387524Between 5 and 6 hours on the way up, £90 in cattle class, £350+ in first (IE: getting a seat). That's one way...

View attachment 387525
On the way back it's between 6 and thirteen hours, another £100 if I want to stand all the way, or £370 if I'd like the luxury of a seat.

Fuck off and behave....

All rather hyperbolic.
Yeah, thirteen hours if you stop overnight, like it would be in the car if you stopped overnight.
If you want a seat in standard class, reserve a seat. In most cases this will be done for you automatically.
Ideally don't use trainline, but it looks like you're getting confused about single and return fares.
I'd recommend trying trainsplit.com, where it took me about 2 minutes to find a return fare of £94, about the same as you say it costs you in fuel.



Usual disclaimers apply:
This doesn't mean that I don't think there should be a much greater differential between the driving cost & public transport cost, with the latter being the cheapest.
Plus what looks like incompetence on the part of the potential passenger should generally be regarded as a failure of the system to make the correct information easily discoverable.

 

[Elpenor]

I have the offer of a free holiday in Edinburgh as a mate has a work flat there.

It’s a direct train from where I live (though it takes 8:45!) cheapest return is £300 though so I expect I’ll have to see if I can split the ticket cost down or I won’t be going!