Public Misconceptions!

[table38]

Of course, another advantage of driving is that when you get there, you have a car

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Of course, another advantage of driving is that when you get there, you have a car

I find that often is a disadvantage!
I'd have to find somewhere to park it. In the centre of London a car is the last thing I'd want to be burdened with!

Indeed people often forget the opportunity cost of using the time on the train in a value-adding manner.

I agree. And that opportunity may be to use the value-added time in a non-productive manner such as sleeping.

Another misconception about rail travel vs road is that if your car journey is delayed by an hour or so, then you are delayed and it may have carried a cost. Delay Repay on a train may result in £100 or so of Rail Travel Vouchers.
In the event of the unthinkable (a serious accident with injuries) the Railways have insurances and compensation mechanisms which can be a lot more helpful than the motor industry with disputes between insurers, a written off car and perhaps no replacement (experiences may differ).

 

[table38]

I find that often is a disadvantage!
I'd have to find somewhere to park it. In the centre of London a car is the last thing I'd want to be burdened with!

I agree, I rarely drive into central London either, (although parking is fairly straight-forward if not expensive), but considering other destinations, what if your plans change... what if you've got a lot of luggage... or a lot of shopping some of which you can take back to the car and carry on... if you don't fancy the pub round the corner for lunch, you can drive out somewhere nice... if you are running early, you can sit in the car and wait...

And of course, you can't miss the last train home

(Having said that, I'm fickle... for regular trips, I usually drive until I get fed up, then I try the train for a while, then get fed up with that and drive again!)

 

[Solent&Wessex]

I wouldn't drive into London either, but then the train service to London is different to everywhere else. Newcastle to Liverpool, Birmingham to Leeds, Edinburgh to Manchester and many other similar non London journeys require special feats of endurance, especially on Sundays.

 

[ert47]

I wouldn't drive into London either, but then the train service to London is different to everywhere else. Newcastle to Liverpool, Birmingham to Leeds, Edinburgh to Manchester and many other similar non London journeys require special feats of endurance, especially on Sundays.

It once took me just over 9 hours to get from South London to Lincoln once...

Mind you - i did get the coach from London to Nottingham... Just to find there were no trains running between there and Newark so another long coach journey... ._.

 

[Wyvern]

And rail travel is - often - a lot less hassle and more enjoyable than sitting in a car, often in a traffic jam.

That's the problem - it isnt. What with incomprehensible fares, threatening notices on the platform, complicated and slow ticket machines and then standing for hours.

 

[MarkyMarkD]

Buy your ticket online (as I nearly always do) or from the nice simple ticket machine (for local journeys at least) and there's no problem!

I'll concede "standing for hours" (well maybe 40-45 minutes) but only if travelling in the morning peak into London from here - the rest of the time I always get a seat.

 

[bnm]

I'll concede "standing for hours" (well maybe 40-45 minutes) but only if travelling in the morning peak into London from here - the rest of the time I always get a seat.

Not travelled Off Peak with CrossCountry then? Far from unusual to be standing for long periods of time particularly Friday and Sunday afternoons.

 

[MarkyMarkD]

No, I am pretty fortunate to never travel anywhere with CrossCountry.

 

[Robinson]

Not travelled Off Peak with CrossCountry then? Far from unusual to be standing for long periods of time particularly Friday and Sunday afternoons.

I find CrossCountry are generally pretty easy to avoid for my journeys. Other than that, just things like arriving in plenty of time, being on the platform ready when the train pulls in, having luggage ready etc. are just a few ways passengers could help themselves if they wanted seats.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

I find CrossCountry are generally pretty easy to avoid for my journeys. Other than that, just things like arriving in plenty of time, being on the platform ready when the train pulls in, having luggage ready etc. are just a few ways passengers could help themselves if they wanted seats.

Generally I find forcing my way to the front and elbowing other passengers out of the way (especially pensioners and families) is the best way to guarantee a seat.

 

[island]

The return half of an off-peak ticket from A-B has the same restrictions as the outbound half of an off-peak ticket from B-A.

 

[barrykas]

As any fewl knows, the best way to ensure a seat on a train is to be the Driver or Guard on said train.

 

[table38]

The best way to ensure a seat is to travel on the 15:34 Ellesmere Port to Helsby train, which I had all to myself last Saturday

 

[Andrew Nelson]

One misconception local to me.
"I can hop on the Metrolink on my Macclesfield to Rochdale ticket"
(Stations chosen as a random example)

Far too sensible.

Tho' it is (acording to GM travel) valid to Salford Crescent and change there.
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Are the railways being unique as the only non-police/CPS body who criminally prosecute (ignoring the odd private prosecution such as Stephen Lawrence, etc)?

If I didn't enjoy my meal in a restaurant I don't pay. And I don't pay safe in the knowledge that the waiter can't whip a pad out and write an MG11 out.

If I put something in my Tesco basket which I later change my mind about and remove it, I remove it safe in the knowledge that the store manager can't prosecute me in the magistrates court (or any court) - including even if I have read the magazine or newspaper.

If I read a newspaper of the guy next to me in the park bench, I am secure that he can't suddenly take me to court for not paying to read half his paper.

Why are the railways different? The answer I believe is a mixture of their archaic rules, the lack of a tangible product, and the industry's reluctance to provide the framework for 100% tickets bought before entering barriers.

Regarding the OP, I wouldn't claim to be familiar with the rules in Wales, however here (West Yorkshire) child tickets are until 31st Aug after the 16th birthday (as child tickets require a Metro half fare permit to purchase them). Others can comment on wales or other areas.

No to mention that an "Adult" is sombody over the age of majority, 18 in the UK.
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One advantageous misconception to those "in the loop" is the fact you have to sit in the reserved seat that accompanies your Adavanced 1st Class Ticket.

Hence on East Coast where they are all packed into Coach M you can utilise a "four" for sole use in an carriage that will be virtually empty.

Another misconception is that all 1st Class Fares are prohibitively expensive when on occasion they can be cheaper than 2nd class.

If I told someone I got a 1st Class Single from Falkirk to Berwick Upon Tweed for less than £9 with catering thrown in no one would believe me.

Or that "Second Class" even exists anylonger?
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Exactly my point. A Chiltern route Super Off Peak from Chatham to (say) Stratford-upon-Avon is valid for travel departing Chatham 24/7/365. The restrictions only apply to journeys the other way - TOWARDS London (am) or OUT OF London (pm), presumably because those are the peaks Chiltern care about and they set the fare.

When I said TOCs should give their staff a list of off-peak times, I meant a list showing the off-peak times, for each restriction, for each station. They could display this to customers too, to be helpful, once the restriction codes are shown on the tickets.

It would avoid people inadvertently buying a peak ticket instead of a super offpeak, in the scenario I set out above, believing that "it must be peak because it's 0800 (or whatever)".

Chatham has Trains on Christmas Day and Boxingday?

 

[silverfoxcc]

MarkyMarkD

Re your earlier post on standing car costs. I tend to agree, BUT i use the car most days. Unlike the train, and i was just comparing one specific journey by rail as opposed to the same by car, Which years ago MAY have been cheaper and more convienient by Rail both in cost and time, but nowadays with short arsed trains running instead of ones where you could get a seat, i do not want to take the risk of having to stand ,possibly both ways. And if i am delayed on the road , i have, unless i am on a Motorway, which on my journey i am not, i have Sat nav and an atlas which will enable me to chooose another route pretty quickly. and not vouchers for the same thing to happen another time. I am pro rail but the buggers that run them are not. I used to travel to most away games by rail. Footex brilliant and cheap, but now you are herded worse than cattle and treated by all plod as vermin ( except two BTP plod at Derby who got us off the station so we could grab a meal.) The local West Mid Gestapo insisted on all the away fans getting on the next train out!!!!! Despite the tickets not being valid on it. Idiots!

Oh and what bright divot decided to have drop off only at KX. I had to park 10 mins away to carry the cases for my wife, instead of the 'good old days' where there was a short term car park outside the GN hotel. Having said that the gate guy Ebenezer at KX kindly let me through, oh No bloody platform tickets now!!! and the train manager? who i am going to commend to East Coast were both credits compared to the fat arsed cats who get obscene bonuses for the good work these guys do

Rant over