It’s £186 Cheaper To Travel On A Luxury Train 1st Class Than A Normal Train!

[Envoy]

I see that the Blue Midland Pullman is doing trip from Preston to Cardiff via the Heart of Wales Line & back via The Marches on Saturday 17th July. The 1st Class fare for the round trip is £155. Out of interest, I just checked the 1st Class fare from Preston to Cardiff Off Peak Day Return & it is a whopping £341.60. Anybody who bought such a ticket and changed at Crewe for TfW on The Marches route would also find that their trains do not have 1st Class. They would probably be rammed into a 2 or 3 car 175 or a 158 with air con not working and if really unlucky - a 150.

HEART OF WALES PULLMAN

midlandpullman.com

Our train tackles the taxing climb into the mountains and over Sugar Loaf summit, then through the picturesque South Wales valleys towards Swansea and onward to the Welsh Capital of Cardiff where there will be time for sightseeing or a little retail therapy before we return over the beautiful Welsh Marches route, renowned for its breathtaking scenery we pass through historic Hereford, Leominster and Shrewsbury.

(National Rail did say that I could reduce the fare to £246.10 by returning during the evening).

 

[Watershed]

Apples and oranges. You can't compare a flexible ticket against (effectively) an Advance ticket. I'm sure the 'normal' train would cost rather less than £341 if you got Advance tickets.

That said, you do touch on an important point. Walk-up travel for longer journeys is currently very expensive, and the DfT will have to think long and hard whether some well directed fare reductions might actually increase total revenue.

 

[Envoy]

Applies and oranges. You can't compare a flexible ticket against (effectively) an Advance ticket. I'm sure the 'normal' train would cost rather less than £341 if you got Advance tickets.

That said, you do touch on an important point. Walk-up travel for longer journeys is currently very expensive, and the DfT will have to think long and hard whether some well directed fare reductions might actually increase total revenue.

OK then - jump ahead to September & you will find the same sky high fares for the ordinary trains. (The only way to get the price down is do ‘splits’ and most members of the public will not be aware of this or where to do the splits).

 

[AlterEgo]

Yeah the comparisons between apples and oranges aren't great but this one is at least quite fun. Good find!