14 day all line railrovers

[twotone jeff]

Can anyone advise me who i should write to concerning the cost of 7/14 day all line rail rovers in detriment to the British traveller? It costs our E.U. counterparts 50% less for these tickets (and with no restrictions) yet the goverment and tourism industrie want us to "holiday at home".

 

[Clip]

Write to everyone from the DfT, your MP , Passenger focus and anyone else I missed off.

I doubt you will get anywhere though but good luck with your endeavour

 

[najaB]

You can also start an ePetition.

 

[M28361M]

I believe it is the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) that sets the national rover prices. Contact details (from atoc.org/contact-us):-

Switchboard: 020 7841 8000
Email: [email protected]

Address:
ATOC Ltd
2nd Floor
200 Aldersgate Street
London

If you don't get a satisfactory answer (and I suspect you won't!) then it couldn't hurt to try Passenger Focus etc as suggested by Clip.

Sadly, I doubt you will get very far, whichever avenue you try. As I understand it, the Rover prices and restrictions are the way they are mainly because some long distance TOCs were worried about revenue abstraction. InterRail and BritRail passes, being only available to visitors from abroad, are less of a problem in this regard.

 

[AM9]

Write to everyone from the DfT, your MP , Passenger focus and anyone else I missed off.

I doubt you will get anywhere though but good luck with your endeavour

Not that I agree with the usual bleating from that newspaper, but it has ingredients that might appeal to the Daily Mail, e.g. European visitor privileges, hardworking British people subsidising foreigners using 'our' overloaded trains, etc.!

 

[telstarbox]

Read this thread first.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=52447

 

[yorkie]

The view of some Train Companies (who, collectively, are represented by ATOC) is that the All Line Rover is too cheap! So no, they are not going to listen to you. You'd need to take it much higher than that, but the DfT wants to keep subsidies down so they don't want fare reductions.

 

[Coolzac]

Given that in the EU we have free movement of trade and of EU citizens, does it not seem a bit strange that the TOC's are able to deny UK citizens a product/service that it provides for other EU citizens? How do they justify this?

I don't mean to go all 'Daily Mail' but it does seem very unfair!

 

[OwlMan]

Given that in the EU we have free movement of trade and of EU citizens, does it not seem a bit strange that the TOC's are able to deny UK citizens a product/service that it provides for other EU citizens? How do they justify this?

I don't mean to go all 'Daily Mail' but it does seem very unfair!

No, it is the same for all the participating countries (they all have a residents ban for travel in their own country) and we benefit from cheap travel in Europe as much as the other countries do.

 

[pemma]

I'm pretty sure I've heard in Switzerland they hand out tourist passes which allow free travel on local transport but the tourists have to pay a tourist tax to the hotel, which is used to fund the 'free' transport. If true that's a lot more logical than Britain or other countries like Italy where you pay a tourist tax but don't get anything back in return.

 

[Clip]

Given that in the EU we have free movement of trade and of EU citizens, does it not seem a bit strange that the TOC's are able to deny UK citizens a product/service that it provides for other EU citizens? How do they justify this?

I don't mean to go all 'Daily Mail' but it does seem very unfair!

Life isn't all that fair but as some one pointed out we have the opportunity to do so in other countries too.

 

[87015]

Can anyone advise me who i should write to concerning the cost of 7/14 day all line rail rovers in detriment to the British traveller? It costs our E.U. counterparts 50% less for these tickets (and with no restrictions) yet the goverment and tourism industrie want us to "holiday at home".

Just go abroad then. Its better anyway. Although you'll find places where an interrail can be undercut by local tickets and the like.

 

[Romilly]

On EU freedom of movement, the general principle is that one member state cannot treat citizens of another member state worse than its own citizens: there is nothing to stop a state treating citizens of another state better than its own citizens. As an example from a different context, I think that I am right to say that, in Scottish universities, because Scottish students get free tuition it follows that EU students from outside the UK have to get free tuition but English students can be charged.

 

[najaB]

I think that I am right to say that, in Scottish universities, because Scottish students get free tuition it follows that EU students from outside the UK have to get free tuition but English students can be charged.

Can and are.

 

[pemma]

As an example from a different context, I think that I am right to say that, in Scottish universities, because Scottish students get free tuition it follows that EU students from outside the UK have to get free tuition but English students can be charged.

As far as the EU is concerned the UK is a member (not Scotland) and the UK is offering some UK students free tuition and charging other UK students. It's probably no different in their eyes to offering a higher rate of student loan to students studying in London, than those studying elsewhere in the UK.

 

[Polarbear]

Personally, I would not bother writing to anyone regarding the price of All Line Rovers. Yes, they may seem expensive, (and yes they are expensive), but a quick comparison to some of the "Anytime" fares out there will show that you can get good value out of them.

I've discussed ALR's with a pal of mine at some length & we're both of the opinion that too much "rocking the boat" would probably lead to the ALR being withdrawn from sale. It's a product quite a few TOC's don't like, but have to put up with & they would be only too glad to see its demise.

Members of Rail.UK. forums will no doubt recall what happened after Lord Adonis gave some publicity to the product a few years back - some TOC's promptly slapped restrictions on use of what was a previously unrestricted ticket, which (for example) now make it's use on the Midland Main Line in the morning peak almost impossible.

As for me, going abroad is generally much better value as with some careful planning, you can have a week's travel & accommodation for not much more than the cost of a 7 day standard class ALR. I appreciate that's not everyone's cup of tea, but I can't honestly see me having an ALR again.

 

[mikeg]

Many countries do the same. Is it not the case that interrail is not available for the travellers country of origin? Ifbso, given that Brits can take advantage of inter rail I don't see it as that unfair. I believe Japan too has a similar deal.

 

[najaB]

Is it not the case that interrail is not available for the travellers country of origin?

Yes, as OwlMan pointed out above.

 

[221129]

Yes, as OwlMan pointed out above.

Although the rules have changed to include rail travel TO and FROM the port you intend to use to leave the UK.

 

[twotone jeff]

Thank you for the advice given. I am currently awaiting a reply from the passenger forum group.
Also thank you to those who advised about the EURAIL ticket and travel on the railways of the E.U. I have looked up this option online and whilst value for money in the same way as the ALR is for European residents, It does have several drawbacks that i can see. Any fast, overnight or trains that cross boarders have to have a reservation booked between 60-90 days prior to travel and the journey has to be specified (departure location, time, where to etc) and nearly all trains in France have to be reserved seats except local slow trains. Reservation fees average 8 euros and this soon adds up. Also my intentions are decide where to go next on the day or at the station. Also delays are to be expected at certain countries border due to immigration controls that have recently been imposed (stats from the FOC). There is also the security risks due to "threats" to be considered. A further consideration is that the lack of hostels in the more rural places i would have liked to visit although i have budgeted £2000+ plus for this trip.
I do not object to the cost of the ALR but do believe that the "party" line of "Many Nations,One Europe" should also mean One Price for all.
As to the fears of the TOC's why not limit tickets to 1 per 3 months with proof positive of home address, this would make fraudulent use of these tickets an inconvenience and ultimately not cost effective.
Again i thank you for all comments and suggestions, All further suggestions will be given due consideration.