cheaper then the bus

[markusgl1]

If you are like me sometimes lazy, or you don't want to walk in the rain, its cheaper to catch south west trains into Southampton then it is to catch the Bluestar buses, from Millbrook or Redbridge stations, the bus fare is £2.60 from Millbrook, the train fare is £1.90

 

[Mojo]

If you are like me sometimes lazy, or you don't want to walk in the rain, its cheaper to catch south west trains into Southampton then it is to catch the Bluestar buses, from Millbrook or Redbridge stations, the bus fare is £2.60 from Millbrook, the train fare is £1.90

This is often the case in cities; especially when you count return fares! It can be even cheaper if you have a railcard but would otherwise have to pay the normal fare on the bus.

For example:

• Birmingham City Centre to Kings Norton £2.10 Off-peak Train vs. £3.00 Bus
• Bristol Temple Meads to Clifton Down £2.00 Train vs. £3.40 Bus

 

[me123]

It's the same in Alloa. The buses are rather expensive to Stirling, but the only hourly train service is quicker and cheaper. So that's why the trains are well loaded, to the point that they are now planning for 2tph!

 

[Darandio]

Same here, Redcar to Middlesbrough return on the bus is around £4.50 and takes nearly 45 minutes by the time it has gone round the houses.
Take the train and the return is £2.90 and only takes 10 minutes. Should really be a no brainer.

 

[Metroland]

same here, in the country:

Bus: Swanage-Wareham £5.80 return for around 9 miles, takes around 28 mins
Train: Wareham-Poole £3.50 for similar distance, takes around 10 mins

 

[spoony]

Luckily where I live I have travel ticket that incorporates bus, metro, ferry and rail. The rail only has 5 stations between Sunderland and Blaydon, so I hardly use the train, only use if go to the metro centre

 

[TEW]

In Cornwall on the train you can travel from Penzance-Plymouth for the price it costs you to go ten miles.

 

[First class]

Why don't you use plusbus then?

You get the option of both methods then, and often for just £2 more- with railcard and staff discounts available.

You can actually go to a station and just get PENZANCE - PENZANCE+BUS as a ticket, which isn't valid by train, simply because you're already there, but allows you travel in the area...

 

[Oracle]

There used to be a shopper's ticket (on weekends) Southampton Airport Parkway-Southampton Central including the car park for £2.50 or similar, for four people. Now gone I gather!

Many years ago you could go from Wood Green, London to Southend by Eastern National. A pal who worked on the Underground decided to go by bus and come back by train at some point. He asked for a single and was told it was cheaper to get a CDR even though he only wanted togo one way!

 

[Mojo]

You can actually go to a station and just get PENZANCE - PENZANCE+BUS as a ticket, which isn't valid by train, simply because you're already there, but allows you travel in the area...

Ticket office staff are now under strict orders not to issue any PlusBus tickets that do not include rail travel so you would not be able to purchase that ticket any more. I used to buy a BIRMINGHAM STNS - BIRMI STNS+BUSWM which was £1.60 (or 40p with Priv); this compared to the Tram & Bus day ticket at £4.60 (or even the bus only ticket at £3.00/£3.40).

 

[dan_atki]

Why don't you use plusbus then?

You get the option of both methods then, and often for just £2 more- with railcard and staff discounts available.

You can actually go to a station and just get PENZANCE - PENZANCE+BUS as a ticket, which isn't valid by train, simply because you're already there, but allows you travel in the area...

Says in the RailLinks manuals that the origin station must be out of the PlusBus area. Also I have always been under the impression that PRIV is only valid for the rail part of a PlusBus ticket too (think I read that in RailLinks too).

 

[glynn80]

Says in the RailLinks manuals that the origin station must be out of the PlusBus area. Also I have always been under the impression that PRIV is only valid for the rail part of a PlusBus ticket too (think I read that in RailLinks too).

Yes you are right Dan, FRPP states the following

Discounts available with PLUSBUS

Normal Railcard discounts apply – one-third off adult PLUSBUS DAY ticket prices, for holders of Disabled Persons, Family & Friends, Network, Senior and 16-25 Railcards (subject to usual morning peak restrictions).

Children pay half the adult fare to the nearest 5 pence above, some destinations also offer child season tickets at half the adult fare;

Holders of Staff Travel/Privilege Passes can buy PLUSBUS, but do not get a discount off PLUSBUS fares.


Also to respond to the point of buying a Plusbus ticket whilst having no rail ticket to accompany it the FRPP disallows this and states the following:

PLUSBUS is a ticket for unlimited bus travel that is usually bought at the same time as a train ticket. It can also be issued to a customer who already has a valid train ticket, provided that one station of the train journey is outside the relevant town travel zone.

 

[First class]

Well folks, I guess thats why I allocate trains to services not deal with fares... Thanks for the corrections.

The office RJIS allows a priv discount to be set against a PLUSBUS hence my post...

Either way, plusbus is still great value.

 

[Krispo]

Orrell Park - Liverpool on the bus- £1.60-1.80 each way
on the train £2.50 Anytime Day return, they've just scrapped Off-peak Day Return.

 

[Coradia]

Ticket office staff are now under strict orders not to issue any PlusBus tickets that do not include rail travel so you would not be able to purchase that ticket any more.

Would be useful if they could though on the basis you have already purchased a valid ticket. E.g. bought an advanced ticket online and wanted to add a plus bus to it.

 

[glynn80]

Would be useful if they could though on the basis you have already purchased a valid ticket. E.g. bought an advanced ticket online and wanted to add a plus bus to it.

If you read my above post you will see that you can do just as you suggest.

PLUSBUS is a ticket for unlimited bus travel that is usually bought at the same time as a train ticket. It can also be issued to a customer who already has a valid train ticket, provided that one station of the train journey is outside the relevant town travel zone.

 

[cainebj]

in general, i find buses in my local area a lot easier than the train service!
i'm on the Northern Rail Carlisle to Barrow In Furness line. it is 20p cheaper most of the time than the bus, but the trains run less frequent, and most of the time are so crowded you can hardly breathe. plus, the condition of the trains on that line are pretty poor.
if you think about it, £8.10 return to carlisle on train, which is scruffy, overcrowded, against £8.30 on a bus, which has more space than a train, and normally is in better condition. ok, the bus is slower and has more stops, but you actually have space to breathe.
similarly, around 20p difference between train and bus to maryport, train is quicker, but the bus is normally a 08 reg MAN enviro 300, excellent condition, going against northern rail with their poor condition trains.
i think if the train service was improved, then i would use it a lot more!

 

[yorkie]

Orrell Park - Liverpool on the bus- £1.60-1.80 each way
on the train £2.50 Anytime Day return, they've just scrapped Off-peak Day Return.

Off Peak Day Return £1-95 according to the latest fares manual. Are you sure it was scrapped?