Extremely Confusing SJ Fares (Stockholm-Norrkoping)

[MK Tom]

I'm trying to plan a journey next Friday (the 13th) from Stockholm to Norrkoping and back. The SJ website is giving me a different fare for every individual train. I realise there are two operators to chose from and High Speed, Intercity and Regional options within SJ's fares, but even different Regional and different Intercity services seem to have different fares ranging from SK290 to SK410 for a 'non refundable' one-way ticket for two adults. The refundable ones are higher, but again, all different.

Does anyone know what the basic walk-up fare would be if I just went into Stockholm Centraal and asked for a return to Norrkoping? I'd like to keep the cost in the SK600 ballpark for the two of us round trip.

Many thanks.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I might be wrong, but don't SJ use airline style pricing, i.e. there isn't a fixed walk-up fare and you'll pay whatever the fare is for that train provided there is a seat (as reservations are compulsory)?

 

[martinsh]

I'm trying to plan a journey next Friday (the 13th) from Stockholm to Norrkoping and back.

Next Friday is not the 13th - its the 15th ...

 

[MK Tom]

Next Friday is not the 13th - its the 15th ...

Yes sorry the 15th - the 13th is the day I fly out. Got muddled up.

 

[Merseysider]

I might be wrong, but don't SJ use airline style pricing, i.e. there isn't a fixed walk-up fare and you'll pay whatever the fare is for that train provided there is a seat (as reservations are compulsory)?

As far as I know, yes.

The price of both flexible and fixed tickets fluctuates according to demand.

Normally, the flexible fare is simply whatever the fixed fare is, plus a given amount.

 

[sheff1]

I might be wrong, but don't SJ use airline style pricing, i.e. there isn't a fixed walk-up fare and you'll pay whatever the fare is for that train provided there is a seat (as reservations are compulsory)?

Exactly that (for IC trains). You could turn up on the day and find the 'walk up' fare on a particular train is cheaper than the fare quoted now (rare, but not unknown). You could also turn up and find the train is sold out and you cannot travel.

On Regional trains the fares can also be higher on the day than in advance (depending on the route) but as they are not fully reservable at least you can get on.

 

[Groningen]

Idiots those SJ!

Stockholm Central – Norrköping C (one way)
06:46 – 08:09 Travel time 1:23 h Second class: 115
06:48 – 08:39 Travel time 1:51 h Second class: 205

Cheapest and expensive ticket besides each other is 11.29 (145) and 12.20 (445); the last one is 33 minutes faster!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Idiots those SJ!

Stockholm Central – Norrköping C (one way)
06:46 – 08:09 Travel time 1:23 h Second class: 115
06:48 – 08:39 Travel time 1:51 h Second class: 205

Cheapest and expensive ticket besides each other is 11.29 (145) and 12.20 (445); the last one is 33 minutes faster!

You're thinking classic Germanic there - slower = cheaper. SJ operate yield management, so the busier train will be the more expensive one. There are examples of that in the UK too.

 

[JonasB]

I might be wrong, but don't SJ use airline style pricing, i.e. there isn't a fixed walk-up fare and you'll pay whatever the fare is for that train provided there is a seat (as reservations are compulsory)?

Correct, a walk up fare can be extremly expensive (2000 kr or so if you are unlucky) for a popular departure. But, seat reservations are only compulsory on the High speed trains. On Intercity they are included in 1st class but not in 2nd class. And on regional trains it is sometimes not possible to reserve a seat (so you might end up sitting in a staircase if you are unlucky.

 

[James James]

Idiots those SJ!

Stockholm Central – Norrköping C (one way)
06:46 – 08:09 Travel time 1:23 h Second class: 115
06:48 – 08:39 Travel time 1:51 h Second class: 205

Cheapest and expensive ticket besides each other is 11.29 (145) and 12.20 (445); the last one is 33 minutes faster!

Does that second train perhaps have some busy stops along the way? Perhaps a large number of passengers happen to want to travel only part of the way, which would still push up prices for the end-to-end journey?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Correct, a walk up fare can be extremly expensive (2000 kr or so if you are unlucky) for a popular departure. But, seat reservations are only compulsory on the High speed trains. On Intercity they are included in 1st class but not in 2nd class. And on regional trains it is sometimes not possible to reserve a seat (so you might end up sitting in a staircase if you are unlucky.

But still per-train pricing?

 

[gsnedders]

But still per-train pricing?

Yes. It's all per-train. You don't get generic tickets (flexible tickets need to be exchanged for the desired departure). The tickets have printed on them the train(s) for which they are for, and the guard will check that; the only difference with a seat reservation is the ticket also has a coach/seat printed on it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes. It's all per-train. You don't get generic tickets (flexible tickets need to be exchanged for the desired departure). The tickets have printed on them the train(s) for which they are for, and the guard will check that; the only difference with a seat reservation is the ticket also has a coach/seat printed on it.

Seems bizarre to have all tickets train specific but not to allocate seats on all trains.

 

[James James]

Seems bizarre to have all tickets train specific but not to allocate seats on all trains.

Not really. Figuring out if the train is going to be filled by numbers is significantly less work than having to assign seats AND print out seat reservation tags (and/or install digital seat reservation signs if thats your thing).

 

[gsnedders]

Not really. Figuring out if the train is going to be filled by numbers is significantly less work than having to assign seats AND print out seat reservation tags (and/or install digital seat reservation signs if thats your thing).

I think they all have optional reservations (excluding X2 services), and I think it's all done on digital signage. Like that, the cost of doing it is the same regardless of whether you have 1 reservation or 200.

 

[JonasB]

Seems bizarre to have all tickets train specific but not to allocate seats on all trains.

At a first glance it does, but not all tickets are single tickets. On regional trains there are usually a lot of commuters with monthly tickets.