cactustwirly
Established Member
Those passengers want to book an InterCity journey like a plane or coach. They don't want the complexity of Permitted Routes, TOC restrictions etc.
The presence of Advance tickets caters for this market.
Those passengers want to book an InterCity journey like a plane or coach. They don't want the complexity of Permitted Routes, TOC restrictions etc.
The problem is the long distance railway really wants to go down the booked train only advance purchase route, but they won't actually say so - which is fine for an airline, probably also for TGV type services, but it really, really doesn't work where the long distance operator is providing local journeys as well. If this process is still in place post restrictions (or indeed if trains get busier before then), I bet you'll be complaining when you rock up for your return and can't board the train you want. Or the one after that, etc etc. The other issue is that the whole thing is inconsistent - different long distance operators taking different approaches on mandatory reservations - and the utterly useless and pointless RDG doing nothing as usual.Most of my journeys have been for work. I admit I tend to know my "out" time but my "back" time is often unknown. I have not had a problem booking, standard class, on the train I wanted even at short notice. I will further admit it has been 10 days since my last trip so demand may have shot up but more trains are coming on stream which will surely offer more choice.
Honestly - I haven't had a problem and think mountains are being made out of molehills. Clearly I can only talk to my own experience and fully accept others may have had terrible times but i haven't. I expected problems but have not encountered them.
The thing I want to add, this is going back awhile ago but I reserved my seat someone was sitting in it, I asked if they could move but didn’t until Edinburgh, so how would this still work just tick I’m on board but if I get pulled up I get into trouble for sitting in wrong seat?
This is the only thing I don’t like when using trains I reserve seats, I look at my tickets when I get them work out where I am sitting but then you get some ignorant people who take your seat without looking at screens/labels. If a seat is reserved for say Newcastle and what looks like work colleagues yapping together do you disturb them or you find alternative without bother (if it’s possible)? (this happened to me couple years back from York-Newcastle). Common sense needs to be applied here.
What about a "fine me another seat" button on the App, should you find yourself next to, say, a particularly noisy group?
You're kidding right? No one finds that easier than turn up at station, ask for return to York, hop on the next train.True. I might not like it myself, but "airline style" is by far the simplest way for the IC railway to operate. Nobody finds booking an easyJet flight complicated - it is genuinely easy. You book it on their website, you put in where from and to, you pick which flight, are told how much it is, you pay and then you print your boarding card or have it on your phone. Then you rock up when it says and sit in your allocated seat at the specified time with no arguments about validity.
The problem is the long distance railway really wants to go down the booked train only advance purchase route, but they won't actually say so - which is fine for an airline, probably also for TGV type services, but it really, really doesn't work where the long distance operator is providing local journeys as well. If this process is still in place post restrictions (or indeed if trains get busier before then), I bet you'll be complaining when you rock up for your return and can't board the train you want. Or the one after that, etc etc. The other issue is that the whole thing is inconsistent - different long distance operators taking different approaches on mandatory reservations - and the utterly useless and pointless RDG doing nothing as usual.
I noted an early comment (from another of the Marston Vale mafia, I think)
The perception is that we have a walk-up railway.
Just re-reading all this today reminds me why I realised some time ago that a car is a godsend......
However, I think it is an option worth looking at, in the current crisis, as a way to rebuild customer confidence.
I think the confidence thing is under-estimated by the train companies and government alike. We were told for so long to avoid trains, supposedly to let NHS and other key workers get to work safely. But most trains ran near empty. Confidence was lost and the car used increasingly. Now they want us back but they're not making it appealing or easy. Heritage railways on the other hand are doubling their efforts to get custom AND make sure everyone feels safe.I really can't see how it rebuilds this mythical 'customer confidence'. Why would this make someone more likely to use a train?
This whole 'confidence' thing is nonsense anyway. Nobody seems to know what it actually means. What are they not 'confident' about? That the Deadly Killer Virus won't get them? Is anyone seriously going to believe that by booking a ticket there is less chance of this than if they just turn up and buy a ticket?
It does depend on which service area you stop at, the time of day and the layout. Some have a labyrinth of narrow corridors leading to the loos (the main reason most folks stop there), so I avoid those. For example Knutsford M6 far better laid out than Sandbach M6 only 15 miles away.....I don't disagree with any of that - I am not suggesting that this is a long term solution to a problem. It isn't practical long term for the reasons you call out. However, I think it is an option worth looking at, in the current crisis, as a way to rebuild customer confidence.
We prefer Triad actually. The mafia is riddled with snitches and rats.
We don't at the moment due to the current situation. Hopefully we will have that again soon.
I have obtained a car during lock down. It is very helpful. However I have to say I have felt less safe at a motroway service station than I ever have on a train!
Actually come to think of it most motorway services feel more spacious than railway station interiors i.e. cafes, toilets, waiting rooms, although on a station you can walk up the platform in the fresh air to await the train...It does depend on which service area you stop at, the time of day and the layout. Some have a labyrinth of narrow corridors leading to the loos (the main reason most folks stop there), so I avoid those. For example Knutsford M6 far better laid out than Sandbach M6 only 15 miles away.....
It does depend on which service area you stop at, the time of day and the layout. Some have a labyrinth of narrow corridors leading to the loos (the main reason most folks stop there), so I avoid those. For example Knutsford M6 far better laid out than Sandbach M6 only 15 miles away.....
And if I can't reserve a seat on the train aboit to depart? If tgat's my last connectiom of the day, what am I supposed to do next?
It’s even more confusing and off putting if you’re travelling with multiple operators
I've made 6 long distance LNER journeys now, and have seen zero 'zealous' enforcement of either masks or alcohol rules, beyond a couple of long-winded PA announcements as reminders.
It's, if anything, been a much more pleasurable and relaxing travel experience with social distancing limiting the capacity of the trains.
Asking RDG (I think ATOC is now part of RDG?) to do anything useful is probably a step too far.I think a major issue here is the huge differences between operators. LNERs policies including this potential new one, seem very strict. Other long distance operators have done the opposite - no seat reservations at all, it is up to passengers to social distance. From my anecdotal observations GWR and Avanti seem much busier than LNER. Couldn't ATOC get companies to work together to come up with a unified message and policy?
You're kidding right? No one finds that easier than turn up at station, ask for return to York, hop on the next train.
That might be easy, but what proportion of passengers actually do that, especially for a long distance journey? Most will have bought in Advance of travel (not necessarily an Advance ticket) in some form or another. e.g. business travel for work.
Not much of a selling point when turn-up-and-go fares are so expensive.The main selling point of rail is that it's turn up and go. Take that away and it becomes a lot less useful to a lot of people.
I'd love to use the train and certainly dont want to lose them, but at the end of the day ( as a key worker) I'm no good to anyone if I've contracted a virus travelling in a crowded environment so its car for me for the foreseeable future. Yes I can catch it anywhere else but given I do have a choice I'll exercise caution. But I feel for those who have no choice but to travel by train and sometimes at short notice. They do need a walk up system and reservation free travel as plans change and not everyone has internet eg a lot of
elderly people.
I really can't see how it rebuilds this mythical 'customer confidence'. Why would this make someone more likely to use a train?
This whole 'confidence' thing is nonsense anyway. Nobody seems to know what it actually means. What are they not 'confident' about? That the Deadly Killer Virus won't get them? Is anyone seriously going to believe that by booking a ticket there is less chance of this than if they just turn up and buy a ticket?
Not much of a selling point when turn-up-and-go fares are so expensive.
You overrate the usage of such short hops on LNER - aside from York - Doncaster and Durham - Newcastle, LNER is almost exclusively a long distance railway.Short journeys on LNER, such as Grantham to Newark are used by many turn up and go passengers and are not expensive.
Ridiculous idea. While it might work where there are long-distance and local services running in parallel, it simply doesn't work in this country as all the long-distance services also serve as local services at various points on their route - e.g. the only services between York and Doncaster are LNER and XC, both long-distance operators. Similar applies in many other areas.
The main selling point of rail is that it's turn up and go. Take that away and it becomes a lot less useful to a lot of people.
So you're saying that if I want to travel between Stevenage and Kings Cross, Durham and Newcastle, or even between Leeds and Wakefield I'm expected to reserve a seat days in advance and have to produce a 'boarding pass'? An utterly ridiculous idea!
It's an option in Germany on long-distance trains but it's advertised as a convenience for the passengers, i.e. travel without being bothered by a ticket check - you are just left undisturbed in your seat.