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Ticketing BDSM

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Mutant Lemming

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Do you think there is a perverse love/hate element regarding routeing guides/ticketing systems etc ? Would some of you miss all this if the fare structure was simplified on a pence per mile basis and made easy to use and understand ?
Is the chasing/haggling/searching actually now part of the 'fun' of train travel?
 
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RJ

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Do you think there is a perverse love/hate element regarding routeing guides/ticketing systems etc ? Would some of you miss all this if the fare structure was simplified on a pence per mile basis and made easy to use and understand ?
Is the chasing/haggling/searching actually now part of the 'fun' of train travel?

Some of us just want to spend as little on travel as legitimately possible. Not especially enjoyable but something that will provide benefits in the longer term, much like doing a Maths A Level.
 

yorkie

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Would some of you miss all this if the fare structure was simplified on a pence per mile basis and made easy to use and understand ?
Pence per mile, rather than market based pricing, would actually be very complex, introduce other anomalies, cause popular routes to be so cheap there would be overcrowding, and unpopular branch lines would become unviable.

I have some standard questions that never get answered, if anyone wants to have a go at them ;)

1) Please give me the proposed fares from York to Whitby for a day return, avoiding Darlington, and tell me how this fare is calculated and whether you think it will be competitive with the coach service provided by Coastliner that costs only slightly more than the current rail ticket price but offers a shorter journey time?

2) Please give me the proposed fares from York to London for a day return, and if this is lower than current prices, tell me where the revenue will be brought in to compensate EC for the revenue loss?

3) Please give me the proposed fares from Peterborough to Leicester, and also Leicester to Nottingham, and let me know how you are calculating the mileage and whether under your system it will be permitted to travel from Peterborough to Nottingham via Leicester or not, and if someone does go via Leicester what excess will be charged (if any)?
 

calc7

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As any changes to the fares system will be at best revenue neutral, I for one am extremely happy that those of us with the guile and enthusiasm are able to travel for much cheaper than we otherwise would. :)
 

Poggs

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Do you think there is a perverse love/hate element regarding routeing guides/ticketing systems etc ? Would some of you miss all this if the fare structure was simplified on a pence per mile basis and made easy to use and understand ?
Is the chasing/haggling/searching actually now part of the 'fun' of train travel?

I think the fact it isn't perfect draws some people in. Three groups spring to mind - those people who understand the system and how hard it is to change; those who understand the system and want radical changes to make it simpler; and those who understand but revel in its complexity, wanting to be an 'expert' for self-promotion/glory.

It's great that you've drawn parallels to BDSM. Now if only there was a hanky code for routeing/ticketing enthusiasts. Red = in to Advance Purchase and Restrictions, Blue = in to 1st Class travel, White = Routeing Fetishi... sorry, Specialist, Black = Used Ticket Enthusiast.
 

SS4

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No. Simplification will never be in favour of the customer as long as money is put before the services. Better the devil you know and I see no harm in getting a better deal if you take the time to research.
 

Ivo

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Now if only there was a hanky code for routeing/ticketing enthusiasts. Red = in to Advance Purchase and Restrictions, Blue = in to 1st Class travel, White = Routeing Fetishi... sorry, Specialist, Black = Used Ticket Enthusiast.

Sounds interesting! But what about the myriad other groups out there - and what about those who "align" themselves to more than one example? You can't just provide a list as selective as that :p

On that list, I would match white, black and possibly blue! How would such a combination work?

Some of us just want to spend as little on travel as legitimately possible. Not especially enjoyable but something that will provide benefits in the longer term, much like doing a Maths A Level.

I'm not sure I agree with it not being enjoyable - it's an interesting challenge which can keep people occupied for hours on end - but this is certainly true. Until they invariably change the system again, in which case we simply start again ourselves.
 

Poggs

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Sounds interesting! But what about the myriad other groups out there - and what about those who "align" themselves to more than one example? You can't just provide a list as selective as that :p

They can just wear FCC's multi-coloured Thameslink upgrade livery.
 

SS4

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I'd be Red and blue although I'm happy in standard so long as it's relatively quiet and there is a relatively decent amount of space.

Under the system what would the 16-25 railcard be classed as :lol:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
They can just wear FCC's multi-coloured Thameslink upgrade livery.

Or claret and blue for Ivo's not so beloved West Ham. Now excuse me while I go hide under the table
 

All Line Rover

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As any changes to the fares system will be at best revenue neutral, I for one am extremely happy that those of us with the guile and enthusiasm are able to travel for much cheaper than we otherwise would. :)

I have exactly the same opinion.
 

Ivo

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Or claret and blue for Ivo's not so beloved West Ham. Now excuse me while I go hide under the table

Oh, right. I see. So it's claret-and-blue to spite me rather than to promote your own love, huh? :lol:

Don't come out from under that table until Everton hammer (pun intended) that lot of cheats.
 

wintonian

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And I thought I was too young to remember the hanky code.

As I can't even see how it fits in with railway ticketing I'll stick to rather boring blue (both shades) ;)
 

Mutant Lemming

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It's great that you've drawn parallels to BDSM. Now if only there was a hanky code for routeing/ticketing enthusiasts. Red = in to Advance Purchase and Restrictions, Blue = in to 1st Class travel, White = Routeing Fetishi... sorry, Specialist, Black = Used Ticket Enthusiast.

... time to call the forum meets 'munches' ?
 

AndyLandy

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I love the title of this thread!

There's certainly an element of truth to it. I'm often disgruntled at having to pay full fare for a journey, but there's something tremendously satisfying about scoring a mega-cheap Advance ticket, or finding some clever ticket split or funny routeing that saves you a chunk of change.
 
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