West Midlands Train Travel Dirt Cheap !!

[Butts]

I hope no one ever complains about the price of Rail Travel in the West Midlands.

I was looking into getting my daughter a Monthly Season Ticket from Cradley Heath to Birmingham where she is starting a new job in December.

I had to double check that it was only £68 for a zones 1-5 Four Weekly Pass payable by Direct Debit. For the same price you can travel from Wolverhampton to Coventry and indeed all over the West Midlands Network.

For gods sake it's only £113 First Class !!!

Compare that to my Falkirk Stations to Edinburgh Park at an eye watering £175 plus :cry:

Am I well and truly being ripped off ? - is this paying for the Free Prescriptions, Eye Tests and Dental Check Ups.

 

[Merseysider]

I believe the WMPTE (Passenger Transport Executive) sets and/or subsidises those fares meaning they'll be artificially cheap and therefore lower than elsewhere in the country. Similar story in Greater Manchester, Merseyside etc

 

[adrock1976]

First point I would like to make is that Cradley Heath was formerly my local station when I used to reside in the West Midlands.

Regarding the fares, they have always been at the bargain basement end owing to both the origin and destination being within the WMPTE area.

Not long before I left the West Midlands in the second half of the 1990s, the PTE had introduced concentric zones within the area, similar to Greater London.

However, if you try searching for a Great Malvern - Kidderminster fare, it may not appear to be a bargain basement fare owing to neither being in a PTE area.

 

[Butts]

First point I would like to make is that Cradley Heath was formerly my local station when I used to reside in the West Midlands.

Regarding the fares, they have always been at the bargain basement end owing to both the origin and destination being within the WMPTE area.

Not long before I left the West Midlands in the second half of the 1990s, the PTE had introduced concentric zones within the area, similar to Greater London.

However, if you try searching for a Great Malvern - Kidderminster fare, it may not appear to be a bargain basement fare owing to neither being in a PTE area.

Hey it's a small world I used to live in Dudley / Cradley Heath at the same time. My ex-wife and Kids still live in Old Hill.

Why can't they have a similar body for Central Scotland - it's all fragmented up here. Those Black Country Folk don't realise how lucky they are

 

[AlterEgo]

I believe the WMPTE (Passenger Transport Executive) sets and/or subsidises those fares meaning they'll be artificially cheap and therefore lower than elsewhere in the country. Similar story in Greater Manchester, Merseyside etc

A point of pure pedantry but WMPTE was succeeded by the "new" Transport for West Midlands - TfWM - in June.

 

[boxy321]

I've been doing this nnetwork ticket (1st class) for over 6 months now and people are astounded when I tell them how little it costs per month.

My only gripe is that I can't go to a lot of local places (around Coventry) but can head to Stourbridge or Wolverhampton for 'free'. Can't complain as it gets me to Solihull every day though.

Free newspapers, snacks, beverages (and the occasional alcoholic one). Needless to say I avoid LM where possible...

 

[Butts]

I've been doing this nnetwork ticket (1st class) for over 6 months now and people are astounded when I tell them how little it costs per month.

My only gripe is that I can't go to a lot of local places (around Coventry) but can head to Stourbridge or Wolverhampton for 'free'. Can't complain as it gets me to Solihull every day though.

Free newspapers, snacks, beverages (and the occasional alcoholic one). Needless to say I avoid LM where possible...

Can you use that ticket in the 1st Class Lounges at Wolverhampton and Birmingham Stations ?

Indeed is it valid on Virgin and Cross Country as well as London Midland services within the West Midlands Zone ?

 

[Seacook]

Can you use that ticket in the 1st Class Lounges at Wolverhampton and Birmingham Stations ?

Indeed is it valid on Virgin and Cross Country as well as London Midland services within the West Midlands Zone ?

My ticket is valid for the lounges at Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, and Coventry.

I can travel first class on all operators' trains within the area. It is not valid for Chiltern's Business Zone.

Back in the 1980s I seem to recall that I could buy a season ticket for buses in the West Midlands and add a single nominated rail line (e.g, BHM - COV) at no extra cost. This was not particularly well publicised. I tended to alter the rail line each time I renewed since I did not commute by rail.

 

[Butts]

My ticket is valid for the lounges at Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, and Coventry.

I can travel first class on all operators' trains within the area. It is not valid for Chiltern's Business Zone.

Back in the 1980s I seem to recall that I could buy a season ticket for buses in the West Midlands and add a single nominated rail line (e.g, BHM - COV) at no extra cost. This was not particularly well publicised. I tended to alter the rail line each time I renewed since I did not commute by rail.

This ticket must be one of the best value commuting products in the UK - Can anyone beat it ?

If you live in Wolverhampton you can commute to Birmingham or Coventry utilising the 1st Class Lounges before boarding and then enjoy the relative luxury of a 1st Class Pendelino Service (compared to LM) to convey you in peace away from the riff raff. Repeat the process on the way home.

All for less than £6 per day - this must be an anomaly that has surely been highlighted at RailUK Forums Fares Workshops.

ps think of me paying through the nose on a clapped out service - West Midlands commuters must be the envy of the rest of the UK

 

[boxy321]

I can travel first class on all operators' trains within the area. It is not valid for Chiltern's Business Zone.

I can tell to you categorically that it is valid on Business Zone. I asked ages ago and sometimes the guard states '£25 upgrade or a 1st class season ticket'.

Is it worth walking to the end of Moor Street station for a 10 minute journey when there's space everywhere else though?

 

[Mag_seven]

This ticket must be one of the best value commuting products in the UK - Can anyone beat it ?

If you live in Wolverhampton you can commute to Birmingham or Coventry utilising the 1st Class Lounges before boarding and then enjoy the relative luxury of a 1st Class Pendelino Service (compared to LM) to convey you in peace away from the riff raff. Repeat the process on the way home.

All for less than £6 per day - this must be an anomaly that has surely been highlighted at RailUK Forums Fares Workshops.

ps think of me paying through the nose on a clapped out service - West Midlands commuters must be the envy of the rest of the UK

Shhhhh! (Virgin Trains management [you know those who have the power to put restrictions in FC lounge use]read these forums!)

 

[All Line Rover]

It is not an anomaly. £112.50/month, "Any Permitted", covers Wolverhampton to Birmingham or Coventry to Birmingham (yes, it also covers Wolverhampton to Coventry, but this is irrelevant since few people are likely to have such a commute). But there is also a £150/month, "VTWC Only", first class season ticket between Rugby and Birmingham. Virgin set this fare, which suggests that they make their money to/from London and offer cheap first class fares between Wolverhampton and Rugby to fill spare capacity.

However, I consider it misleading, and cheeky, for the homepage of the Network West Midlands website to depict a single person hogging a table of four in a Pendolino first class carriage (with the antimacassars removed, to suggest that accommodation of this quality is typical of standard class!). Exclusive use of a table of two is fairly common, but a table of four less so. Territorial behaviour should not be encouraged, let alone depicted as the norm.

I image that the only train company unhappy about the PTE season tickets is CrossCountry. The train company that charges £1840 STD / £2850 1ST for a Stafford to Coventry season ticket (as would be expected based on the price of the LM-priced Stafford to Birmingham season tickets), but £1930 STD / £4300 1ST for a Stafford to Birmingham International season ticket! (In the case of the more expensive standard class season ticket, evidently achieved through the use of "flex", because in 1996 the season ticket prices to Birmingham International and Coventry were identical). And I offer my wholehearted support to anything that would annoy the management of such a ******* of a train company.

 

[boxy321]

Getting a table for 4 to yourself is common in 1st in the evening, but true, that picture is weird.

The hedges flying past in the background is also atypical as its mostly 20-40mph through the West Midlands.

 

[Seacook]

I can tell to you categorically that it is valid on Business Zone. I asked ages ago and sometimes the guard states '£25 upgrade or a 1st class season ticket'.

Is it worth walking to the end of Moor Street station for a 10 minute journey when there's space everywhere else though?

It is possible that the policy has changed. Two years ago the Chiltern Business Zone was specifically excluded in the Terms & Conditions published by Network West Midlands.

I have used the BZ when travelling on a FC ALR but caught the train at Smethwick Galton Bridge and alighted at Marylebone.

 

[Butts]

It is not an anomaly. £112.50/month, "Any Permitted", covers Wolverhampton to Birmingham or Coventry to Birmingham (yes, it also covers Wolverhampton to Coventry, but this is irrelevant since few people are likely to have such a commute). But there is also a £150/month, "VTWC Only", first class season ticket between Rugby and Birmingham. Virgin set this fare, which suggests that they make their money to/from London and offer cheap first class fares between Wolverhampton and Rugby to fill spare capacity.

However, I consider it misleading, and cheeky, for the homepage of the Network West Midlands website to depict a single person hogging a table of four in a Pendolino first class carriage (with the antimacassars removed, to suggest that accommodation of this quality is typical of standard class!). Exclusive use of a table of two is fairly common, but a table of four less so. Territorial behaviour should not be encouraged, let alone depicted as the norm.

I image that the only train company unhappy about the PTE season tickets is CrossCountry. The train company that charges £1840 STD / £2850 1ST for a Stafford to Coventry season ticket (as would be expected based on the price of the LM-priced Stafford to Birmingham season tickets), but £1930 STD / £4300 1ST for a Stafford to Birmingham International season ticket! (In the case of the more expensive standard class season ticket, evidently achieved through the use of "flex", because in 1996 the season ticket prices to Birmingham International and Coventry were identical). And I offer my wholehearted support to anything that would annoy the management of such a ******* of a train company.

I would have thought there may be quite a few people who live in Coventry and work in Birmingham or Wolverhampton and loads of places inbetween.

My original point was in comparison to my £175 Second Class Monthly between Falkirk and Edinburgh Park it seems fantastic value. The 2nd Class version being nearly £100 cheaper than mine and allowing far more travel permutations.

 

[iainbhx]

Try having to buy a Spring Road-Crewe monthly at £371.

It is/was possible to save some money by buying two seasons, one Crewe-Stafford and a ntrain with Stafford extension, but it's not worth the faff.

 

[6Gman]

Try having to buy a Spring Road-Crewe monthly at £371.

It is/was possible to save some money by buying two seasons, one Crewe-Stafford and a ntrain with Stafford extension, but it's not worth the faff.

Just move to Crewe!

Nice place.

 

[Butts]

If you are in a low paid job £100 per month less spent on travelling to work could make a huge difference to your standard of living

It's a shame that recent Panorama Edition did not feature the sort of disparity that exists in different parts of the Country for the fares commuters pay.

As I mentioned right at the start West Midlands employees will not be heard complaining about Rail Travel Costs.

Indeed if I were travelling into the Centre of Edinburgh my pass would be nearer to £200 as opposed to the paltry £68 the Midlands worker would pay for a much better package.

 

[All Line Rover]

It's worth bearing in mind that VTWC services to/from Wolverhampton are only hourly except in the very early morning (for pre-9am arrivals into London) and late evening (for post-5pm departures from London). When commuting from Wolverhampton to Birmingham, one's choice of VTWC arrivals is 08:07 (too early for most) or 09:05 (too late). In the return direction, the departures are at 17:15, 18:15 and 19:15.

But CrossCountry still operates at a good frequency for commuters, and given that (i) one won't be "wined and dined" on a VTWC journey from Wolverhampton to Coventry, and (ii) many VTWC services through the Midlands are operated by Voyagers, the quality of accommodation is little different and still a very considerable step up from a typical regional commute.