A Challenge
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- 24 Sep 2016
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Are arrival gates shown at airports, because if so you could look and see what gate the flight has come in to.
A couple of days ago I was riding a Privatbahn in Saxony, which was operated with a Siemens Desiro Classic EMU. I was sitting in the compartment directly behind the driver's cab.Obviously these days it’s a very very different culture, guards aren’t even allowed in the cab now
"I can take this train because it was on RTT!"
A couple of days ago I was riding a Privatbahn in Saxony, which was operated with a Siemens Desiro Classic EMU. I was sitting in the compartment directly behind the driver's cab.
The driver left the door open throughout the journey, and the guard sat down next to him once he had finished checking tickets.
Amazing the cultural differences between the different railway systems around the world. If they did that in the U.K. they’d both be shot!
From non rail users the assumption that all rail fares are cheap, (we know different) due to the massive subsidies they, as tax payers are handing out. I asked some of my work colleagues a couple of years ago how much they thought the fare was from Huddersfield to London, no one got within 60% of the actual fare, the funniest one suggested around £15 one way, or around £25 return, when I told them the real cost, around £100 return I think, they were shocked, with the usual "what a rip off" being the most common reaction.
That will be an advance, I doubt non rail users are even aware of there existance.I’d be shocked too, seeing as you can get a single for £16.00......
From non rail users the assumption that all rail fares are cheap, (we know different) due to the massive subsidies they, as tax payers are handing out. I asked some of my work colleagues a couple of years ago how much they thought the fare was from Huddersfield to London, no one got within 60% of the actual fare, the funniest one suggested around £15 one way, or around £25 return, when I told them the real cost, around £100 return I think, they were shocked, with the usual "what a rip off" being the most common reaction.
GW didn't invent the coloured zones I'm afraid, I think they were the brainchild of an Intercity manager. They appeared at Wakefield Westgate during the "shadow franchise" era, along with several other locations a long way from the South-west.
However, other than the signs being placed, I personally can't recall any announcements or posters ever making reference to the various coloured zones... at all! So I'd always assumed that the idea was pretty much dead from the beginning.
It seems perhaps coincidental that their guesses are the actual rough costs of advance fares...suggesting your colleagues are very much aware of advance tickets and the actual point here is that most people are unaware of the existence of 'walk up fares'. Ask anyone at my workplace the cost of a ticket from Birmingham to London, they'll all say about a tenner, never the £70+ anytime cost.
Maybe it's a generational thing? But for me, any 'long distance' travel has used this model since I was a child - planes, trains, taxis, coaches. So saying that £100 is the real cost of a train from Huddersfield to London is a bit odd in this day and age. The maximum cost maybe, but it's certainly not in any way a 'real' cost.
From non rail users the assumption that all rail fares are cheap, (we know different) due to the massive subsidies they, as tax payers are handing out. I asked some of my work colleagues a couple of years ago how much they thought the fare was from Huddersfield to London, no one got within 60% of the actual fare, the funniest one suggested around £15 one way, or around £25 return, when I told them the real cost, around £100 return I think, they were shocked, with the usual "what a rip off" being the most common reaction.
In the 1990s that often happened on the Manchester suburban 101s.
It seems perhaps coincidental that their guesses are the actual rough costs of advance fares...suggesting your colleagues are very much aware of advance tickets and the actual point here is that most people are unaware of the existence of 'walk up fares'. Ask anyone at my workplace the cost of a ticket from Birmingham to London, they'll all say about a tenner, never the £70+ anytime cost.
Well, usually when people encounter doors like those, the driver is right behind them and opens the door for them*...That when you want to get off, the doors on a 142 will open as if by magic just because someone is standing in front of them. Okay, the fact the "door open" button is often poorly placed, but I've lost count of the number of times I've had to yell "You need to press the button!" because the dopey person trying to get off doesn't know what to do!
In the 1990s that often happened on the Manchester suburban 101s.
That when you want to get off, the doors on a 142 will open as if by magic just because someone is standing in front of them. Okay, the fact the "door open" button is often poorly placed, but I've lost count of the number of times I've had to yell "You need to press the button!" because the dopey person trying to get off doesn't know what to do!
Same goes for people that work in ITThat everyone who works on the railway is interested in the railway.
Same goes for people that work in IT
At least train drivers don't get people saying to them "You work in transport right? Can you tell me what's wrong with my car?"
I doubt a lot of people are aware of advance tickets, more likely for some reason they can't take advantage of them, and/or are more familiar with walk up fares. The estimates of fares being way too low is more likely because those people are showing what they would be prepared to pay for the journey, not how much they think it costs in reality. People may also think that a (walk up) rail fare cost would be comparable to the marginal cost of driving, when in reality it is a lot more expensive. There will be a lot of people who never use trains so will have no idea of the cost or what types of ticket are available.
Nor have I. They've been selling petrol by the litre for many years.It works both ways. As a non-driver I have no idea how much petrol costs per gallon these days, nor how far a gallon of petrol would take you.
Did the flight to Liverpool involve a change or is it a new route?With the world finances being the way they are, we can't afford to spend as much as what we used to. I think when it comes to travel the majority of people will find and buy the very cheapest tickets they can get away with, even if it means giving up a lot of flexibility. I'm a bit guilty of doing this myself actually.
I was looking at flights to Liverpool yesterday and found that the cheapest was £40 one way from London City flying with British Airways CityFlyer. Comparing this to the train, Virgin offer £17 advance tickets one way (£11 from London). If I wanted an even cheaper ticket, London Midland only open return plus the leg up to London is only £25! However the flexible any permitted open return is £75. Would I buy this ticket? No.
I agree, it probably is a generation thing. None of my friends or I ever buy expensive anytime returns. My relatives on the other hand would be quite happy to pay to pay £150 or more for a ticket.
No the flight to Liverpool does not involve a change, it is direct from Southend. It is a flybe route. I don't think it is very new.Did the flight to Liverpool involve a change or is it a new route?