South West Trains slashes its fares to £1

Lugh_Chronain · 4 November 2005 at 5:03PM

I spotted this in the Metro paper 02/11 and thought you might like to discus it. Also, if there are any South West Train employees maybe you would like to elaborate on this, if you know anything about it that is.

South West Trains is cutting ticket prices on some services between London & the South Coast of England to just £1 in a bid to attract new passengers. Customers who book in advance will be able to buy £1 tickets for single off-peak fares between London, Portsmouth and Southampton. the budget rail project, being piloted by the parent company Stagecoach, could be extended if it proves successful.

innovate · 4 November 2005 at 7:05PM

It's up on their website - well, actually, they call it megatrain.com

Looks like the cheap fares (£1 and £2 one way) are very off-peak so this isn't really good for day returns. But sounds fantastic if you are staying over - PROVIDED THAT you go from the terminus stations.......the smallprint says

Please note that the departure and arrival times displayed are for the main terminus points you selected. You must board and alight at these points, and it is a condition of travel on megatrain that you may not board or alight at other points on the route. Penalty fares will apply if passengers alight or board at other points along the route.

Sounds like a very stupid restriction to me :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

EDITED: just noticed their reservation number is 60p/min........booking over Internet is free! All bookings carry a 50p booking fee.

innovate · 5 November 2005 at 12:45PM

I emailed Megetrain Customer Services to ask whether & when they plan to add additional stations - their reply:

At the moment passengers can only board at our stops in Southampton and Portsmouth. However if the trail is a success, we may increase to other stations.

Lugh_Chronain · 14 November 2005 at 4:57PM

YIPPY I’ve got a thread mentioned in the MoneyTips e-mail.

Milarky · 15 November 2005 at 1:15PM

innovate wrote:

Please note that the departure and arrival times displayed are for the main terminus points you selected. You must board and alight at these points, and it is a condition of travel on megatrain that you may not board or alight at other points on the route. Penalty fares will apply if passengers alight or board at other points along the route.

My mum asked me to book her travel from Portmouth to Waterloo - but only wants to go as far as Guildford, and change trains. I booked the journey and THEN noticed the restriction. Obviously if alighting a train they really can't stop you can they? It says on the instructions there is a 'designated' carriage that you must travel in - but if you go to another carriage [for refreshments?] between stations is the guard going to follow you and make sure you come back to the proper carriage??

pompeyrich · 15 November 2005 at 5:08PM

Milarky wrote:

My mum asked me to book her travel from Portmouth to Waterloo - but only wants to go as far as Guildford, and change trains. I booked the journey and THEN noticed the restriction. Obviously if alighting a train they really can't stop you can they? It says on the instructions there is a 'designated' carriage that you must travel in - but if you go to another carriage [for refreshments?] between stations is the guard going to follow you and make sure you come back to the proper carriage??

I would think your Mum would be alright as long as she gets the extra ticket to her final destination before leaving Portsmouth. Guildford station has automatic barriers so could be difficult to actually leave the station. You can buy tickets between any 2 stations from any ticket office.

Lugh_Chronain · 9 December 2005 at 2:30AM

No doubt you will have heard that rail fares will rise well above the inflation rate – almost 9% in some areas – in the New Year. All the more reason to use the above info, if you can that is.

I reiterate as innovate has pointed out, if the trail is a success, South West Trains may increase this to other stations.

Lugh_Chronain · 2 January 2006 at 11:59PM

As from today regulated fares, which cover season tickets and saver tickets, are going up by an average of 3.9%.

Unregulated fares, including cheap day returns, are rising by an average of 4.5%.

Once more I point out, all the more reason to use the above info.

South West Trains slashes its fares to £1

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