Leicester-Birmingham train prices shot up in price

jumpycheese1

I used to go to Birmingham on the train for shopping about once every three weeks - a month. It was £8.50 day return (after 9:30am weekdays and all weekend). Checked on the internet, the price has gone to £13.10 - 54% increase. Why is this? I last used the train service either 4th or 5th August.


I will not be going to Brum UNLESS the prices go down. But got Nottingham and Derby for £8-9 day return.

Don't like Leicester for shopping as it's a maze of dug up roads, many shops have gone and going to be chaos as the new shopping centre opens in over a fortnight.

robt_2

It has not changed, I just checked.

It is £8.50 for a saver/cheapday and £13.10 for an open return.

jumpycheese1

Which webiste did you use?
Checked thetrainline.com, nationalrail.co.uk and showed 13.10

Then raileasy said £8.50


Really confusing

Thanks

robt_2

National Rail.

Roland

The OP is right, the fares from Leicester, Derby and Nottingham to Birmingham on CrossCountry trains have changed. The fares themselves have not changed, it's the ticket restrictions that have changed. They have introduced new restrictions on Savers and Cheap Day Returns.

The CDR ticket is not valid for travel before 9.30 or between 15.30 and 18.15 on weekdays. This is not the case with most other rail companies. The CDR costs £8.50 and a Standard ticket is £13.10.

Look at the bulleted points in this press release.

http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/AboutCrossCountry/PressAndMedia/PressReleaseXC2008212RG.aspx

For other CrossCountry passengers, these restrictions do not apply to those parts of their network where they do not set the fares. For example they do not apply for journeys between Sheffield and Derby or Bristol and Taunton on CrossCountry trains.

robt_2

Roland wrote: »

The OP is right, the fares from Leicester, Derby and Nottingham to Birmingham on CrossCountry trains have changed. The fares themselves have not changed, it's the ticket restrictions that have changed. They have introduced new restrictions on Savers and Cheap Day Returns.

The CDR ticket is not valid for travel before 9.30 or between 15.30 and 18.15 on weekdays. This is not the case with most other rail companies. The CDR costs £8.50 and a Standard ticket is £13.10.

Look at the bulleted points in this press release.

http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/AboutCrossCountry/PressAndMedia/PressReleaseXC2008212RG.aspx

For other CrossCountry passengers, these restrictions do not apply to those parts of their network where they do not set the fares. For example they do not apply for journeys between Sheffield and Derby or Bristol and Taunton on CrossCountry trains.

That has nothing to do with it. The press release applies from 18th May, the OP said the tickets have changed only since August - which they have not as I showed.

Roland

robt wrote: »

That has nothing to do with it. The press release applies from 18th May, the OP said the tickets have changed only since August - which they have not as I showed.

Check the fares again carefully, especially for returns from Birmingham between 15.30 and 18.15. You will find that the £8.50 CDR will not be available for return trains at this time.

I think that the OP must have previously returned before 15.30 or after 18.15 to be able to travel with an £8.50 CDR ticket. The evening peak restriction has applied since 18 May and the cheapest return ticket at £13.10 has also applied since this date.

I had spotted that these changes would lead to big increases for East Midlands passengers to Birmingham sevaral weeks before they were applied. That press release has everything to do with the changes that the OP has seen.

robt_2

Roland wrote: »

Check the fares again carefully, especially for returns from Birmingham between 15.30 and 18.15. You will find that the £8.50 CDR will not be available for return trains at this time.

I don't need to - what I said is correct. I didn't say that restrictions on evening peaks had not changed.

I think that the OP must have previously returned before 15.30 or after 18.15 to be able to travel with an £8.50 CDR ticket. The evening peak restriction has applied since 18 May and the cheapest return ticket at £13.10 has also applied since this date.

Correct - it is just coincidence that the OP has not returned (or looked at fares) between said times.