MSE News: Guest Comment: Why we desperately need flexible rail fares

Former_MSE_Helen

Martin Abrams from the Campaign for Better Transport says more should be done to improve the service rail passengers get...

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Guest Comment: Why we desperately need flexible rail fares




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Butterfly_Brain

No, what we need is to renationalise the railways!

slbhill

Scotrail already offer a flexible ticket for semi-regular travellers on the main commuter routes.


It's called a flexipass: https://www.scotrail.co.uk/tickets/commuter .
For those who've travelled on the Paris metro it's the same as a carnet.


Do none of the other franchises offer these?

zerog

I find train fares to be excellent value. If I didn't, I would drive to work. I see thousands of people happily taking the train with me, in fact I don't always get a seat, so I can only assume that they all also find taking the train to be good value for money.

Johnmcl7

zerog wrote: »

I find train fares to be excellent value. If I didn't, I would drive to work. I see thousands of people happily taking the train with me, in fact I don't always get a seat, so I can only assume that they all also find taking the train to be good value for money.

Excellent value for money is about the last thing that comes to mind when describing train fares in the UK, I find the costs staggering - I'd prefer to take the train more but it's usually a good bit more expensive than taking the car (even though I have a thirsty car), more expensive than flying and despite that it's usually an uncomfortable ride on trains that are many, many years old, worn and in a state of disrepair.

John

QQuaver

Rail companies should make very early morning trains off peak.
That way, people can still make it to work on time, and it's almost empty.

peter_the_piper

Don't know about elsewhere but they are good value. Went from Hastings/London for £20 return, that is value in any one book. Don't like the thought of renationalised railways where we all pay for those who use the railway.

pjaj

Exactly the same problem with buses. Locally, if you work 3 days a week, all the season tickets, except the annual one at over £600, cost more per day than buying a return ticket.

pjread

I'm sure Southern were meant to be doing 'Flexi Season' about 6 months ago, and poss even committed to in a franchise renewal? Since they now decided to make daysave "temporarily unavailable" I'm back to weekly season tickets for my 3 days a week, which rather grinds my gears as is an effective 20-25% fare hike for me and I'd guess a fair number of others in the run up to xmas,...