50% Train discount scheme

[eepee]

Could be an age thing but I suspect it might be more the standard of descriptive writing, both official and press ......

Reading all the articles that mention the discounted scheme starting in a few days time, there are a lot of illustrative savings.

However nowhere have I read whether the scheme is for specific routes or across all routes.

Needless to say, if specific routes, neither have I found a list of these.

Regards,
ep

[AF62]

Specific routes and you can find them here - https://greatbritishrailsale.nationalrail.co.uk/

[eepee]

Thank you clever man/woman! I have no idea how/where you found it.

Now it will be interesting to see if, when I go to book, I can apply the OAP 30% discount card to it!!!!!

Tnanks

Regards,
ep

[AF62]

Now it will be interesting to see if, when I go to book, I can apply the OAP 30% discount card to it!!!!!

Doubt it.

And when you look to where the tickets are from and to, being a typically useless British Rail site and an idea by a typically useless government, you will need to 'play around' with the origin and destination.

For example on my line there are no cheap tickets to St Pancras but there are cheap tickets to Farringdon, London Bridge and the other Thameslink stations. And there are no cheap tickets from my local station to (say) Scotland, but if I pick one of the stations where the Scotland trains stop then there are.

Another words, these are just simple 'one train' cheaper tickets for some routes, and if a journey involved two or more trains then you will need to piece the various tickets together as otherwise the system will just say "nothing available" rather than being intelligent and piecing together a combination of discounted tickets and the full price tickets needed to complete the full journey.

[didds]

Thank you clever man/woman! I have no idea how/where you found it.

Now it will be interesting to see if, when I go to book, I can apply the OAP 30% discount card to it!!!!!

I was wondering exactly the same with my Disabled persons RC!

didds

[didds]

Another words, these are just simple 'one train' cheaper tickets for some routes, and if a journey involved two or more trains then you will need to piece the various tickets together as otherwise the system will just say "nothing available" rather than being intelligent and piecing together a combination of discounted tickets and the full price tickets needed to complete the full journey.

even the split ticketing sites?

didds

[Loup321]

I just had a look, and the fare is different with and without my railcard.

On the route I have looked at, the headline rate is £3.50, so the small one goes for £1.75, and with the Family and Friends railcard discount it's £3.30 for both of us (£2.30 + £1.00). That's the each way price, of course. Shame that's only available on Monday evening, and we have work and school. There are other rates available on Sunday, which are still far cheaper than normal, so my sister might be getting a visit this weekend! All are only on specified trains, as is usually the case with Advance tickets, so don't miss the train home!

[Spet0789]

As is so often the case, another government scheme to shower the retired and unemployed with cash, while those who work Monday to Friday to keep the lights on are excluded.

[Arborbridge]

As is so often the case, another government scheme to shower the retired and unemployed with cash, while those who work Monday to Friday to keep the lights on are excluded.

I think I'd go further: it's a scheme designed only to create the headline that the government is trying to do something to help, when in fact it will help almost no one due to it's convoluted and restricted nature.

Arb.

PS is it a commonplace, that schemes which save people money (i.e. tax reliefs) invariably stop at the point where large numbers of folk benefit. It becomes too costly to the Exchequer.

[Spet0789]

As is so often the case, another government scheme to shower the retired and unemployed with cash, while those who work Monday to Friday to keep the lights on are excluded.

I think I'd go further: it's a scheme designed only to create the headline that the government is trying to do something to help, when in fact it will help almost no one due to it's convoluted and restricted nature.

Arb.

PS is it a commonplace, that schemes which save people money (i.e. tax reliefs) invariably stop at the point where large numbers of folk benefit. It becomes too costly to the Exchequer.

Fair point!

I should have said “a scheme to sprinkle the retired and unemployed with cash”. And to get a couple of good headlines in the Mail, Express and DT.

[AF62]

Fair point!

I should have said “a scheme to sprinkle the retired and unemployed with cash”. And to get a couple of good headlines in the Mail, Express and DT.

"the retired and unemployed with cash" - Isn't that a description of the readership of the Mail, Express and DT?

[Loup321]

These discounted tickets were available over the Easter holidays, so I'm not quite sure how they only benefit the retired people. And last week was still Easter holidays in quite a few areas of the UK (they go back to school tomorrow). I just didn't see any advertising of the scheme until you helpful people pointed it out to me. But, as I was considering travelling by train, I did notice them, and recognised them as new (and a very good deal). The route I looked at is normally about £20 return for the two of us, so under £12 return on the weekend is still very good. Okay, under £7 return on the weekday would have been even better, but we are in a part of the country that did go back to school, and I didn't consider going earlier in our holidays, when it may also have been very cheap.

"Sales" can't go on forever, or people would be up in arms that they can't be advertised as a 50% discount, since it hasn't been on sale for the required number of days at the full price within the last however many months.

[quelquod]

"Sales" can't go on forever, or people would be up in arms that they can't be advertised as a 50% discount, since it hasn't been on sale for the required number of days at the full price within the last however many months.

Made me laugh!

[Lootman]

These discounted tickets were available over the Easter holidays, so I'm not quite sure how they only benefit the retired people. And last week was still Easter holidays in quite a few areas of the UK (they go back to school tomorrow). I just didn't see any advertising of the scheme until you helpful people pointed it out to me. But, as I was considering travelling by train, I did notice them, and recognised them as new (and a very good deal). The route I looked at is normally about £20 return for the two of us, so under £12 return on the weekend is still very good.

Took 2 train trips this past weekend. Both were packed so maybe these fares are popular. Too popular perhaps.

I hated crowds even before Covid and am now seriously considering buying first class tickets on trains. Never thought they were good value before but then maybe their true value is like on planes - more personal space and not having to sit shoulder to shoulder with the hoi polloi.

So personally I am going in the opposite direction with fares. They are currently too cheap.

[UncleEbenezer]

Took 2 train trips this past weekend. Both were packed so maybe these fares are popular. Too popular perhaps.

I hated crowds even before Covid and am now seriously considering buying first class tickets on trains. Never thought they were good value before but then maybe their true value is like on planes - more personal space and not having to sit shoulder to shoulder with the hoi polloi.

So personally I am going in the opposite direction with fares. They are currently too cheap.

On a long flight I probably would pay for something more than economy class. Last time I travelled cheap to California (for induction at a new job - Silicon Valley employer was happy for me to work from home after meeting the team) I suffered from it.

Train - nope. It's been many years since I suffered a train too crowded to find a seat (and I've travelled on eleven trains this month - fairly crowded but not overcrowded), and I don't think I've ever suffered seriously. My recollection of first class from many years ago when an employer was paying[1], and I ended up moving to sit in standard class 'cos it was much more pleasant - notably the company.

[1] expense claim went straight through to public sector Client.

[Dod101]

I always take First Class when I travel to London from Scotland. I agree with Lootman about First. There is much more space and it is generally much quieter. Only once with an overcrowded train was it not worth the extra cost because those in standard just spilled over into First to stand in First because the standard class was filled to overflowing.

Dod

[stevensfo]

These discounted tickets were available over the Easter holidays, so I'm not quite sure how they only benefit the retired people. And last week was still Easter holidays in quite a few areas of the UK (they go back to school tomorrow). I just didn't see any advertising of the scheme until you helpful people pointed it out to me. But, as I was considering travelling by train, I did notice them, and recognised them as new (and a very good deal). The route I looked at is normally about £20 return for the two of us, so under £12 return on the weekend is still very good.

Took 2 train trips this past weekend. Both were packed so maybe these fares are popular. Too popular perhaps.

I hated crowds even before Covid and am now seriously considering buying first class tickets on trains. Never thought they were good value before but then maybe their true value is like on planes - more personal space and not having to sit shoulder to shoulder with the hoi polloi.

So personally I am going in the opposite direction with fares. They are currently too cheap.

Sorry, but I don't agree. Weekend tickets are for families and kids to travel. I went with my mum and my two very young kids 22 years ago to see the London Eye and a Star Wars exhibition. The travel there was great and the whole day was a success, except that the queue to see the Dungeons (or whatever it was called ) was so long that we asked for advice and the kids ended up exploring HMS Belfast. For me and the kids, this was the best part of the day. However, on the train journey back, there were no free seats. Being England, nobody offered my mother a seat, but preferred to look out of the window. Possibly only in the UK would they tolerate this sort of service. Is there any reason why the train company couldn't attach a few more carriages?

Steve

PS That was c. 1998. Heaven knows what it's like now!

[tjh290633]

I have just booked tickets for a trip to London tomorrow. £1.75 each way with a senior railcard. Normally about £12 for an off peak return. I usually have a Travelcard but this time it's more convenient to take a bus along Victoria Street than use the Circle/District line.

This is about 35% of the regular fare.

TJH

[didds]

there nay have been an answer above which I've missed and oif so mea culpa.

is there a "definitive" list/search site for these fares? Or are they just magically included in sites such as the trainline.com or trainpal etc and you just have to keep searching dates and routes to find them?

cheers

didds

[didds]

Is there any reason why the train company couldn't attach a few more carriages?

Steve

PS That was c. 1998. Heaven knows what it's like now!

No better - on occassion.

A few weeks ago we took the train from trowbridge to gloucester for a 6N women's rugby match, England v Wales. 14500+ in the ground.

Train there was fine.

train back was rammed. To the [point the staff had to eject people form the train for it to even start - and lots of people left on the platform.

The train company MUST have been aware that the match was on etc (nobody can be so unaware and fail to plan anything surely? Its a major rugby city for a start anyway and Glaws home games will sell out at about another 1500 people or so every cou[ple of weeks for 8 montyhs a year!).

So GWR etc clearly don't actually GAF. They've got your money by this stage I guess. No need to think and stick another couple of carriages on. Just leave the passengers to suck it up.

didds