Shocked at the cost of rail travel in the UK

[p38arover]

My wife has managed to get an appointment with a specialist (for her medical condition) at London Bridge Hospital but we will be in Bristol the day before and the says after. We have only one opportunity to get to see this bloke as he only does a clinic one day a week.

So we plan to catch a train from Bristol to London and back. My goodness the train fares are exxy in the UK even for seniors. Prices vary by time of day. To go one way on the morning of the appointment will be the equivalent of $220 for both of us.

If we go the night before, leaving Bristol at about 15:30, the cost is $68 for the two.

We've already paid for the hotel in Bristol and it's not refundable so we might as well use it.

A couple of days later we return to London for the next leg of our trip to Paris.

[87County]

The joys of unrestrained free enterprise, Ron.

28 railway companies in the UK and they're all doing well :).

Many presently in government would like to see it here.

[loanrangie]

20 years ago it was reasonably priced, coaches were cheaper at that time but obviously not for everyone.

[Bigbjorn]

Priced train travel in Oz at the full fares paid by us folk who don't get cheap travel virtue of service in the Railways? Air travel is cheaper.

[Gibby]

you might be cheaper hiring a car for the day their is lots out there shop around

[sheerluck]

20 years ago it was reasonably priced, coaches were cheaper at that time but obviously not for everyone.

It would be about 20 years ago that I last used rail travel in the UK, and yes it was quite reasonable then. Have priced it up a few times over the last few years to get the in-laws from up in the North East to London to catch a flight to here. And every time it has worked out to be a damned sight cheaper to fly from the nearest airport than catch the train.

Ron, have you looked at the National Express coach service?

[sheerluck]

Just checked National Express, and it's 2.5 hours each way, and £10 each, each way.

[jx2mad]

When we were there 6 years ago I prepaid here before I went at a fraction of the price. Jim

[AnD3rew]

It's usually cheaper to fly to Nice from London than to catch the train to Bristol.

[p38arover]

Just checked National Express, and it's 2.5 hours each way, and £10 each, each way.

I hadn't heard of National Express. The rail tickets for two of us, return, work out at $550.:o

You must have found a different timetable. :) The one I looked at shows 3-3.5 hours in the morning to Victoria St Coach Station or 4.5 hours to London Blackfriars.

We do have time constraints, my wife's appointment is for 11am. I just had a look at the time table and the trip is considerably longer than by train assuming no delays. But the price is right. We have emailed the hotel in Bristol to see if we can leave our car there. The Mercure hotel is 1 mile from the coach station.

We will have a car but I'm not driving to London. I had considered driving to Slough but am not keen to leave a hire car with our luggage in it at Slough - although Bristol doesn't look that good either - hence wanting to leave the car at the hotel. :D.


Priced train travel in Oz at the full fares paid by us folk who don't get cheap travel virtue of service in the Railways? Air travel is cheaper.

I don't get any discounts as I only worked for the railways for 8 years. I pay the same as any other pensioner.

[ramblingboy42]

The main railway journeys in Australia are not cheap either.

We can go on a 14day cruise together cheaper than an Indian Pacific or Ghan return trip.

[p38arover]

It's usually cheaper to fly to Nice from London than to catch the train to Bristol.

When my wife want to go from Bristol to Vienna on her last trip, the airfare was 500 pounds. The fare from London was 55 quid. So she went to York instead of Bristol (and Bath) for her tour.

[Mr.Bear]

Hi Ron, also bear in mind the time it takes to cross London, if your training it you'll arrive at Paddington station, and then have to either tube or taxi to London Bridge, across the heart one of the busiest cities in the world, not an easy or quick trip, Victoria Bus Station isn't much better, its just slightly south of Paddington.


I'd forgo the hotel in Bristol and travel to London cheaper in the afternoon, get yourself a "cheap" hotel on wotif .com.co around London Bridge, and be less stressed about the making the appointment on time.


Hope that helps, I grew up in London, I miss her sometimes, but not the cost of travel

[sheerluck]

I hadn't heard of National Express. The rail tickets for two of us, return, work out at $550.:o

You must have found a different timetable. :) The one I looked at shows 3-3.5 hours in the morning to Victoria St Coach Station or 4.5 hours to London Blackfriars.

We do have time constraints, my wife's appointment is for 11am. I just had a look at the time table and the trip is considerably longer than by train assuming no delays. But the price is right. We have emailed the hotel in Bristol to see if we can leave our car there. The Mercure hotel is 1 mile from the coach station.

We will have a car but I'm not driving to London. I had considered driving to Slough but am not keen to leave a hire car with our luggage in it at Slough - although Bristol doesn't look that good either - hence wanting to leave the car at the hotel. :D.

National Express is pretty cheap! They do quote different travel times for differing times of the day. The best time, and price for leaving early morning, was leaving Bristol at 5.45 and arriving Victoria Coach Station at 8.35. Still for a tenner each.

And the shortest time they quote is 2hr 20mins......

If you choose to drive, don't park in Slough! I used to park at Hillingdon tube station and catch the tube. Much better.

[loanrangie]

Hi Ron, also bear in mind the time it takes to cross London, if your training it you'll arrive at Paddington station, and then have to either tube or taxi to London Bridge, across the heart one of the busiest cities in the world, not an easy or quick trip, Victoria Bus Station isn't much better, its just slightly south of Paddington.


I'd forgo the hotel in Bristol and travel to London cheaper in the afternoon, get yourself a "cheap" hotel on wotif .com.co around London Bridge, and be less stressed about the making the appointment on time.


Hope that helps, I grew up in London, I miss her sometimes, but not the cost of travel

Its not a bad walk, when i was doing temp work i would generally walk as much as possible between jobs.

[3toes]

Have you looked into a Seniors railcard for the UK. Of course only useful if you have racked up enough years to qualify.

Can visitors to Britain buy a Railcard online? - Senior Railcard (http://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/using-your-card/faqs/150/)

Can visitors to Britain buy a Railcard online?
You can only buy online is you are able to give a UK-delivery address. We cannot send Railcards to non-UK addresses. Alternatively, you can buy a Railcard at a staffed rail station ticket office in England, Scotland, or Wales or a National Rail-licensed Travel Agent on arrival. You can also buy a Railcard at Gatwick Airport, Stansted Airport rail stations, Luton Airport Parkway and Manchester Airport – but NOT at London Heathrow Airport.

With a Senior Railcard anyone 60 years or over can save 1/3 on Standard and First Class rail fares throughout Great Britain for 12 whole months. A 1-year Senior Railcard costs just £30. That works out to around £2.50 a month for great savings.

Save even more with a 3-year Railcard
A 3-year Senior Railcard is great value at £70, saving you £20 on the cost of renewing a 1-year Railcard for three consecutive years. The 3-year Railcard can only be bought online.

Using your Railcard
You can use your Senior Railcard for long and short trips at almost any time during the week and at weekends. The only restriction is for travel during the morning peak period, Monday to Friday (not including Public Holidays) when journeys are made wholly within the London and South East Network Railcard area.

The times of morning off-peak services do vary by route, so it’s best to check with ticket office staff before buying your tickets. For more details see time restrictions.

The savings
Your Senior Railcard will give you savings on a wide range of tickets including ALL First Class and Standard Advance fares. Why not use our journey planner to see what savings you can make? Order online and we’ll post your Railcard to you - once it’s arrived the savings start!

Partner offers and discounts
Your Railcard gives you more than cheap travel! With your Railcard you can also get fantastic offers on holidays, eating out, some of the UK’s top attractions and much more! Keep up to date by visiting our Members area.

[juddy]

Train fairs on the day, or even a week before can be very expensive, booking weeks or months in advance is very cheap, not helpful to your situation, but if it was me I would drive into say reading, or woking and just get the commuter train in from there.

[p38arover]

We've booked on National Express (thanks Dave/aka sheerluck :) ) - 38 quid return for both of us. We might go by train (for different scenery) when we return to London to catch the EuroStar train to Paris.

[sheerluck]

We've booked on National Express (thanks Dave/aka sheerluck :) ) - 38 quid return for both of us. We might go by train (for different scenery) when we return to London to catch the EuroStar train to Paris.

At least with that saving Ron, you might be able to afford a cup of coffee between you in London. ;)