Train fares...WTF?

[Lady Whistledown]

Why is it that if I book a return ticket from Burgess Hill to London Victoria, leaving this afternoon, I can get one for £13.40.

Whereas if I was to book a return from London Victoria to Burgess Hill at the same sort of time, it prices up at £18.70 return.

I had the same problem a week or so ago when returning from Victoria a day later than planned (outside peak travel hours). I was charged about £18 for a single ticket home, compared to £13 odd for the single ticket up.

I'm sure there are probably ways around this, but why is it so expensive to originate your journey in London?

 

[sydney]

i believe it's called the "mug tax" darling.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Doesn't affect me greatly, as nine times out of ten I'm originating my journey in Sussex, but how can they possibly justify charging a fiver more for people to use exactly the same trains, simply because they start in London?

 

[Cantona's Flying Dropkick]

Get tiicket to South Bermondsey, otherwise you'll have to pay extra for the return from LB.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Sadly I'm not going to the game, as have a prior engagement in London. But thanks anyway

 

[beorhthelm]

its busier leaving London on an afternoon. i wonder if its cheaper earlier, while most commuters are going in to London? a freind came down recently lunch time-ish and had a cheaper ticket, had to get a specific time train for the return.

on the other hand, its probably just so they can say they offer cheap fares, knowing few use them.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

its busier leaving London on an afternoon. i wonder if its cheaper earlier, while most commuters are going in to London?

on the other hand, its probably just so they can say they offer cheap fares, knowing no one uses them.

The time doesn't seem to affect it, because I bought a single home from London at about 1130 in the morning a couple of weeks ago, and it was still a fiver more expensive than it would have been if I was going in the other direction on the same train.

 

[Kumquat]

You can save a lot by using an Oyster card between victoria and croydon and only booking tickets between croydon and wherever you’re coming from further south. But it's a pain because hou have to change at Croydon and go in and out to swipe your oyster card. but it can save you a lot on advance tickets.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You can save a lot by using an Oyster card between victoria and croydon and only booking tickets between croydon and wherever you’re coming from further south. But it's a pain because hou have to change at Croydon and go in and out to swipe your oyster card. but it can save you a lot on advance tickets.

My tip is to carry a totally dead Oyster card, you just get waved through.

 

[Kumquat]

My tip is to carry a totally dead Oyster card, you just get waved through.

Even better!

 

[Albion Dan]

If your journey out of London falls during the peak that will explain the difference. No afternoon peak from Burgess Hill.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

If your journey out of London falls during the peak that will explain the difference. No afternoon peak from Burgess Hill.

But last time it (the point of origin in London) didn't fall within the peak, but still cost more.

And today, just for argument's sake, I checked the price of a single from London to Burgess Hill leaving at 10am, 12 noon, 2pm and 4pm, and it was still five quid more than the reverse journey.

 

[Kumquat]

If your journey out of London falls during the peak that will explain the difference. No afternoon peak from Burgess Hill.

No afternoon peak from Victoria either at least not on Oyster. Don't know why they structure it differently coming out than going in but it's not a peak/non-peak issue.

 

[Blackadder]

My tip is to carry a totally dead Oyster card, you just get waved through.

That might not reflect well on Edna's promotion prospects if caught!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

It's because they are money grabbing BASTARDS, and presumably they think Londoners either won't notice, or are all too rich to care.

Must be annoying for London based Albion fans, knowing you'll pay several quid more every time you come down for a game than the rest of us do every time we come up to the smoke for a match.

 

[empire]

Why is it that if I book a return ticket from Burgess Hill to London Victoria, leaving this afternoon, I can get one for £13.40.

Whereas if I was to book a return from London Victoria to Burgess Hill at the same sort of time, it prices up at £18.70 return.

I had the same problem a week or so ago when returning from Victoria a day later than planned (outside peak travel hours). I was charged about £18 for a single ticket home, compared to £13 odd for the single ticket up.

I'm sure there are probably ways around this, but why is it so expensive to originate your journey in London?

its called tough

 

[Kumquat]

It's because they are money grabbing BASTARDS, and presumably they think Londoners either won't notice, or are all too rich to care.

Must be annoying for London based Albion fans, knowing you'll pay several quid more every time you come down for a game than the rest of us do every time we come up to the smoke for a match.

You're right - I live in Gipsy Hill so usually tavel in from east croydon so it doesn't affect me normally. When I realised the difference in price from Victoria where I work, I decided to take the day off for evening games so I can travel from Croydon. Saved me nearly 10 quid ecah time. Not everybody can do this though I guess with their jobs so I am lucky in that respect.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

You're right - I live in Gipsy Hill so usually tavel in from east croydon so it doesn't affect me normally. When I realised the difference in price from Victoria where I work, I decided to take the day off for evening games so I can travel from Croydon. Saved me nearly 10 quid ecah time. Not everybody can do this though I guess with their jobs so I am lucky in that respect.

Where's the cut off station, ie the nearest one to Victoria that doesn't incur this mysterious London premium? Is that Croydon?

Mostly I'm booking returns from Sussex, but occasionally if I stay over I might book a single ticket going back down, so it would be interesting to know where the cheaper fare comes in.

 

[Kumquat]

Where's the cut off station, ie the nearest one to Victoria that doesn't incur this mysterious London premium? Is that Croydon?

Mostly I'm booking returns from Sussex, but occasionally if I stay over I might book a single ticket going back down, so it would be interesting to know where the cheaper fare comes in.

I'm pretty sure for purely getting there quickly the cutoff is East Croydon. I certainly looked at where you could use Oyster and on the mainline, East Croydon is the cutoff point that saves the most money as far as I can see. Other thing to say is that you have to book the croydon to sussex coast legs online via Southern. That’s where they do the cheap advance deals.

 

[catfish]

Doesn't affect me greatly, as nine times out of ten I'm originating my journey in Sussex, but how can they possibly justify charging a fiver more for people to use exactly the same trains, simply because they start in London?

It's that great rip-off called privatisation.