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The flexible season tickets are welcome. However, missing from this news report is any mention of making the cost of rail travel more affordable for the public.

The flexible season tickets are welcome. However, missing from this news report is any mention of making the cost of rail travel more affordable for the public. The report quotes the former boss of British Airways about "greater flexibility in the way that fares are operated in the future" What does this mean? Can we expect less expensive tickets? The UK already has some of the most expensive rail tickets in Europe. Yes, you can book in advance for cheaper tickets, but often there is limited availability, and you have to book at least a month or longer in advance. In short, the conditions which make cheaper tickets available are simply impractical for most passengers, especially regular commuters. Here is a monthly season ticket comparison from 2017: UK vs Continental Europe: - UK: Luton to London St. Pancras (35 miles) | Monthly season ticket cost: £387 (approx $547/€448) - UK: Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Piccadilly (32 miles) | Monthly season ticket cost: £292 (approx $412 /€344) - Germany: Dusseldorf to Cologne (28 miles) | Monthly season ticket cost: £85 (approx $120 /€98) - France: Mantes-la-Jolie to Paris (34 miles) | Monthly season ticket cost: £61 (approx $86 /€71) - Italy: Anzione to Rome (31 miles) | Monthly season ticket cost: £61 (approx $86 /€71) - Spain: Aranjuez to Madrid (31 miles) | Monthly season ticket cost: £75 (approx $106 /€87) Source: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/uk-commuters-spend-6-times-much-their-salary-rail-fares-other-european-passengers https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/uk-commuters-spend-6-times-much-...

midasuni 5y ago
Why should frequent travellers get 50% plus discounts on journeys? When I travel to london I pay about £1 a mile in the peak on a fast train. A season ticket holder pays about 20p a mile.
- breakfastduck 5y ago
  Because buying in bulk gets you a discount, one of the most universally understood things in economics.
  - midasuni 5y ago
    That’s not what it is though - if I buy 20x £300 returns it costs £6,000. If I buy a monthly season ticket for the same journeys it costs £1500. It’s rare to get such large discounts too.
pydry 5y ago
>However, missing from this news report is any mention of making the cost of rail travel more affordable for the public. I thought that omission was glaring also. #1 concern of the public is price and they pretend it doesn't exist. It's a strong signal that prices will increase YOY above inflation.
ClumsyPilot 5y ago
In fact we have foreign governments operating train service in UK and turning a profit: Https://independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/trains-uk-railways-renationalise-countries-operators-companies-a9058961.html
hermitcrab 5y ago
And you will may have to stand up all the way for many of those journeys on UK trains.
mFixman 5y ago
It wasn't mentioned in this article, but a commonly repeated complaint during COVID times is that season tickets don't work for people who commute 2–3 times per week and work from home the rest of the days. A possible flexible solution is to have the option of buying bulk tickets for a discount and using them whenever you want.

midasuni 5y ago

Why should frequent travellers get 50% plus discounts on journeys? When I travel to london I pay about £1 a mile in the peak on a fast train. A season ticket holder pays about 20p a mile.

breakfastduck 5y ago
Because buying in bulk gets you a discount, one of the most universally understood things in economics.
- midasuni 5y ago
  That’s not what it is though - if I buy 20x £300 returns it costs £6,000. If I buy a monthly season ticket for the same journeys it costs £1500. It’s rare to get such large discounts too.

pydry 5y ago

>However, missing from this news report is any mention of making the cost of rail travel more affordable for the public. I thought that omission was glaring also. #1 concern of the public is price and they pretend it doesn't exist. It's a strong signal that prices will increase YOY above inflation.

ClumsyPilot 5y ago

In fact we have foreign governments operating train service in UK and turning a profit: Https://independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/trains-uk-railways-renationalise-countries-operators-companies-a9058961.html

hermitcrab 5y ago

And you will may have to stand up all the way for many of those journeys on UK trains.

mFixman 5y ago

It wasn't mentioned in this article, but a commonly repeated complaint during COVID times is that season tickets don't work for people who commute 2–3 times per week and work from home the rest of the days. A possible flexible solution is to have the option of buying bulk tickets for a discount and using them whenever you want.