HELP! Train Season ticket... Strange pricing?
Discussion
Hi guys,
Sorry if this isn't the place to ask but here goes;
- I'm trying to look at my season ticket for the forthcoming year and the costs don't add up.
I can travel from either Frinton (FRI) or Manningtree (MNG) to London Liverpool ST.
Both lines connect at Colchester where these lines merge.
MNG is 1 x Stop away from Colchester: (7 Minutes) where an annual season ticket between these 2 x stations costs £792.00
FRI is 8 x Stops away from Colchester: (30 Minutes) where an annual season ticket between these 2 x stations costs £1,604
Due to time and distance it makes sense that travel from Frinton to Colchester is more expensive: In this case £812 more
However!
Buying a Travelcard from MNG costs MORE to London (£5,972.00) than buying a Travelcard from Frinton, even though Manningtree is closer and just 1 x stop away from Colchester.
Remember there is £812 difference to Colchester between the x 2 closer travel cards.
I know it's confusing but any ideas why? Surely it should be cheaper from the nearer station as per the example above???
Thanks,
G.
Sorry if this isn't the place to ask but here goes;
- I'm trying to look at my season ticket for the forthcoming year and the costs don't add up.
I can travel from either Frinton (FRI) or Manningtree (MNG) to London Liverpool ST.
Both lines connect at Colchester where these lines merge.
MNG is 1 x Stop away from Colchester: (7 Minutes) where an annual season ticket between these 2 x stations costs £792.00
FRI is 8 x Stops away from Colchester: (30 Minutes) where an annual season ticket between these 2 x stations costs £1,604
Due to time and distance it makes sense that travel from Frinton to Colchester is more expensive: In this case £812 more
However!
Buying a Travelcard from MNG costs MORE to London (£5,972.00) than buying a Travelcard from Frinton, even though Manningtree is closer and just 1 x stop away from Colchester.
Remember there is £812 difference to Colchester between the x 2 closer travel cards.
I know it's confusing but any ideas why? Surely it should be cheaper from the nearer station as per the example above???
Thanks,
G.
Edited by Gallen on Thursday 19th September 19:31
Sometimes I just think train companies (or whoever decided the charges) just pluck figures out of thin air! There isn't really a logic to it other than on/off peak and popularity to an extent. I'd just go with the most economically-viable option and avoid getting stung by an unnecessarily large fee! 
Passeyfier said:
Sometimes I just think train companies (or whoever decided the charges) just pluck figures out of thin air! There isn't really a logic to it other than on/off peak and popularity to an extent. I'd just go with the most economically-viable option and avoid getting stung by an unnecessarily large fee!
That's not even first class... (that's about £9000). It's 2 x Hours door to door either way. Unfortunately driving in and out of central london would take longer, plus factoring in congestion charge, fuel and running costs (as I can't claim these) makes this option out of the question.
- Frinton is more time on the train and often a 45 minute wait at Colchester on the return journey (which is 15 mins longer than the subsequent connection itself!).
Hence I can Drive to Manningtree, pay £30 a week to park - but get home easier.
Either way I feel shafted... especially on the odd occasion I HAVE TO STAND!
Edited by Gallen on Thursday 19th September 19:30
I'd drive it... but driving may not be an option (cost of parking/lack of parking etc)
Train prices make no sense to me. The first couple of times I wanted to visit my sister after she moved 240+ miles away I looked at the cost of the return tickets and how long it would take to get there...
Then I just hire a car from Enterprise
Train prices make no sense to me. The first couple of times I wanted to visit my sister after she moved 240+ miles away I looked at the cost of the return tickets and how long it would take to get there...
Then I just hire a car from Enterprise
I think you'll find that the level of service on the line in question will also count towards the cost of a ticket.
Doesn't Frinton have one train an hour (if that), whereas I would imagine Manningtree has as a service at least twice as frequent. Don't the Ipswich and Norwich trains stop at MNG?
Doesn't Frinton have one train an hour (if that), whereas I would imagine Manningtree has as a service at least twice as frequent. Don't the Ipswich and Norwich trains stop at MNG?
A large proportion of it is to do with the number of services and the train operators that provide them that serve that station and the ones beyond.
It may also be that there is a Passenger Transport Executive that partly subsidises one of the routes (as is the case in certain parts of Yorkshire) that makes it cheaper in certain circumstances.
In all honesty though as a man who works in the industry, I still couldn't give you an accurate answer!
Good luck!
Cheers,
Tom
It may also be that there is a Passenger Transport Executive that partly subsidises one of the routes (as is the case in certain parts of Yorkshire) that makes it cheaper in certain circumstances.
In all honesty though as a man who works in the industry, I still couldn't give you an accurate answer!
Good luck!
Cheers,
Tom
Cheers guys,
I can see how a certain line may have more services.
- so makes sense that its MORE expensive to get to the connecting station (Colchester) on the longer route which is from Frinton than Manningtree.
So - If I just wanted to travel between Colchester / Manningtree , its £800 or so Cheaper a year than from Frinton.
However its More expensive to travel between Manningtree / London than from Frinton / London! (which is opposite). Where does the £800 saving you might reasonably expect go?
RE: Oyster
Can you get a pre-paid Annual Oyster Card for Zones 1-6?
Reason I ask is that I get a season ticket loan. However this is once a year and a pre-set amount.
Thanks all,
G.
I can see how a certain line may have more services.
- so makes sense that its MORE expensive to get to the connecting station (Colchester) on the longer route which is from Frinton than Manningtree.
So - If I just wanted to travel between Colchester / Manningtree , its £800 or so Cheaper a year than from Frinton.
However its More expensive to travel between Manningtree / London than from Frinton / London! (which is opposite). Where does the £800 saving you might reasonably expect go?
RE: Oyster
Can you get a pre-paid Annual Oyster Card for Zones 1-6?
Reason I ask is that I get a season ticket loan. However this is once a year and a pre-set amount.
Thanks all,
G.
If your paying that much for travel have you considered moving nearer to London?
For example travel from places like Southend is around £3k a year and from Romford/Hertfordshire (Borehamwood) around £2k-£2.5k a year. The difference would go a long way to buying a more expensive house plus you would spend less time travelling.
Also a percentage of the money paid into your mortgage you will get back whereas the train ticket is all lost.
Train ticket prices make no sense sometimes i would get a 125/250 maxi scooter if i was commuting that far.
For example travel from places like Southend is around £3k a year and from Romford/Hertfordshire (Borehamwood) around £2k-£2.5k a year. The difference would go a long way to buying a more expensive house plus you would spend less time travelling.
Also a percentage of the money paid into your mortgage you will get back whereas the train ticket is all lost.
Train ticket prices make no sense sometimes i would get a 125/250 maxi scooter if i was commuting that far.
Quite an anomaly. There are many more. While I'm no fan of many of the companies running rail franchises, a lot of these price anomalies are not due to the current operator, they're inherited from old British Rail days. Season ticket fares are regulated, and the franchise operator doesn't have much flexibility to vary these.
The moral is do research (you clearly have) and go a ticket for the best location.
The moral is do research (you clearly have) and go a ticket for the best location.
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