reohn2 wrote:BTW this is my point hilighted up threadbare there shouldn't be different companies charging differing rates,there should be a standard rate per mile with a slight premium for peak times,that way everyone knows the cost.
If that ever happened there'd be winners and losers and those of us who've spent the last couple of decades learning how to get the best from it would be the losers. I'm not saying it's right, but it would probably result in me using the train less.
For example - it's hard to find an off peak Derby-Manchester day return for under £30, even booked in advance and choosing specific trains, it's a trip I make a few times a year. But if you know you can travel through Sheffield to the last station in Derbyshire (New Mills) on a £13 Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket and an advance New Mills - Manchester day return is about a fiver you can save yourself at least a tenner, use any train (As long as it actually stops in New Mills) and also use the ticket on the bus to and from Derby station (Plus any other travel you want to do that day) You won't be offered that at the ticket office, probably because they don't know.
There's also all the people being scammed for peak travel when only a part of their journey is in peak times - if I need to travel to London leaving before 9am, I'll only buy a ticket to the first station with a departure after peak, and an off peak ticket for the rest of the journey. Again they don't offer that at the ticket office...
Then there's Megabus flogging of surplus train tickets...
And split ticketing which is crazy...
And looking for savings by leaving gaps in the journey (Three of us saved £45 each by having a break in Glasgow for an hour) ...