Outraged at the train companies

[Safri15]

So I used to pay £60 for my return ticket to get to Norwich for a match day on the train. Just looked online to get my ticket for Saturday and the cheapest I can find is now £100. Looks like they have seriously hiked the prices up, just can't find any explanation of when or why online. Even looked to buy a train ticket for a match in April to see if buying in advance would help (even though I have never done this in the past) and its still the same price.

All this after I've just renewed my season ticket, which may now not be affordable...

Needless to say I won't be doing the trains anyway, so will be on the coach. Adds an extra 2-3 hours to my round trip but saves well over £50/match day.

Reason for my post really (other than to have a good rant) is to see if we have any Capital Canaries on here. Was thinking maybe its a good idea to sign up with them as they seem to do a lot of interesting social events, but also buy train tickets at bulk so receive quite heavy discounts. Just wanted to see if anybody knows of them or is a member and have any previous experience travelling with them. Seeing as I normally travel up alone it would be great to go with some fellow NCFC fans that's for sure! 

 

[morty]

http://www.capitalcanaries.co.uk/

 

[Safri15]

I have had a quick look at the web site already, cheers Morty. I did mail them as well as I'm slightly worried that on the travel section of the website it says to fill out a form of when you'll next be travelling to get booked on, but then there is no form. Maybe they have stopped doing the travel side of things??

 

[morty]

I have had a quick look at the web site already, cheers Morty. I did mail them as well as I'm slightly worried that on the travel section of the website it says to fill out a form of when you'll next be travelling to get booked on, but then there is no form. Maybe they have stopped doing the travel side of things??

Am pretty sure they still do it, I bump into a few of them on occasion. I will drop someone a line and see.

 

[morty]

I have had a quick look at the web site already, cheers Morty. I did mail them as well as I'm slightly worried that on the travel section of the website it says to fill out a form of when you'll next be travelling to get booked on, but then there is no form. Maybe they have stopped doing the travel side of things??

If you're on Twitter this guy would be one to contact :- https://twitter.com/MattJuler

 

[morty]

 

[morty]

 

[SussexYellow]

Safri, try buying two single tickets rather than a return. Usually cheaper. Although you have to nominate the train you are travelling on.

I booked tickets this morning. Similar problem. There was a cheaper ticket for a train via Cambridge (the Colchester route is almost unusable with a horrendous bus link this month) that gets into Norwich at 1:30. The problem was the return with nothing cheap available till I think 8pm. So had to go for the basic return.

But try nominating trains. Booking singles and booking ahead. Generally works for me.

Good luck.

 

[Canaryboy]

Also if you have any changes try booking each leg separately. I've saved a fortune doing this before on journeys which change at Peterborough by booking tickets for each leg rather than one ticket for the entire journey.

 

[Safri15]

Thanks for that everybody. Will definitely take a look at all the options above. It does look like becoming a member with Capital Canaries is the best option. Not only will it save me a lot of money, but will also give me some people to talk to on the way

Thanks Morty for making the initial contact for me, will use the info on your images and get in contact and get my membership fees paid up.

Now I just have to decide whether to take my life in my own hands and risk going to the Wolves match on Feb the 14th. I'm sure the Mrs will be ecstatic about that...

 

[SussexYellow]

Have just checked out the March games - same problem. This is a right pain. Increases journey time and cost.

Seems like it is just at the weekends though. Cheaper tickets are available during the week, so the normal cheaper tickets should return at some point.

I agree it does make you think twice about whether it it is viable to be a long distance supporter and a season ticket holder. But I will also be renewing!

OTBC

 

[morty]

Thanks for that everybody. Will definitely take a look at all the options above. It does look like becoming a member with Capital Canaries is the best option. Not only will it save me a lot of money, but will also give me some people to talk to on the way

Thanks Morty for making the initial contact for me, will use the info on your images and get in contact and get my membership fees paid up.

Now I just have to decide whether to take my life in my own hands and risk going to the Wolves match on Feb the 14th. I'm sure the Mrs will be ecstatic about that...

No problem mate, glad to be of help!

 

[Moosheep]

Hi Safri

I do the Norwich to London route a lot. You can get an open return for the weekend for just over £50 (£51.70 to be exact - the standard off peak return fare). To get this fare make sure you are buying an open return and not two singles (which will cost you £100). For some reason I have never understood a return ticket is only £1 more than a single!

If booking further ahead then two singles are definitely the way to go. You should be able to pick up single tickets for £9 each way for March & April.

As has been mentioned, there are engineering works on the LST - NRW route for the next few months (weekends). Look at going from Kings Cross via Cambridge. 2 trains per hour @ 14mins and 44mins past the hour. Journey time 2.15ish .

Good luck

Moo

 

[Safri15]

Thanks Moo, that looks interesting. Do you buy this from a ticket office or online?

I just had a play on thetrainline(dot)com and if I buy a single ticket for the Fulham game on May 2nd is still comes up as £58.30 (Maidenhead to Norwich). I really don't see how you can get it for £9? I must be doing something wrong!

I did have a play with the open return and that does save silly money. Makes me sick thinking about how much money I have wasted by not investigating this sooner!

 

[SussexYellow]

Hi Safri, I have had a play around with your journey. 

No cheap tickets available on May 2nd - Fulham game. Don't know why, very unusual.

But if you try April 18 - Middlesborough game. I have found tickets as follows.

Liverpool St to Norwich - £9 available on all trains.

Norwich to Liverpool St - £9 available on suitable trains like the 17:30 and 18:00

Maidenhead to London travelcard for the day £15.70.

So could be done for £33.70. The only drawback is that you have to nominate the specific trains you travel on between Liverpool St and Norwich. Plus these are online prices. May not be available at the ticket office but you never know.

I go straight to the train operators. I rarely find that intermediaries like thetrainline offer the best fares.

Hope this helps. 

 

[Moosheep]

No cheap tickets available on May 2nd - Fulham game. Don't know why, very unusual.

The cheap rate tickets only get released 3 months in advance so you will need to wait a few weeks to avoid paying the standard fare.

 Do you buy this from a ticket office or online?

You should get the same rate from both the ticket office and online. I tend to use the Abellio app/web site as you get the same fares as TheTrainLine offer but there is no booking fee to pay. As SussexYellow said you do need to book in advance and you will have to specify the train. Miss that train and they will charge you the full £51 fare on the day!

Moo

 

[Safri15]

Thanks again Moo. I normally buy on the Abellio website as well so will take a look at that. Best get myself organised (A lot easier said than done ). I do have a railcard so get a 1/3 off the travel card to London so would end up even cheaper! I have no problem stating specific trains so that wouldn't be a draw back.

I still think for next season I'll join the Capital canaries, if for nothing else, just the company! can be a long lonely journey doing it by myself!

The coach on Saturday was really really long. Left my house at 8.30am and didn't get back till about 11.30pm. Luckily there were 2 London based Canaries going to Carrow Road for the first time so got chatting to them. Well, one was a Canary, the other was his brother who is actually a Liverpool fan but was being dragged along for the match. At least he put on an NCFC shirt! Made it much more bearable anyway. Good guys and will definitely be meeting up with them again, so made it worthwhile in the end!

 

[SussexYellow]

If you have a railcard you will get a third of all the fares, including the ones to and from Norwich. It should be an option to declare it online. Certainy is on the Southern site which I use.

I also have a railcard and its a third off every leg of the journey.

 

[Safri15]

Unfortunately the rail card I have is a "Network Railcard", the zone only goes as far as Kings Lynn. I could buy a ticket from Maidenhead to Kings Lynn, then one from King's Lynn to Norwich, but it doesn't really save enough money for all the hassle of sorting it.

www.network-railcard.co.uk

I think Moo has definitely got it sussed with the £9 each way costs by buying in advance. Just need to get myself organised enough to do it. Next season I'll catch up with the capital canaries and do it that way though as I just don't always know well enough in advance which games I can make.