Train trickets - unlimited travel for a day or a week

[spionfox]

When I was in my teens, I remember buying a rail ticket that allowed me to travel anywhere within the Midlands for a bargain price. I think it even covered as far as Skeggy but not too sure.

Anyway, I was hoping to find something similar but bloody hell, is it confusing these days or what?!

I've not been on a train for years but there are so many different companies now - surely this isn't really 'progress' and giving the customer what they want - is it?

This site gives quite a few options but frankly I am still baffled because I don't have a clue what companies cover what areas. I accept it might be me but the way the railways operate these days is frankly pathetic.

Anyone got any advice/suggestions for an unlimited pass (certain times only I can accept) on any operators train within the Midlands or beyond?

Thanks.

 

[Jeff]

The East Midlands Rover is the one that goes as far as Skeggy, it also covers places like Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Crewe.

Generally weekly rover tickets cover all the train operators on those routes. There are a few exceptions, such as Grand Central and Hull trains but they don't run many routes and you're not likely to encounter their trains in the midlands.

 

[Jeff]

The East Midlands Rover is the one that goes as far as Skeggy, it also covers places like Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Crewe.

Just looked at the map and it doesn't go as far as Crewe, the furthest north west it goes is Stoke.
It also covers Doncaster and Grimsby in the north east of the region.

The midlands one, which isn't such good value IMO, is the Heart of England Rover.

There's also an East Midlands day ticket which covers a smaller area but is relatively expensive. The West Midlands day ticket is better value but isn't valid from Leicester (I think Nuneaton is the closest station)

I regularly get the north west ticket which covers a pretty big area and the 4 days in 8 version is cheaper than some off peak return tickets in the area.

All the rover tickets except the all lines rover are only valid after the morning peak, except at weekends/bank holidays when you can use them all day.

 

[bocadillo]

All the rover tickets except the all lines rover are only valid after the morning peak, except at weekends/bank holidays when you can use them all day.

Even the All-Line Rovers now have a few peak hour restrictions which are designed to avoid people using them very long-distance commuting.

I don't think any of the Rover and Ranger tickets have ever been particularly well advertised except in a few local areas. I doubt if the splitting up into franchises has actually made it any worse than it always has been. Although nominally designed to be attractive to tourists and holiday-makers, it has only ever been enthusiasts/cranks who have ever been able to 'master the system' and exploit the extraordinary value of most of these tickets.

 

[spionfox]

it has only ever been enthusiasts/cranks who have ever been able to 'master the system' and exploit the extraordinary value of most of these tickets.

Which is why I asked the question here.

I'll leave it to others to decide which of the two respondents so far is the enthusiast and which the crank :icon_lol:

 

[spionfox]

I know I'm being really thick here, but like I mentioned, I haven't travelled on a train for years........

If I get this ticket how will I know which operators train I am going to board? Are they all marked up like Midland Red versus Arriva buses? Are they marked as such on the electronic arrivals/departures boards?

And that link mentions a map of the covered area, any idea where to find it?

Ta again.

 

[spionfox]

Found the (crappy little) map so OK on that bit!

 

[Jeff]

I know I'm being really thick here, but like I mentioned, I haven't travelled on a train for years........

If I get this ticket how will I know which operators train I am going to board? Are they all marked up like Midland Red versus Arriva buses? Are they marked as such on the electronic arrivals/departures boards?

And that link mentions a map of the covered area, any idea where to find it?

Ta again.

Click on the East Midlands Ranger link for the map. Or here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/manag...5f47acf894bb/areaMap/East_Midlands_Ranger.pdf

That ticket overpriced compared to day tickets in other parts of the country and is only really worth getting if you're going to make a lot of journeys during the day. You might find it's cheaper to get tickets for individual journeys.

The train company will be shown on the departure boards and announcements, but you shouldn't worry about the train company, I don't think it's possible to make a journey within the area of validity on a train company that's not covered by the ticket.

 

[spionfox]

you shouldn't worry about the train company, I don't think it's possible to make a journey within the area of validity on a train company that's not covered by the ticket.

That's what I wanted to hear (read?!) - thanks Jeff.

 

[Jeff]

That's what I wanted to hear (read?!) - thanks Jeff.

It used to be that that kind of rover/ranger ticket would be valid for all train companies.
But then there were a few companies that started operating on specific routes that were outside the normal train ticketing system. Hull Trains, Grand Central and Wrexham and Shropshire. W&S have since stopped operating so it's only Hull and GC you would need to worry about. They both operate long distance services on the East Coast mainline.

 

[bocadillo]

It used to be that that kind of rover/ranger ticket would be valid for all train companies.
But then there were a few companies that started operating on specific routes that were outside the normal train ticketing system. Hull Trains, Grand Central and Wrexham and Shropshire. W&S have since stopped operating so it's only Hull and GC you would need to worry about.

And Heathrow Express. And Heathrow Connect between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3. They don't seem to want to make it too easy.
:icon_wink

 

[bocadillo]

I'll leave it to others to decide which of the two respondents so far is the enthusiast and which the crank :icon_lol:

Crank is a term used to describe a certain sub-group of enthusiasts. It is not a derogatory term and it would be most unusual to find a crank who objected to being labelled so.

 

[spionfox]

Crank is a term used to describe a certain sub-group of enthusiasts. It is not a derogatory term and it would be most unusual to find a crank who objected to being labelled so.

You cranky so and so :icon_wink

 

[Jeff]

And Heathrow Express. And Heathrow Connect between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3. They don't seem to want to make it too easy.
:icon_wink

I didn't include those because as far as I know there's no regional rover ticket that covers that area.


It can be confusing though even for people who travel by train regularly.
A few months ago I was waiting for a train to Paddington from one of the London stations (Ealing Broadway I think) and a Heathrow Connect train turned up. I knew my travelcard wouldn't have been valid on their trains if I was going to/from Heathrow but wasn't sure about intermediate stations. So I didn't get on it. I then checked and realised I could have used that train.

 

[bocadillo]

You cranky so and so :icon_wink

If you insist.


While we're on the subject of train tickets I'll let you know of a fare anomaly that Notts and I found a few days ago when we were booking our Sweden trip. Ask yourself what the cheapest way would be to get from St Pancras to Nottingham other than on the very restricted Megatrain services.

Most people would suggest that it would be the £13 Advance Single, reduced to £12 if you book it online from the EMT site. A few might know that if you walk over to Kings Cross and change at Grantham, you can do the journey for as little as £11, or £9.95 if you book on the East Coast website. But the real saving is by buying a ticket from Stansted Airport routed via London, and ignore the bit between Stansted and St Pancras - that will be £8, thank you very much.

And this is four years after they simplified the fare structure

 

[Cate Fox]

A quick question - booking train tickets for travel in Europe, which site would you recommend Boc/Jeff? I currently use Rail Europe at work, but if there is a better one to use I'd be grateful to know...

 

[Jeff]

A quick question - booking train tickets for travel in Europe, which site would you recommend Boc/Jeff? I currently use Rail Europe at work, but if there is a better one to use I'd be grateful to know...

People have recommended http://www.bahn.com/i/view/index.shtml in the past. I haven't used them myself.

 

[bocadillo]

I didn't include those because as far as I know there's no regional rover ticket that covers that area.

I did include them because the All-Line Rover does cover that area. Additionally the TravelCard is to all effects and purposes a Rover/Ranger ticket and would otherwise be valid there.

The area is also covered by a couple of comparatively new products; the Thames Rover and the Thames Branches Day Ranger

It can be confusing though even for people who travel by train regularly. A few months ago I was waiting for a train to Paddington from one of the London stations (Ealing Broadway I think) and a Heathrow Connect train turned up. I knew my travelcard wouldn't have been valid on their trains if I was going to/from Heathrow but wasn't sure about intermediate stations. So I didn't get on it. I then checked and realised I could have used that train.

Correct. Heathrow Connect is actually a First Great Western service from Paddington to Hayes & Harlington where it magically turns into a Heathrow Express service for the rest of its journey.

Just to finish the story of ticket prices in that area, I wonder how many people know that you don't need a ticket at all to travel on Heathrow Express between Heathrow 1,2,3 and either Heathrow 4 or Heathrow 5. Nor do you need to pay on London Transport buses within the Heathrow Free-Flow area, which includes the airport and some of the surrounding roads. Don't try it on the Piccadilly line though or you will face a Penalty Fare.

 

[bocadillo]

A quick question - booking train tickets for travel in Europe, which site would you recommend Boc/Jeff? I currently use Rail Europe at work, but if there is a better one to use I'd be grateful to know...

Varies from country to country. Check with the man in Seat 61 and follow his advice. Many times I have booked with the railway company of the country concerned. I haven't had any problems with getting the ordered tickets either from ticket machines or local booking offices.

 

[Cate Fox]

Varies from country to country. Check with the man in Seat 61 and follow his advice. Many times I have booked with the railway company of the country concerned. I haven't had any problems with getting the ordered tickets either from ticket machines or local booking offices.

thanks - I'm normally booking tickets for travel in France and occasionally Switzerland (for work), so I'll certainly look up the links you and Jeff have posted.