London - Preston Turn up and go fare.

[thaitransit]

I cant really understand the UK ticketing system at so many different fare types that I cant workout what a normal Non aircon 3rd class seat fare would be for a Trip From London to Preston.

I'm wanting this information for a comparison purpose.

1. What is the cost of a standard 3rd class non aircon fare for a train London to Preston purchased on the day of travel just 15 mins before departure?

2. What would the equivalent 2nd class aircon express bus fare for London to Preston be for purchase on the day of travel.

What would be the time difference between taking the direct train vrs expressway intercity bus from London to Preston.

I hope this is not too much to ask.

thanks Thaitransit

 

[westcoaster]

we only have a 2 class fare system in england first or standard or in old money 1st or 2nd, our operating systems are very different to thailand,

the only comaprison would be train vs coach

coaches are all the same no 1st just standard

1. 128.00 in std = 2nd 2.5 hrs from virgin trains https://www.buytickets.virgintrains.co.uk/
2. 23.50 5-7hrs from national express http://www.nationalexpress.com/coacheslanding.html

 

[Mojo]

1. What is the cost of a standard 3rd class non aircon fare for a train London to Preston purchased on the day of travel just 15 mins before departure?

There's no such thing as non-aircon or 3rd class. It's either 1st class or 2nd (standard) class.

The walk up fare would be £238 return or £119 single for travel at any time.

For travelling between 0915 and 1514 and after 1812 or arriving back into London after 1059 (no restrictions Weekends) a single is £65.40 and a return £66.40.

 

[glynn80]

I cant really understand the UK ticketing system at so many different fare types that I cant workout what a normal Non aircon 3rd class seat fare would be for a Trip From London to Preston.

I'm wanting this information for a comparison purpose.

1. What is the cost of a standard 3rd class non aircon fare for a train London to Preston purchased on the day of travel just 15 mins before departure?

2. What would the equivalent 2nd class aircon express bus fare for London to Preston be for purchase on the day of travel.

What would be the time difference between taking the direct train vrs expressway intercity bus from London to Preston.

I hope this is not too much to ask.

thanks Thaitransit

1.

Depending on the time of travel a STD Return fare travelling on a service departing between 0905 & 1514 and at or after 1855 (OUTWARD) and arriving at Euston at or after 1055 (RETURN): £70.40.

If you are travelling at any other time STD Return fare: £256.00

2.

Bus fare you will have to check National Express (not my expertise)

 

[dan_atki]

By Virgin Trains it'd depend what time you're travelling (After the fares increase next Sunday):

Departing London Euston 0915-1514 or later than 1812 will be £69.40 single,
or before 0915 or 1515-1811 will be £128.00
The journey takes 2 hours 8 minutes.

By National Express coach (from London Victoria), cost will be £23.00 (these will increase probably in March when the timetables change). You may also be charged a 50p booking fee and may also be given the option (so you can decline it) of £1 insurance* for the journey.
journey time can vary between 5 hours 20 minutes and 7 hours 35 minutes.

*details about insurance cover are provided on their website: www.nationalexpress.com

 

[glynn80]

By Virgin Trains it'd depend what time you're travelling (After the fares increase next Sunday):

Departing London Euston 0915-1514 or later than 1812 will be £69.40 single,
or before 0915 or 1515-1811 will be £128.00
The journey takes 2 hours 8 minutes.

By National Express coach (from London Victoria), cost will be £23.00 (these will increase probably in March when the timetables change). You may also be charged a 50p booking fee and may also be given the option (so you can decline it) of £1 insurance* for the journey.
journey time can vary between 5 hours 20 minutes and 7 hours 35 minutes.

*details about insurance cover are provided on their website: www.nationalexpress.com

Which restriction code are you using Dan as I have different restrictions to yourself?

 

[dan_atki]

Going by 9I on Avantix but new fares off of NXEC

 

[glynn80]

Going by 9I on Avantix but new fares off of NXEC

Ah I think you have the old 9I restriction based on the old timetable! Although that is valid until 2 January!

 

[thaitransit]

Thanks for the fare information. I'm sorry I didn't really know what classes where available on the UK trains I just assumed a similar range to SRT Thailand but with different names.

What is surprising is the difference in travelling time between train and bus. Normally its the reverse i.e train 12 hours and bus 8 hours due to higher speed of the buses and more direct expressway route.

The express buses do offer a really good deal when compared to the trains despite the longer trip times. 23.50 for the bus vrs 128 for the train.

How do the train companies keep there business going with prices at 128 when the buses are 5 times cheaper? It must be hard to get a seat on the bus at times.

Anyway again thanks for the information guys.

What is the insurance on the bus fare for? This is a new thing for me

 

[westcoaster]

just incase your luggage is damaged/stolen.

 

[dan_atki]

Ah I think you have the old 9I restriction based on the old timetable! Although that is valid until 2 January!

Ah thanks for that, wasn't aware it had changed - looked identical on NXEC but the timings have been altered slightly.

How do the train companies keep there business going with prices at 128 when the buses are 5 times cheaper? It must be hard to get a seat on the bus at times.

Anyway again thanks for the information guys.

What is the insurance on the bus fare for? This is a new thing for me

For me I'd have to choose the train regardless of price for a journey of that distance. I'd want the speed, and also I'd get motion sickness if I was on a coach that length of time!

Insurance covers a whole range of things, luggage and personal belongings, and also personal injury. If you book a rail ticket through NXEC you are also offered this insurance option (I'm interested to know how many people would take that up though!).

 

[thaitransit]

Thanks again. By the way What is the distance between London and Preston?

I can understand the reasons for going with the train as you can get up and move around and the bathrooms are normally bigger than on the bus.

Although on the bus you do get to watch a movie where as on the train you just stare at wall or look out the window. But the view out the train window is better than on the bus.

Just another question about the buses. Is the seating layout 2 + 1 or 2 + 2 seats?

The 2+1 layout is better as the seats are bigger and you can have seat that next to the window without anyone next to you better for sleep that way.

Personally I normally go with bus if I want cool aircon and relaxing trip. (Day light trip)
The train tends to end up packed to the doors and stuffy inside or has no aircon on day trips.

But I go for sleeper train if its a night trip as I find it hard to get good sleep on buses.

 

[glynn80]

Thanks for the fare information. I'm sorry I didn't really know what classes where available on the UK trains I just assumed a similar range to SRT Thailand but with different names.

What is surprising is the difference in travelling time between train and bus. Normally its the reverse i.e train 12 hours and bus 8 hours due to higher speed of the buses and more direct expressway route.

The express buses do offer a really good deal when compared to the trains despite the longer trip times. 23.50 for the bus vrs 128 for the train.

How do the train companies keep there business going with prices at 128 when the buses are 5 times cheaper? It must be hard to get a seat on the bus at times.

Anyway again thanks for the information guys.

What is the insurance on the bus fare for? This is a new thing for me

In the UK there are really 2 classes of travel First Class and Standard Class. First Class usually (but not always) giving you a wider seats and complimentary refreshments.

In the UK we have high speed railways and in virtually all circumstances the train will always be quicker. This is how the train companies keep there business as people will pay more for the convenience, speed and turn up and go service the railways offer.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

National Express and Megabus (Stagecoach) are the two companies that operate the coaches between London and Preston the seating on the Megabus Neoplan Skyliners is 2+2 as is on the Plaxton Coaches they use on the service but are generally alot cumfier than Nat Ex Coaches in my opinion. As for National express the vehicles are 2+2 but are normally leather seated if its a Single decker Coach and if its a Neoplan Skyliner they are not so cumfy coach seats in 2+2 i'd recommend sitting upstairs in the back seats if possible on a Skyliner as its comfier and its also the quietest part of the coaches as thats where alot of the people that are sleeping on the trip go to. The coach takes around 6 hours but can vary as some have the misfortune of going via Liverpool which adds a large chunk of time to the journey

 

[yorkie]

Do you know roughly when you are likely to travel? e.g. what time and what day of the week? Also, do you want a single or a return? If return, roughly when are you likely to do your return journey?

 

[jopsuk]

Thanks again. By the way What is the distance between London and Preston?

I can understand the reasons for going with the train as you can get up and move around and the bathrooms are normally bigger than on the bus.

Although on the bus you do get to watch a movie where as on the train you just stare at wall or look out the window. But the view out the train window is better than on the bus.

Just another question about the buses. Is the seating layout 2 + 1 or 2 + 2 seats?

The 2+1 layout is better as the seats are bigger and you can have seat that next to the window without anyone next to you better for sleep that way.

Personally I normally go with bus if I want cool aircon and relaxing trip. (Day light trip)
The train tends to end up packed to the doors and stuffy inside or has no aircon on day trips.

But I go for sleeper train if its a night trip as I find it hard to get good sleep on buses.

Only older commuter stock in the UK now is not airconditioned, although remember for much of the year it isn't cooling that's needed, but heating. Remember also that it's rare for daytime temps to get much above 25°C even at the height of summer.


For coach versus train, the big advantage you're looking at with a train in this country is speed. London to Preston by train is timetabled at a little over two hours; the fastest coach journey is nearly six hours. Big difference. That's for around 200 miles. The trains are also much more frequent, leaving at the same time every hour through the day.

Most coaches are single-class, with 2+2 seating throughout.

Express trains are normally 2+1 in 1st class, 2+2 in Standard. On an express, 1st class customers usually get some form of complimentary refreshments and have access to better catering.

Commuter and rural trains will usually have 2+2 seating in 1st class (if they have it) and sometimes 2+3 in Standard. There's usually no catering at all on them.

 

[yorkie]

How do they compete? Well the expensive ticket costing over £100 competes with airlines at peak times.

A return on the coach is £39-50, an Off Peak return on the train is the comparable fare and at £70-40 is good value. At only £15-45 each way extra for a journey time of just over 2 hours compared to 6 hours, most people value their time more highly than that (total saving is around 8 hours ( 4 hours each way) for £30 extra on a return journey)

The coach fare can be bought just before travel IN THEORY but in reality the coach has very limited capacity and they can sell out so they may refuse to let you board without a reservation. On the train the £70-40 ticket guarantees you travel on any off peak train, there are many more seats than on a coach, and you can stand if there are no seats available, and you can go on any 'permitted' route on any train company. The coach fare quoted is only valid on National Express. So the coach fares are not truly "walk-on" like the Off Peak train fare is. The train companies offer very cheap "Advance Purchase" fares that are only valid on a specific train (like booking a cheap airline ticket) and these are cheaper than a "walk on" ticket.

The £70-40 ticket does not allow travel at peak time but it is still a fair comparison with the coach fare. The last off peak train before the evening peak leaves London Euston at 14:30. There is a coach from London Victoria at 15:30 but this arrives into Preston at 21:34. The first off peak train after the evening peak leaves London Euston at 19:30 and arrives into Preston at 21:44 - roughly the same time as the coach (and the coach is more likely to be delayed due to traffic).

There are cheaper ways to do London to Preston by train, for example to use a cheaper train operator such as Chiltern Railways by a different route and changing trains at somewhere like Birmingham, this option may be worth considering if you are not in a rush, want to save money, but don't want a coach. It will still be quicker than the coach.

 

[ronc]

Thanks for the fare information. I'm sorry I didn't really know what classes where available on the UK trains I just assumed a similar range to SRT Thailand but with different names.

What is surprising is the difference in travelling time between train and bus. Normally its the reverse i.e train 12 hours and bus 8 hours due to higher speed of the buses and more direct expressway route.

The express buses do offer a really good deal when compared to the trains despite the longer trip times. 23.50 for the bus vrs 128 for the train.

How do the train companies keep there business going with prices at 128 when the buses are 5 times cheaper? It must be hard to get a seat on the bus at times.

Anyway again thanks for the information guys.

What is the insurance on the bus fare for? This is a new thing for me

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I can get Preston to London FIRST CLASS for around fifty pounds providing I book in advance or 40 second class .

 

[voyagerdude220]

Been there, done that..

 

[metrocammel]

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I can get Preston to London FIRST CLASS for around fifty pounds providing I book in advance or 40 second class .

I think you can probably get it cheaper than that in advance, especially in 'standard class' (it's not been '2nd' since about 1988 )

 

[Pumbaa]

I think you can probably get it cheaper than that in advance, especially in 'standard class' (it's not been '2nd' since about 1988 )

\On the contrary, all Virgin Advance fares have risen massively if travelling to Preston or further north. Long gone are the days of £18.50

 

[87015]

\On the contrary, all Virgin Advance fares have risen massively if travelling to Preston or further north. Long gone are the days of £18.50

Was gonna say, thats a damn site more than you'd have paid pre-PendoJunk.

£10 (full fare) single was the going rate Preston or Manchester-M.Keynes although being on specific train I'd rarely take the risk of getting stuffed for a skoda or can and did have to suffer my share of bowl-outs on apex jobs!