Luton Airport DART ticketing discussion

[All Line Rover]

For through fares to the airport, railcard discounts don't appear to apply to the portion of the fare covering the Dart. That wasn't the case previouslt with fares that included the bus ride.

Are these new through fares the only fares on the rail network where railcard discounts are only applied to a portion of the fare?

 

[smjxm09]

Is the fare always £4.90 more than the same fare to Luton Airport Parkway?

Yes it is unless you are a local who can apply for a half price Dart ticket or any pensioner with a bus pass who also needs to register for free tickets. In those cases passengers would buy tickets to and from Parkway and not the airport. How any pensioner is meant to know this is a mystery.

Luton DART Concessions | Free Travel for Eligible Passengers

Luton DART concessions are available for eligible residents, bus pass holders and disability badge holders. Find out if you qualify and how to apply for free travel.

www.lutondart.com

 

[Mike395]

For through fares to the airport, railcard discounts don't appear to apply to the portion of the fare covering the Dart. That wasn't the case previouslt with fares that included the bus ride.

Are these new through fares the only fares on the rail network where railcard discounts are only applied to a portion of the fare?

It’s more fixing the pricing structure - as I understand it there was never the intention for the bus to be railcard discountable either (although it was in reality for through tickets).

I can’t think of any other examples offhand though would be surprised if the ‘add on’ component not being discountable is entirely unique.

 

[smjxm09]

For through fares to the airport, railcard discounts don't appear to apply to the portion of the fare covering the Dart. That wasn't the case previouslt with fares that included the bus ride.

Are these new through fares the only fares on the rail network where railcard discounts are only applied to a portion of the fare?

The shuttle bus was run by Thameslink while the Dart is run by the council via its airport company Luton Rising, so is not part of the rail network.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Mar 2023 ==

The last Thameslink shuttle buses shown last night with a 23.59 departure.

 

[Mawkie]

I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but new through fares apply from 00:01 tomorrow, reflecting the DART replacing the shuttle bus. Add-ons are now £4.90 Single and £9.80 Return, per the below screengrab:View attachment 131691

This is curious, as I just checked on https://www.lutondart.com/booking/payment for random days in the near future and is showing as £2.40 each way.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It’s more fixing the pricing structure - as I understand it there was never the intention for the bus to be railcard discountable either (although it was in reality for through tickets).

I can’t think of any other examples offhand though would be surprised if the ‘add on’ component not being discountable is entirely unique.

When there were through fares onto the X5 from MKC to Oxford/Bedford/Cambridge and on the (VT)99 from MKC to Luton (Airport) these were discountable. Sometimes staff could be convinced to issue a discounted ticket without a relevant rail ticket, too.

 

[JaJaWa]

This is curious, as I just checked on https://www.lutondart.com/booking/payment for random days in the near future and is showing as £2.40 each way.

Bug. Expect it to be resolved anytime soon especially as they are now alerted to it.

 

[QSK19]

Bug. Expect it to be resolved anytime soon especially as they are now alerted to it.

Yup, they’ve corrected the pricing.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Mar 2023 ==

This is curious, as I just checked on https://www.lutondart.com/booking/payment for random days in the near future and is showing as £2.40 each way.

For once a snagging issue that benefitted travellers ; but it’s been corrected now.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Ten pounds for getting between the airport and the airport station and back, at a low cost airport too

 

[bspahh]

Ten pounds for getting between the airport and the airport station and back, at a low cost airport too

The Pisa Mover is €10 return (£8.79) to save a 1 mile walk between Pisa airport and Pisa Centrale. This is £9.80 to save a 1.3 mile walk

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The Pisa Mover is €10 return (£8.79) to save a 1 mile walk between Pisa airport and Pisa Centrale. This is £9.80 to save a 1.3 mile walk

So it's marginally cheaper than a single other shuttle, great.

 

[norbitonflyer]

The Pisa Mover is €10 return (£8.79) to save a 1 mile walk between Pisa airport and Pisa Centrale. This is £9.80 to save a 1.3 mile walk

I thought there was to be a discounted rate for through passengers but the difference between STP-LTN and STP-LUA return fares seems to be exactly £9.80

 

[pdeaves]

So it's marginally cheaper than a single other shuttle, great.

You don't have to use it... You pays your money, you takes your choice.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

You don't have to use it... You pays your money, you takes your choice.

Both verbs come without the “s,” and I know, but a mile and a half walk isn’t particularly attractive if you’ve got kids and suitcases. I don’t fly from Luton so I guess it doesn’t affect me, I’m just thinking of families with all sorts weighing them down.

 

[zwk500]

Both verbs come without the “s,” and I know, but a mile and a half walk isn’t particularly attractive if you’ve got kids and suitcases. I don’t fly from Luton so I guess it doesn’t affect me, I’m just thinking of families with all sorts weighing them down.

As a low-cost airport, Luton needs to maximise the disaggregated revenues. While nearly £10 is expensive it isn't unexpected given the business model of the resident airlines. I wouldn't be surprised to see the price float a little for the first few years to adjust to the demand-price tolerance sweet spot.

 

[SargeNpton]

For avoidance of doubt...

View attachment 131692

Does the DART actually take Oyster/Contactless as it suggests?

The DART website FAQs (here... https://www.lutondart.com/faqs/) says that Oyster is not accepted. No specific mention of contactless, but I would infer from the lack of a mention of it that it is not accepted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The DART website FAQs (here... https://www.lutondart.com/faqs/) says that Oyster is not accepted. No specific mention of contactless, but I would infer from the lack of a mention of it that it is not accepted.

TfL ticketing is probably not relevant*, but I don't see why they wouldn't accept contactless either at the gateline or at their TVMs if they insist you waste your time purchasing a ticket. It certainly, absolutely, 100% won't be cash and advance booking only, it's 2023 not 2003.

* It kind of looks like, from those fares, that they may be piggy backing on the TfL/NR gateline systems though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Both verbs come without the “s,” and I know, but a mile and a half walk isn’t particularly attractive if you’ve got kids and suitcases. I don’t fly from Luton so I guess it doesn’t affect me, I’m just thinking of families with all sorts weighing them down.

How many times does it need to be pointed out that there is a frequent Arriva bus service on route A, costing £1.90, from the back of the station?

 

[jon0844]

How many times does it need to be pointed out that there is a frequent Arriva bus service on route A, costing £1.90, from the back of the station?

While I think I'll be using that from now on, I bet a lot of people will pay for DART at least once to try it out. If the average person/family has one annual holiday, that probably means that this year at least will see huge patronage because it will be new.

Well, actually, let's be honest - 95% of passengers are going to use DART all the time and just add that 'small' costs to all the other small costs that probably doubles or triples their actual spend after having first seen the headline price per passenger in the adverts/search engine.

 

[Haywain]

No specific mention of contactless, but I would infer from the lack of a mention of it that it is not accepted.

Contactless payment is accepted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

While I think I'll be using that from now on, I bet a lot of people will pay for DART at least once to try it out. If the average person/family has one annual holiday, that probably means that this year at least will see huge patronage because it will be new.

Well, actually, let's be honest - 95% of passengers are going to use DART all the time and just add that 'small' costs to all the other small costs that probably doubles or triples their actual spend after having first seen the headline price per passenger in the adverts/search engine.

Certainly I'll use it because the convenience will be worth paying for. I just pointed that out again to make sure people are aware that the options aren't "pay £5ish or walk", there are multiple other options at varying prices - other bus and coach services (from Parkway or elsewhere), black cab, Uber, Bolt or a local taxi firm. Anyone who really objects to the fare needn't use it and can find out the options with a few seconds of research on e.g. Google Maps.

I'd prefer it was free, but until low cost airlines agree to pay airports service fees that actually represent the costs of running an airport this sort of stuff is here to stay.

 

[Ediswan]

I wonder if Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southend and London City will start advertising along the lines of "Rail services all the way to the airport, no expensive shuttles".

I do realise that would itself be skipping over the premium charged for some of those rail services.

 

[spag23]

Incidentally don't be tempted to get a driver friend to drop you off on the approach roads to the airport. They have CCTVs to fine drivers for doing that.
The Drop Off facility (under the Airport's multi-storey) is well signposted. You just drive in, the ANPR clocks your number plate, and you pay (contactless) at the exit barrier. OK, it's £5 (as long as you keep the stay under 10 minutes). But that's per car of course, not per person.
You have to be a bit smarter liaising with your passengers about the exact pick up time. Waiting there works out very expensive!

 

[zwk500]

I wonder if Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southend and London City will start advertising along the lines of "Rail services all the way to the airport, no expensive shuttles".

I do realise that would itself be skipping over the premium charged for some of those rail services.

This is not something an advertising executive would lost any sleep over, of course. Their job is to lie through their teeth paint the most positive picture for prospective customers. Luton has required a separate shuttle fare for the bus before DART opened so it's not like this is a game-changer.

Also Heathrow and City don't really compete against Luton and Southend and Gatwick have similar markets but don't completely overlap. Stansted is Luton's primary direct Competitor.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Both verbs come without the “s,”

"You pays your money, you takes your choice" is a quote, originally from an 1846 cartoon in "Punch" magazine. The speaker is a cockney fairground showman.

“Which ever you please, my little dear. You pays your money, and you takes your choice.”

Also used, in 1884, by Mark Twain in Huckleberry Finn

 

[fandroid]

Remind me what the palaver is to be able to use a concessionary bus pass on the Dart

 

[spag23]

You can't just swipe your pass.
At least 72 hours before your first journey, go to

Luton DART Concessions | Free Travel for Eligible Passengers

Luton DART concessions are available for eligible residents, bus pass holders and disability badge holders. Find out if you qualify and how to apply for free travel.

www.lutondart.com

to register. You'll need to upload a copy of your ENCTS (bus) pass.
Once your account is set up, you can book your tickets, on the day or in advance.
Beware the "From the Airport" radio button. Don't hit this if your flight starts and ends at Luton.
(I've asked the Company to address this GUI ambiguity, and they are "looking at it")

 

[smjxm09]

Luton DART Concessions | Free Travel for Eligible Passengers

Luton DART concessions are available for eligible residents, bus pass holders and disability badge holders. Find out if you qualify and how to apply for free travel.

www.lutondart.com

 

[fandroid]

You can't just swipe your pass.
At least 72 hours before your first journey, go to

Luton DART Concessions | Free Travel for Eligible Passengers

Luton DART concessions are available for eligible residents, bus pass holders and disability badge holders. Find out if you qualify and how to apply for free travel.

www.lutondart.com

to register. You'll need to upload a copy of your ENCTS (bus) pass.
Once your account is set up, you can book your tickets, on the day or in advance.
Beware the "From the Airport" radio button. Don't hit this if your flight starts and ends at Luton.
(I've asked the Company to address this GUI ambiguity, and they are "looking at it")

Thanks

 

[Billy Hicks]

My EMT tickets from London St Pancras to Luton Airport next month are £5 advance each way with a railcard discount. If that includes the DART as seems to be the case then that’s a brilliant deal.

Wonder if the Airport to Parkway part of it is for any DART service or just for the specific time as seen on the online journey planner?