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From the pricing perspective, a good operator should: i) be simultaneously the cheapest and most expensive in the market, offering stonking good deals for seats that would otherwise go unsold and charging a fortune to people who are something in the City ii) be good at using fare...

If the Scottish Independence Referendum result is 'Yes' will the bidding process for the ECML have to be re-started? If I was a bidder I would consider that an independent Scotland may dramatically alter my willingness to pay and hence would wish to resubmit my financial proposal.

Things I would like to see: i) mandate Directly Operated Railways to bid for each available franchise as a public sector comparison - it is scandalous that East Coast, who I think are the best operator in the UK, did not bid to continue operating their franchise ii) find a way of migrating to...

If I travel to Ascot using a 1ST off-peak return on Monday then I see a GBP 22.90 fare that is: * valid on all return services direct from Ascot to Waterloo; but * not valid on services to Vauxhall with a change at Clapham Junction departing Ascot between 15:00 and 18:00. Why is this? :)...

If 1ST is truly under-utilised and STD is overcrowded then I could see the case for pricing and revenue management actions by the operator. These could include: i) for trains that are forecast to be busy, reduce 1ST fares at specific points in the booking cycle when STD passengers are booking...

What equipment operates on St Pancras to Corby? Is it a commuter-type service with 2-2 seat configuration in 1ST or does it have an InterCity 1-2 configuration? Many thanks in advance. :)

The trains in both directions were configured with 1.5x 1ST carriages. 1ST was at about 75% seat factor and STD looked to be at about 50% seat factor. I took K4B westbound and K1B eastbound. Fortunately nobody sat opposite me in either direction! It was a great trip and the sea wall was...

In this thread (now closed) I said: Yesterday (Sunday) I travelled Paddington to Maidenhead return and had purchased a 1ST off peak day return. Surprisingly there were ticket checks in both directions. On the way out I asked the inspector if Weekend First was valid on those trains and he...

I would mandate DOR to bid for every available franchise as a public sector comparison.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I have bought Advance tickets with seat reservations. I have coach L in both directions, with 12B ex-Paddington and 15B ex-TRU. Does anybody know whether or not these are window seats?

I am taking a holiday to Cornwall and am looking forward to the rail journey that will take me past the Dawlish sea wall. This will be my first time on FGW since 2007. I will heading out be on the 10:06 service from Paddington to Truro on a Tuesday in mid-August and heading back on the 14:41...

I want to buy a ticket from Truro to Paddington on 22/Aug. East Coast published their fares for 22/Aug more than a week ago but First Great Western has not released theirs yet. Very frustrating waiting! Any idea when they will be coming?

Has anybody taken the train from Tashkent to Samarkand and Bukhara? If so, what was it like and how easy was it to do? I shall be in Uzbekistan later this year and am considering extending my trip to visit these destinations by rail.

You can earn rewards points on tickets valid for travel on any TOC provided that the value of each coupon is at least (I think) GBP 22, except for East Coast tickets, for which points are awarded no matter how cheap the fare. Note that Advance tickets are each considered to be one ticket, so...

If the Queen travels by scheduled rail services, which she does from time to time, as Sovereign does she technically need a ticket? If she did travel without a ticket I assume that the TOC would have no recourse as the Queen cannot be tried in her own Courts. Discuss! :D

An on-peak Oyster single form Surbiton to Waterloo is GBP 5.90, an off-peak is GBP 3.60 and the lady commutes three times a week. Three on-peak Oyster returns are GBP 5.9 x 2 x 3 = GBP 35.4. Three on-peak Oyster singles and an off-peak return is (GBP 5.9 + GBP 3.6) x 3 = GBP 28.50. A...

Yesterday I collected an Advance ticket on East Coast for Easter from the machines at Victoria. The print quality is good on all but perhaps the most important part of the ticket. From: "...DON TERMINALS" To: "...CASTLE" Now I am sure that it will not be a problem, but it does not...

I am on the 1500 from King's Cross right now and we are just pulling out of Stevenage. It will stop at every station on the line before terminating at Edinburgh. 1ST is rammed full and the vestibules and aisles are full of standing passengers. Passengers showing their ticket at the catering...

My Mum arrived at King's Cross on an East Coast service from Newcastle upon Tyne. It was an Advance ticket if that is relevant.

My Mum arrived at King's Cross just before 7pm last night. The Victoria Line was closed due to flooding at Victoria but, not knowing this, my Mum entered the tube system using her Oyster card. Finding the Victoria Line closed she exited the system a minute or two later. A senior railcard...