Nottingham trams

[plastictaffy]

Am off to Nottingham tomorrow to see my good ladies' family. I think we're also going into the city centre on the tram. I'd like to know how fares and the like work. Do you pay on board, or use a ticket machine?? We'll be going from Basford (I think) to the City. What's the approximate fare for that for 2 adults and 2 kids??

 

[edwin_m]

You must buy from a machine before boarding or risk a £50 fine. The machines take notes, coins and cards.

Fare details on http://www.thetram.net/fares/. This week counts as school holidays so the reduced rate ought to apply for the group ticket.

 

[harry42]

It would be £6 for the lot of you, unlimited travel on the tram, all day. Pay before you board, like Edwin_m has said.

There very frequent, every 5-7 mins or so.

It might be worth driving to Wilkinson Street where theres a free park and ride (only 1 stop down.)

 

[Yew]

Indeed, there is now a ridiculous buy before you board scheme, I'd suggest sticking to it.

 

[trentside]

Indeed, there is now a ridiculous buy before you board scheme, I'd suggest sticking to it.

Can I ask why it is ridiculous? It seems to work in Manchester and Croydon.

The situation in Edinburgh, where you have to buy before you board but all trams have a ticket inspector could more easily be branded "ridiculous".

 

[Yew]

Because the 'pay on the tram' system worked fine, all this means is that those unfamiliar with the system, or those who use it irregularly will be stung for penalty fares, rather than being customer friendly.

 

[Clip]

Because the 'pay on the tram' system worked fine, all this means is that those unfamiliar with the system, or those who use it irregularly will be stung for penalty fares, rather than being customer friendly.

But surely those who are unfamiliar with it would be familiar at least with the idea of paying before you get on a train or bus(yes I know you pay the driver on the bus but you get my meaning.)

Im not sure how its not customer friendly to ensure that everyone has to pay before they board?

 

[CallySleeper]

Because the 'pay on the tram' system worked fine, all this means is that those unfamiliar with the system, or those who use it irregularly will be stung for penalty fares, rather than being customer friendly.

Agreed. Despite using this as a method to minimising their staffing costs at a period of expansion, it has caught out a number of new or irregular travellers who were innocently unaware of the new arrangements. This was exasperated by a transfer period which was a) too short and b) poorly thought through and executed.

Comparing this to the Edinburgh arrangement should be strictly avoided IMO since a) Edinburgh is a new system - NET has had ten years of conductors prior to forcing all passengers to accept the change to 'pay before you board; and b) Edinburgh's significantly inferior ability to effectively manage and run public transportation.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Because the 'pay on the tram' system worked fine, all this means is that those unfamiliar with the system, or those who use it irregularly will be stung for penalty fares, rather than being customer friendly.

except it didn't as conductors couldn't get through to all passengers on busy trams. Although they were good as a safety presence

 

[edwin_m]

Im not sure how its not customer friendly to ensure that everyone has to pay before they board?

Not particularly customer friendly. But then again not very sensible trying to rely on conductors on a route where some stops are less than a minute apart and trams are frequently crush loaded. I suspect they would have had to bite that bullet sooner or later, and sooner is the less bad option.

 

[Qwerty133]

Didn't even know that they'd become buy before boarding!!! When did it occur?

 

[harry42]

You could easily get a free ride on board. Many a time have I travelled from Wilkinson Street to Royal Centre without paying (when the conductor was at the other end of a very full tram)

Also...money

 

[CallySleeper]

Didn't even know that they'd become buy before boarding!!! When did it occur?

About six months ago. Case in point.

 

[Starmill]

Can't you use a Mango card for a ridiculously cheap flat single fare?

 

[harry42]

Can't you use a Mango card for a ridiculously cheap flat single fare?

£1.50 flat single, £1.00 short hop.

MANGO on the threes is £1.73 Hucknall to City, so why you would use the bus, I don't know

 

[Starmill]

£1.50 flat single, £1.00 short hop.

MANGO on the threes is £1.73 Hucknall to City, so why you would use the bus, I don't know

Great thanks Although - what's "the threes" and is the fare really £1.73? If so WTF!

 

[MCR247]

"The threes" is a bus service from Nottingham - Sutton and Mansfield that 'competes' with the team between Nottingham and hucknall.

 

[harry42]

The threes is operated by trentbarton who are in the Wellglade group. The reason the tram now accecpts mango is because wellglade have a ?% stake in the tram.

The £1.73 fare from Hucknall is based on Mango which is 20% off (soon to be 15) off normal adult single fare.

The strange thing is that 2 Wellglade subsidaries are 'competing' but with the trams lower fare, quicker journey and mostly more frequent, why you would go by bus i don't know.

 

[edwin_m]

Because the threes run through Hucknall to various places further north, TB would probably prefer local travellers between Nottingham to Hucknall to use the tram. This makes more seats available on the buses for more lucrative longer-distance passengers.