Season tickets from Macclesfield - Manchester

[VideozVideoz]

Most of you from the Manchester area will probably know that Virgin introduced a 'Virgin only' season ticket between Macclesfield and Manchester that was substantially cheaper than the standard season tickets that Northern offered.

For reference:

Virgin-only = £39.60 (weekly), £152.10 (monthly), £1,584.00 (annually)
All services (including Northern trains) = £52.70 (weekly), £202.40 (monthly), £2,108.00 (annual)

My query is have many people been 'converted' to the cheaper Virgin season ticket (despite Virgin services not being as regular as the Northern stoppers and also the first Virgin service to Manchester is not until 8am)?

On another topic, the standard daily peak return from Macc-Manchester is extortionate (£12.80)! Does anyone agree??

 

[Johnny Lewis]

I'd hazard a guess that, even with the less frequent service that Virgin operate compared with other operators, the significant difference in the price, coupled with the fact that VT only call once intermediately (rather than all stops, as Northern do), might make this an attractive option. For First Class season ticket holders, is it possible to obtain free drinks/meal/alcohol in the 20-odd minutes journey time between Manchester and Macclesfield?!

 

[CosherB]

I'd have thought another consideration is the Virgin services might not be as reliable as the local Northern ones as they're coming up from Euston with all the potential causes of delay they might encounter on the way.

I've often noticed this at Wilmslow - I turn up intending to get a Pendelino into Manchester only to find it's running late and the next train is a Northern or Arriva Wales, or very occasionally a XC Voyager.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

I'd have thought another consideration is the Virgin services might not be as reliable as the local Northern ones as they're coming up from Euston with all the potential causes of delay they might encounter on the way.

I've often noticed this at Wilmslow - I turn up intending to get a Pendelino into Manchester only to find it's running late and the next train is a Northern or Arriva Wales, or very occasionally a XC Voyager.

as I work that line I can honestly say I have seen no difference in passenger numbers and I can't see there being a mass shift towards Virgin, they are too infrequent and if one gets cancelled it can be quite a wait til the next one as Northern Will not except Virgin only tickets unless there is mass disruption!