Split ticketing Southern/Gatwick Express

[Kentish Paul]

Absolutely, and sufficiently price-sensitive customers will no doubt do the necessary research in advance, but "never underestimate the power of human stupidity"...

Also don't forget poor information from staff.

Yesterday a lady passenger with much luggage (I refuse to use the word customer!) was at the bottom of the SE escalators at St Pancras looking confused.

She asked me where platform 4 was as she was booked on the15:56 to Sheffield. It was then 15:44. I asked why are you over here under platforms 11,12 and 13. She said a member of staff (don't know whose) had directed her.

With 12 minutes to go I said "follow me i'll take you". Took her and luggage up in the lift and onward to platform 4 where with many thankyou's she boarded her train.

I have had in the past to direct many people to various bits of St Pancras. I checked yesterday. The signs are all there but quite small espiecially those pointing to Eurostar which need to be much larger. The number of people i've witnessed walking back and for looking for the Eurostar departure bit is quite high on my visits. I've had to direct many.

Also if you arrive by SE HS1, at the bottom of the escalators there are no signs telling you where any other parts of the station are. You have to turn 180 degrees, walk to the transcept, look right and there are the signs. All too small.

No wonder so many confused people.

Apologies, Rant over.:cry:

 

[island]

Whilst I agree to some extent as regards jet lag/luggage/language etc, surely in this day and age a little research on the internet can enable you to arrive at your destination with some information of what to do and how to do it.

I find it hard to believe that someone arriving at Gatwick (or any other UK airport) would have no idea how to continue their onward journey wether to London or anywhere else in the UK. :roll:

Agreed. Cork Airport has (or at least had) a chap selling only FCC tickets in the departures hall, which is something I haven't seen elsewhere.

 

[jon0844]

I commented on the poor signs at St Pancras when it opened. Before actually.

They seem to be putting up new signs now though. I've spotted new stickers on the lifts to clearly explain what's on every level too.

Only taken 7 years or so!

BTW, I totally agree about the convenience of having a dedicated airport service and a train that you have a long time to board. I'm not sure the 442s could be considered suitable stock though!

 

[talldave]

BTW, I totally agree about the convenience of having a dedicated airport service and a train that you have a long time to board. I'm not sure the 442s could be considered suitable stock though!

I also agree - if you're travelling for a one-off journey to a strange country, it helps to have a clearly identifiable dedicated service.

Take Stockholm, for example: https://www.arlandaexpress.com/trainfuture.aspx

They really put our clapped out Gatwick express rubbish to shame. And there are Arlanda ticket machines throughout the airport, so it's easy to get your ticket before you even get to the station. Our 442s are an embarrassment even when they're not on fire or stuck in a tunnel.

As for signage, when Gatwick express was running it's previous trains, I could never get staff to understand that signs saying "First class accommodation is at the front of the train" are pointless - since only regular commuters have any idea which direction the train is going to set off!!

 

[James Wake]

It seems that I have always encountered clued up staff recently or someone has said something. I got the 1930 GEx last night, with no problem on the barrier, or from a ticket check on the train, by someone who had a customer service badge, not a revenue badge, and no sign of a ticket machine, just a pen and what looked like clippers.

 

[Tetchytyke]

They really put our clapped out Gatwick express rubbish to shame. And there are Arlanda ticket machines throughout the airport, so it's easy to get your ticket before you even get to the station. Our 442s are an embarrassment even when they're not on fire or stuck in a tunnel.

Internally the 442s are nice, SWT did a really good refurbishment on them.

We have to blame DafT for the situation we have now at Gatwick. When it was a separate TOC with the 73s it was a popular service, even when the Darth Vaders ended up on it instead. But then DafT tried to abolish the service, but then got cold feet at the 11th hour and merged it into Southern as a semi-separate entity.

Now it's neither one thing nor another; the trains don't even carry "Gatwick Express" branding anymore.

I think Gatwick should have a dedicated service, just as Stansted and Heathrow do.

 

[talldave]

Internally the 442s are nice, SWT did a really good refurbishment on them.

We have to blame DafT for the situation we have now at Gatwick. When it was a separate TOC with the 73s it was a popular service, even when the Darth Vaders ended up on it instead. But then DafT tried to abolish the service, but then got cold feet at the 11th hour and merged it into Southern as a semi-separate entity.

Now it's neither one thing nor another; the trains don't even carry "Gatwick Express" branding anymore.

I think Gatwick should have a dedicated service, just as Stansted and Heathrow do.

Not quite sure what you mean about the "Gatwick Express" branding on the trains as they are quite distinctive. However, I don't think sticking a fancy paint job on an old train justifies the premium pricing.

For a premium priced express service I would expect to be travelling on the best trains on the network. It's ironic that you'll get a newer train to ride in if you buy a cheaper Southern ticket.

Running them through to Brighton has also destroyed the dedicated premium service image, as you can now stand around waiting for a Gatwick Express during peak times, whereas it used to be a walk-up, get on, leave within 15 minutes service - guaranteed every time.

Of course, when I travel on the Gatwick Express, I don't pay their stupid premium price, but we can't expect foreign visitors to the UK to play the crafty ticket purchasing games that I do. If they're paying top-whack pricing they deserve a better service.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Not quite sure what you mean about the "Gatwick Express" branding on the trains as they are quite distinctive. However, I don't think sticking a fancy paint job on an old train justifies the premium pricing.

DafT made them take the word "Gatwick" off. It now just says "Express".

Newer doesn't mean better. I find the 442s more comfortable to ride on than the Electrostars, and definitely more comfortable than the 319s. But then I always was a fan of the MkIII layout.

 

[GatwickDepress]

They removed it due to confusion when 442s were used on services that don't call at Gatwick Airport, such as 442-operated Brighton Expresses and the daily Eastbourne - London Bridge service.

The number of tourists with luggage who board regular Southern services at Gatwick Airport in lieu of the Gatwick Express is surprisingly high...

 

[James Wake]

I was able to do it again on Monday, this time the guy on the barrier said "Oh you're going to Clapham...oh, sorry your Gold Card says to TBD, come through", so a good result, the guy on the train was a ticket office clerk, again no avantix, just a pen. He said "London to Clapham, then Gold Card TBD Zones 2-6, fine, thank you sir"