> Chris Tolley wrote:

>> NM wrote:

>>>Chris Tolley wrote:

>>>>NM wrote:

>>>>>Chris Tolley wrote:
>>>>>Once you start taking in to account that you may not be travelling alone
>>>>>then trains get seriously too expensive.

>>>>
>>>>You're just assuming so. It isn't always the case. In fact it's cheaper
>>>>for me and the missus to go to our nearest cities and back as a mixed
>>>>mode journey including train at most times of day than it is to go there
>>>>and back entirely by car. That's why we use the train. I could quote you
>>>>examples, but you aren't really interested.
>>>>

>>>
>>>The only way it's cheaper is if you pre book some time ahead or have
>>>some sort of concession ticket,

>>
>> The fare I am talking about above is a fare that is bought at the time
>> of travel without any form of railcard. No advance booking required.
>>
>> Details at: http://duo.appius.co.uk/
>>

>>>If you suddenly decide one morning that you want to go shopping in the
>>>nearest town or city how much is the fare then, when you just walk up
>>>and buy it?

>>
>> Okay, suppose my wife wanted to go shopping in Manchester (which from
>> time to time she does, in fact). By rail, this is just over 20 miles
>> each way. Without any advance booking, and without any need to hold a
>> railcard, she could do that for GBP 4.40. That fare would not only get
>> her to and from Manchester, but would also allow unlimited travel on
>> train, bus and tram throughout Greater Manchester and many adjoining
>> areas, for the rest of the day.
>>
>> Details at: http://www.gmpte.com/content.cfm?subcategory_id=105802
>>
>> There's nothing underhand about looking for the best value tickets, any
>> more than there is about buying petrol using the 5p per litre off
>> coupons that supermarkets sometimes offer.

>
> Indeed not.
>
> The trouble is that whereas the price of a car journey is more or less
> constant, rail fares are notoriously variable. The only fair fare
> comparison involves completely unrestricted tickets (because that's
> how car journeys are made - completely at liberty and without
> restriction).