Rail industry seeks fans’ views on train travel

[Johnny Rotten]

https://thefsa.org.uk/news/rail-industr ... in-travel/

The FSA has partnered with key rail industry stakeholders the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) to help them understand the issues that matchgoers face when travelling by rail throughout the season.

If you ever travel by rail to games, complete the survey here
While the survey has an away fan focus we are also encouraging “home” matchgoers who travel longer distances by rail to complete the survey, as they face many of the same issues as away supporters.

Who are the the Rail Delivery Group? The RDG was established in 2011 by the major passenger and freight train operator groups and Network Rail to take responsibility for coordinating and leading on initiatives across the whole rail industry. In matters which relate to football, they include stakeholders such as the police, the Premier League and FA, as well as the FSA, in their discussions.

This survey is part of their work to better understand the motivations of fans travelling by rail, the issues they face, and the improvements they would like to see made to ticketing and the rail network more generally on matchdays.

If you ever travel by rail to games, complete the survey here (https://thefsa.org.uk/news/rail-industr ... in-travel/)

The responses are anonymous and the survey only takes around five minutes to complete, and the data will be be useful to the train operating companies who are looking at various ways of improving rail travel for football fans.

[MansfieldMick]

Just filled it in. Never asked about standing nearly all the way back from Birmingham to Nottingham last Saturday after the Walsall match or the fun and games coming back from Crewe first game were 2 carriages had to accommodate the normal Saturday audience along with 500 Stags fans.
Unfortunately since privatisation the railways are a business intended to make money and are not a public service any more.
Is nationalisation the answer?

[Sneag]

Travelling by train in the UK under any circumstances (except when you aren't the one paying) is insane.

The most unreliable service in Europe, the most expensive service in Europe. That's not politics folks, it's just counting.

[WorthingStag]

As someone that works in the industry (train signaller) it’s difficult not to be subjective. I travel to all Stags away games by train and have only experienced one complication this season, I stood from St Pancras to Nottingham for the early kick off at Meadow Lane, my own fault, I never reserved a seat and it was Nottingham University’s Open Day….the fact that I’d just finished a twelve hour night shift was soon forgotten and I enjoyed the journey home.

[Sneag]

I use them a lot for work (because the company is paying & driving in city centres is a ballache) they often let me down but it always seems to be on the return leg, when I just want to get home.

Anything involving a connection seems to be a game of roulette especially if you need to swap franchises.

[The Hoffmeister]

As someone that works in the industry (train signaller) it’s difficult not to be subjective. I travel to all Stags away games by train and have only experienced one complication this season, I stood from St Pancras to Nottingham for the early kick off at Meadow Lane, my own fault, I never reserved a seat and it was Nottingham University’s Open Day….the fact that I’d just finished a twelve hour night shift was soon forgotten and I enjoyed the journey home.

Can I ask you Worthing if being in the industry one of your perks is cheap/cheaper travel on the train?

I ask because whenever I've thought it'll be easier by train , when on their ticket sites it's akin to legalised extortion!!!!!

[KirkbyStag2]

Expensive, slow if relying on changes, standing room only on late afternoon returns from London.

[Bradders]

I did use the railways a lot for matchday travel, but every time I consider checking for tickets there seems to be a strike, or disruption due to strikes. Either that or the tickets are stupidly expensiveor ludicrously complicated. So I haven't been using trains at all. Last time was Wembley. What a mess.

It's nice that one of the major UK rail companies has offered amazing discounted fares. Unfortunately, in their home country, Germany, off the back of excellent profits in the UK.

[zod]

They need to implement something like the tram in Manchester where you can pay £4 odd to travel everywhere the tram covers all day. The current system is prohibitively expensive and unreliable.

[WorthingStag]

As someone that works in the industry (train signaller) it’s difficult not to be subjective. I travel to all Stags away games by train and have only experienced one complication this season, I stood from St Pancras to Nottingham for the early kick off at Meadow Lane, my own fault, I never reserved a seat and it was Nottingham University’s Open Day….the fact that I’d just finished a twelve hour night shift was soon forgotten and I enjoyed the journey home.

Can I ask you Worthing if being in the industry one of your perks is cheap/cheaper travel on the train?

I ask because whenever I've thought it'll be easier by train , when on their ticket sites it's akin to legalised extortion!!!!!

Yeah, I know what you mean about the cost of train travel, sadly we’re easily the most expensive in Europe and there appears to be an increase every January. I get free travel with the local train operating companies in the South East and attract a healthy 75% discount elsewhere. It cost me £12 return to Stroud (Forest Green) and for the longer distances, Crewe, Grimsby, Salford, Accrington, Morecambe etc I usually get there and back for £30 which would normally cost well over £110…. Obviously that compensates for often arriving home after midnight. Home games, Notts County and Burton were about £18. Local games (for me) Crawley, Sutton, Gillingham, I travel free….
Non Industry travellers can obtain cheaper tickets, by booking in advance, travelling with specific train operators and travelling cheaper routes, these cheaper tickets are sold on a first come first served basis and gradually climb in cost, whilst you can obtain some real bargains, they offer no flexibility and are non refundable. These train operators aren’t concerned about the customers, it may well be a service, but it’s predominantly a business now, and satisfying shareholders comes before satisfying customers, trains are full simply because the country is 73 million people and climbing.

[Sharp]

Just filled it in. Never asked about standing nearly all the way back from Birmingham to Nottingham last Saturday after the Walsall match or the fun and games coming back from Crewe first game were 2 carriages had to accommodate the normal Saturday audience along with 500 Stags fans.
Unfortunately since privatisation the railways are a business intended to make money and are not a public service any more.
Is nationalisation the answer?

That seems to be every train from New Street to Nottingham, whenever I catch it anyway. I've started going to the university station and getting on there (same train) as it's the only way you can get a seat most days. Don't think I've been on the train on that route with a full complement of carriages for over a year.

[victor A block]

Mansfield Robin Hood Line not fit for purpose. Trains cancelled regularly and only goes to Worksop or Nottingham. Anyone going anywhere else goes straight to Newark, Nottingham or Chesterfield.
Once looked at a train from Mansfield to Carlisle for an away game. 12 hours.

[Oladamber66]

Outrages tickets prices...train cancellations.. overcrowded carriages....nothing good to say to be honest

[Sneag]

Wasn't there once a poster on here called Iliketrainns?

[adamstag]

Thing is with the trains is that they make no sense.

Manchester to chesterfield open return £28, go one stop further to alfreton and it’s £36, do you get the chesterfield one and stop on to alfreton - £8 saved. (then get bus from top of alfreton station)

The tickets valid for a month and they never check, keep return ticket and then buy an advance single for about £8 for the next home game - another £20 saved.

I’ve always found the journey easy and reliable, straight journey, no changed, happy days.

[manssmooth]

Wasn't there once a poster on here called Iliketrainns?

I think there was sneag, I quite liked their posts, they were sort of innocent if I remember correctly. Although my memory isn't what it used to be

[Dan]

As someone that works in the industry (train signaller) it’s difficult not to be subjective. I travel to all Stags away games by train and have only experienced one complication this season, I stood from St Pancras to Nottingham for the early kick off at Meadow Lane, my own fault, I never reserved a seat and it was Nottingham University’s Open Day….the fact that I’d just finished a twelve hour night shift was soon forgotten and I enjoyed the journey home.

Can I ask you Worthing if being in the industry one of your perks is cheap/cheaper travel on the train?

I ask because whenever I've thought it'll be easier by train , when on their ticket sites it's akin to legalised extortion!!!!!

Yeah, I know what you mean about the cost of train travel, sadly we’re easily the most expensive in Europe and there appears to be an increase every January. I get free travel with the local train operating companies in the South East and attract a healthy 75% discount elsewhere. It cost me £12 return to Stroud (Forest Green) and for the longer distances, Crewe, Grimsby, Salford, Accrington, Morecambe etc I usually get there and back for £30 which would normally cost well over £110…. Obviously that compensates for often arriving home after midnight. Home games, Notts County and Burton were about £18. Local games (for me) Crawley, Sutton, Gillingham, I travel free….
Non Industry travellers can obtain cheaper tickets, by booking in advance, travelling with specific train operators and travelling cheaper routes, these cheaper tickets are sold on a first come first served basis and gradually climb in cost, whilst you can obtain some real bargains, they offer no flexibility and are non refundable. These train operators aren’t concerned about the customers, it may well be a service, but it’s predominantly a business now, and satisfying shareholders comes before satisfying customers, trains are full simply because the country is 73 million people and climbing.

If anyone deserves free/discouted travel then it's you with your committment of following us all over the place from down there.

[WorthingStag]

As someone that works in the industry (train signaller) it’s difficult not to be subjective. I travel to all Stags away games by train and have only experienced one complication this season, I stood from St Pancras to Nottingham for the early kick off at Meadow Lane, my own fault, I never reserved a seat and it was Nottingham University’s Open Day….the fact that I’d just finished a twelve hour night shift was soon forgotten and I enjoyed the journey home.

Can I ask you Worthing if being in the industry one of your perks is cheap/cheaper travel on the train?

I ask because whenever I've thought it'll be easier by train , when on their ticket sites it's akin to legalised extortion!!!!!

Yeah, I know what you mean about the cost of train travel, sadly we’re easily the most expensive in Europe and there appears to be an increase every January. I get free travel with the local train operating companies in the South East and attract a healthy 75% discount elsewhere. It cost me £12 return to Stroud (Forest Green) and for the longer distances, Crewe, Grimsby, Salford, Accrington, Morecambe etc I usually get there and back for £30 which would normally cost well over £110…. Obviously that compensates for often arriving home after midnight. Home games, Notts County and Burton were about £18. Local games (for me) Crawley, Sutton, Gillingham, I travel free….
Non Industry travellers can obtain cheaper tickets, by booking in advance, travelling with specific train operators and travelling cheaper routes, these cheaper tickets are sold on a first come first served basis and gradually climb in cost, whilst you can obtain some real bargains, they offer no flexibility and are non refundable. These train operators aren’t concerned about the customers, it may well be a service, but it’s predominantly a business now, and satisfying shareholders comes before satisfying customers, trains are full simply because the country is 73 million people and climbing.

If anyone deserves free/discouted travel then it's you with your committment of following us all over the place from down there.

Kind of you Dan, yes I’m committed but I’d pay full fare to watch our team, I worked today, it’s not easy signalling trains when your mind is 180 miles away. What a great result today ! Top of the league …

[Dan]

As someone that works in the industry (train signaller) it’s difficult not to be subjective. I travel to all Stags away games by train and have only experienced one complication this season, I stood from St Pancras to Nottingham for the early kick off at Meadow Lane, my own fault, I never reserved a seat and it was Nottingham University’s Open Day….the fact that I’d just finished a twelve hour night shift was soon forgotten and I enjoyed the journey home.

Can I ask you Worthing if being in the industry one of your perks is cheap/cheaper travel on the train?

I ask because whenever I've thought it'll be easier by train , when on their ticket sites it's akin to legalised extortion!!!!!

Yeah, I know what you mean about the cost of train travel, sadly we’re easily the most expensive in Europe and there appears to be an increase every January. I get free travel with the local train operating companies in the South East and attract a healthy 75% discount elsewhere. It cost me £12 return to Stroud (Forest Green) and for the longer distances, Crewe, Grimsby, Salford, Accrington, Morecambe etc I usually get there and back for £30 which would normally cost well over £110…. Obviously that compensates for often arriving home after midnight. Home games, Notts County and Burton were about £18. Local games (for me) Crawley, Sutton, Gillingham, I travel free….
Non Industry travellers can obtain cheaper tickets, by booking in advance, travelling with specific train operators and travelling cheaper routes, these cheaper tickets are sold on a first come first served basis and gradually climb in cost, whilst you can obtain some real bargains, they offer no flexibility and are non refundable. These train operators aren’t concerned about the customers, it may well be a service, but it’s predominantly a business now, and satisfying shareholders comes before satisfying customers, trains are full simply because the country is 73 million people and climbing.

If anyone deserves free/discouted travel then it's you with your committment of following us all over the place from down there.

Kind of you Dan, yes I’m committed but I’d pay full fare to watch our team, I worked today, it’s not easy signalling trains when your mind is 180 miles away. What a great result today ! Top of the league …

Not easy full stop mate. I went for some training years ago to do that job, very tough. Let's hope the runaway train in yellow and blue keeps on track!

[MHStag]

Thanks for sharing, have filled in.

I live around London so often getting trains back for home and away games. Still hanging on to my 26-30 railcard (just) which gets 1/3 off basically all trains. Once that expires not sure if it'd make sense financially to keep using trains, which is a shame because I do prefer it - can have a drink, chill on your phone, do some work, whatever and feels better for the environment.

Without getting "too political", it is a shame that for a country run by politicians that prides itself on Britain being the best at things that we have such substandard rail compared to other similar countries.

[Beyond The Pale]

Without getting "too political", it is a shame that for a country run by politicians that prides itself on Britain being the best at things that we have such substandard rail compared to other similar countries.

Especially when we pretty much invented bloody railways & gave them to the world!

Lets see if the realigning of the HS2 money makes it way to the long overdue Robin Hood Line extension to Warsop, Edwinstowe & Ollerton.

[Sneag]

Without getting "too political", it is a shame that for a country run by politicians that prides itself on Britain being the best at things that we have such substandard rail compared to other similar countries.

Especially when we pretty much invented bloody railways & gave them to the world!

Lets see if the realigning of the HS2 money makes it way to the long overdue Robin Hood Line extension to Warsop, Edwinstowe & Ollerton.

Spoiler alert. It won't.