Odd Rail Pricing: St Pancras - Dover Priory first class.

• Guest 640

  • Registered: 21 Apr 2007
  • Posts: 7,819
  27 May 2010     07:4153534
  #1      
  This morning Dover got a big mention on the BBC's national flagship programme..The Today programme on Radio 4. but it was in relation to something rather oddball.
  
  This morning a consumner affairs expert from WHICH was talking about the total bizarre situation that exists on the railways of the United Kingdom. For example in London, said he the expert, they are selling First Class tickets to Dover Priory from St Pancras. Allsorts of passengers from tourists to ill informed travellers of all kinds buy these tickets. But here's the bizarre thing. FIRST CLASS doesnt exist. There isnt a First Class bvetween London St Pancras to Dover Priory and there hasnt been for years..yet they keep on selling the tickets to the hapless.
  
  The victims then get on the trains after their high cost purchase and galloping gazumpahs to their horror, and after extensive sojourns up and down the corridors in question...there are NO First Class compartments to be found. Heavens...one has to sit in amongst the plebs. Really, a fate worse than death!
  
  We all know about the horrifically impenetrable situation that exists when buying railways tickets but surely even in the bizarre world of railway ticket pricing, this has got to take the biscuit.
  
  Weird World of Wonderful RailWays.
  email: dover7@msn.com
• Guest 695

  • Registered: 30 Mar 2010
  • Posts: 426
  27 May 2010     08:5753541
  #2      
  Surely a case for trading standards to take on.
  
  Perhaps the rail company are researching the market to decide if they should offer a First Class carriage service. Odd way of going about it though.
• Bob Frost

  • Location: Deal
  27 May 2010     09:0953543
  #3      
  I think I'm going to start paying the premium for first class travel.
  
  At least one is now assured that one won't be sharing the carriage with a load of M.P.s!
• Sid Perkins

  • Location: Dover
  27 May 2010     11:3053563
  #4      
  Or Police Chiefs Bob!
• Guest 660

  • Registered: 14 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 3,205
  27 May 2010     12:5353571
  #5      
  There may be a reason for this happening,lets give you an example,a friend of mine is travelling to Durham with a railcard,say the advance purchase fare is £44 one way and £44 back,you can get a first class ticket to Durham say for £55 each way.So people who want more space and decided to travel first class buy the advance tickets for £11 extra,one problem,there is no first class on the high speed.These tickets are a combined fare so in fact they do not charge you first class from Dover to St Pancras but you have a first class ticket.
  But you will notice it said on the report St Pancras to Dover 1st class,as I am sure some train companies have not got the message that there are no first class because we get lots of people buying day returns just on the high speed from London who have 1st class tickets.
  Another example is taking first class fares to say Brighton or any where along the South Coast,where there are no first class fares Ashford to Hastings,yet you can buy a first class ticket as a combined fare and they discount the Ashford to Hastings bit so you can have a first class ticket where there are not first class the whole way.
  If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
• howard mcsweeney1

  • Location: Dover
  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 62,352
  27 May 2010     14:2153580
  #6      
  this all reminds me of one of my childhood japes.
  go up to the counter, then ask the person behind for a return ticket.
  they then ask return to where?
  my reply "here you *****.
• Sid Perkins

  • Location: Dover
  27 May 2010     14:4253588
  #7      
  John, that's clear as mud, thanks for the explanation; it was a valiant attempt. Think I'll stick to driving.
• Guest 693

  • Registered: 12 Nov 2009
  • Posts: 1,266
  27 May 2010     14:4553589
  #8      
  Almost as clear as the British Airways fares info, Sid. Along the lines of : "Think of a number......"
  
  As least BA do have a first class cabin, though!
  True friends stab you in the front.
• Guest 695

  • Registered: 30 Mar 2010
  • Posts: 426
  27 May 2010     16:5253616
  #9      
  That's where the captain is isn't it Andy?
• Sid Perkins

  • Location: Dover
  27 May 2010     20:1353657
  #10      
  That's where all the Captains go Tony. Autopilot is a wonderful thing.
• Guest 694

  • Registered: 22 Mar 2010
  • Posts: 778
  28 May 2010     09:0653743
  #11      
  I cant find the tickets, but I am pretty sure than when I saw JHG down at the station and we brought our tickets to go to see the wonderful Rhod Gilbert he didnt sell us first class tickets, so think its also down to the person in the office surely..
  
  as an aside not we really enjoyed the day out JHG.. had a right old laugh even if my darling brother was a grumpy chops!!