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How I got 100% off my train travel

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Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#131

Post by nobody9999 »

BeeOnRope wrote: post #124
sensen wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I commuted via train for years when I lived in Chicago and a refund policy like Italy's definitely would've been amazing. Perhaps the trains would be more reliable with refunds, all we received was a late slip when the train was delayed by 2 hours..

What is a late slip?

>What is a late slip?

I imagine (I don't live in the Chicagoland area, so guessing here, perhaps someone from the 'burbs there can chime in) it's a note from the CTA saying the train was delayed so you can limit your negative exposure when you boss wants to know why you're two hours late.

Which is actually much more than NYC does. Although that has its advantages as well. The linked fortune[0] (actually an excerpt from a NYT 'Metropolitan Diary'[1] piece ca. 1980) details this:

   I for one cannot protest the recent M.T.A. fare hike and the accompanying
   promises that this would in no way improve service.  For the transit system,
   as it now operates, has hidden advantages that can't be measured in monetary 
   terms.

   Personally, I feel that it is well worth 75 cents or even $1 to have that 
   unimpeachable excuse whenever I am late to anything: "I came by subway."
   Those four words have such magic in them that if Godot should someday show up    
   and mumble them, any audience would instantly understand his long delay.
[0] https://motd.ambians.com/quotes.php/name/freebsd_fortunes/to...

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/column/metropolitan-diary

Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#132

Post by stephen_g »

amiga386 wrote: post #57
sarreph wrote: post #8

The UK train system is a dire, expensive mess. Attempting to avoid getting directly political here, but I strongly believe it’s one of the lowest hanging fruit a political party could act on to curry favour with the electorate. Would be amazing to see this productised à la the way split ticketing works.

It's harder than it looks. Excluding special cases like HS1 and TfL, we have three players: - Network Rail, who maintain the entire country's track, signalling, etc. Also owns and runs some major stations. Run at arms length by government, centrally funded. - Train Operating Companies (TOCs), who won a bid held every few years on how much they'll pay the government to be allowed a monopoly on running a particular reg…

> ROSCOs exist because trains are so expensive that neither government nor TOCs can afford them.

Is this sarcasm that I am missing? There is absolutely no reason that Government (or a Government-owned business) couldn't "afford" rolling stock. That's a really poor excuse (and completely made up) if they claim that.

Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#133

Post by dkga »

dan-robertson wrote: post #58
worldsayshi wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be so great if the rest of the world could take inspiration from Switzerland and Japan regarding train management. Also perhaps Ukraine. I heard they had stepped up during war time to the point of being more punctual than many other European countries.

Swiss trains are often on time because they are deliberately slow, and so they can speed up a bit if things are delayed. They are sometimes deliberately slow because the Swiss system is designed to have trains arrive and leave interchange stations at the same time to make changing trains easier. Some are also slow because they take routes that wind along mountainsides which are scenic but not particularly direct.

Well, that and their amazing logistics. Their annual time table is even connected to the local public transport in major and medium-sized cities.

Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#134

Post by toephu2 »

spxcxlxxs wrote: post #68
controlledchaos wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a North American who travels in the UK multiple times per year, I really need you to elaborate. My experience has been nothing less than amazing, in comparison to the complete lack of rail options at home.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Japan. Wait till you try the trains there! They're so punctual that delays issue a certificate for employees to present to employers* * Source: random article

Wait until you try high speed rail in China. They're 10-15 years ahead of Japan.

Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#135

Post by toephu2 »

kevinventullo wrote: post #48
dylan604 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I suppose anything below 30 minutes is consideres "on time". sounds about right for the stereotype. it's the 'murikans that are the ones so uptight about time

Japan would like to have a word.

China would like to have a word.

Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#136

Post by thayne »

HPsquared wrote: post #43
sksksk wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree that it's a dire , expensive mess. But it doesn't seem like low hanging fruit at all... Anything that will improve the situation will be expensive and/or take a long time to achieve.

And "short-term cost, long-term benefit" is kryptonite to the average politician. "We get the blame, the next guy takes the credit"

Which is why the mess of American healthcare won't be fixed anytime soon.

Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#137

Post by InitialLastName »

mattigames wrote: post #127
tehjoker wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

china has elections you know

Sure, "elections", that's why Xi has been president for how many years already? I lost count

When the key criteria for leadership selection is alignment with a specific ideology, and that ideology is defined by a specific person, it's almost tautological that said person will end up in charge for as long as they'd like to be.

Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#138

Post by protocolture »

Symbiote wrote: post #80
blibble wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it's not dire and it's not expensive compared to the next reasonable alternatives if you compare the cost of a London commuter belt season ticket compared to the cost of driving+parking, it is still very much a bargain

It's expensive for irregular users. If I want to visit friends in Derby, coming from London, that's £81. For no good reason, a return ticket is £84. If I need to travel at peak times, that's £123. Booked months in advance it might be £20, roughly what a bus ticket costs.

Thats crazy.

But maybe you guys need to adopt the inter suburban mindset.

Those charges are what an Australian in NSW would expect to pay for a long distance rail service. Something with food service. I remember paying 120 bucks for a Casino to Newcastle years ago.

But the NSW intersuburbans run on the same ticketing and pricing system as the suburban lines. Newcastle, which seems to be roughly the same distance from Sydney as Derby is from London, costs like 6 - 12 bucks. Walk on walk off, like any other train.

The biggest issue they have is that the new rolling stock is garbage. The older trains were costing too much to maintain but they were quite comfortable for 12 bucks.

Brisbane to Gympie is pretty cheap too tbh. Same deal, slightly different schedule but run as an intersuburban rather than another rail class.

Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#139

Post by elpalek »

toephu2 wrote: post #134
spxcxlxxs wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Japan. Wait till you try the trains there! They're so punctual that delays issue a certificate for employees to present to employers* * Source: random article

Wait until you try high speed rail in China. They're 10-15 years ahead of Japan.

Can you please elaborate on the Chinese advantage?

Re: How I got 100% off my train travel

#140

Post by labster »

Aeolun wrote: post #121
1024core wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh yeah? https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/17/611860169...

To be fair, it’s hard to see why a properly planned train journey would have any delays at all.

Maybe a huge snowstorm happens blocking the train overnight, then someone is murdered on board, and a detective has to figure out who the perpetrator is before the next station?
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