Public transport

River walk who knows why she didn't have any more money or access to a card of some kinds - there have been occasions over the last year when I didn't even have £40 to my name and I was living out of my thankfully once well stocked freezer
However she didn't - and you are indeed lucky if you can walk that far
Did we speak in a previous life ? HPB quite a small world

GailJ sorry you had a horrible journey. I use public transport all the time by choice in the West Midlands and for travelling to and around London, but I don't have your difficulties. I find planning is key, that way you get the fare at the best price and using my bus pass means many journeys are free.

Hello GailJ. That sounds really grim. I don't think there's any such thing as advance or off peak fares on that train route is there. Imagine what a season ticket would cost. Horrors!
Because I no longer have a car I use the trains around the country quite a lot. My favourite line is Virgin. Quite the most comfortable and good value.
When in London I use the buses and much prefer them to the tube. You get a sense of London's geography, some great views, and they have an auto announce system of the stops, which takes the angst out of knowing where you are. If you are lucky enough to qualify for the bus pass, you can use that after 9.30 am. On the routes I usually travel - between stations - I haven't found getting a seat a problem either. You just need to allow plenty of time in case of traffic build up, and forget the traditional British queue.

Train ticket prices vary according to when they are purchased. If you are able to book ahead they are much cheaper than on the day. Sometimes you can plan ahead, sometimes you can't

Thanks to Boris anyone in Greater London area gets free travel in & around the capital. I live in Surrey but very close - about 4 miles -from border with GL. So when my WI go out on theatre /museum trips etc they all travel free as they live just within the border I have to pay an exorbitant amount. Not griping- I'd far rather live in Surrey but it is amazing how much they can save over a year!

Train fares seem to be a law unto themselves, but an off peak day return to Euston from Milton Keynes (a lot further than Royston!) is only about £12, I pay £10.50 or thereabouts with a Senior Railcard. A one-day travelcard (again using my Railcard) sat week was £14.50
Granted peak time travel is more expensive and "any service" (Virgin and London Midland) also comes in more expensive, but knowing the times of the off peak trains there and back I usually get by with the cheaper option by restricting my travel to one company. Parking within a 10 minute walk of the station is another matter and either £8 or £10 for the day depending on where.
I am lucky that I have rarely needed to buy a peak time ticket, but when I did a single plus an off peak return shaved a few pounds off the total.
GailJ you were ripped off
(National Express is certainly cheaper especially when there is free parking at the Coachway, as we have. But slow. )

I have every sympathy GailJ. On Friday I had a meeting in London at 0930 so had to brave the rush hour on the tube. I used to do it in my 20s but in my 60s it was awful. I did get offered a seat eventually after 3 stops but there was no way I could even get to a seat when I first got on - I was jammed against the door. I walk with a stick when I'm out but it means nothing in the rush hour. Hell on earth!

GailJ - was the course at short notice? Usually you can get a much better price by booking with one of the on-line ticket companies if you have some notice that you need to travel. Fortunately I no longer have to travel from Dover to London for work as I took early retirement two years ago now but I used to hate it too - fighting for a seat on the journey home was horrible.

agree

Have to say I find train travel pretty acceptable and civilised in the main. I do the Edinburgh/London regularly but I do book well in advance and I have a railcard. HOWEVER...... I had one horrendous journey last week from the Midlands. First train running late caused me to miss my connection. Not at all unusual methinks but....... trying to seek advice from a small UNMANNED station was unbelievable. I had to speak then listen into a minute grille in a wall on a platform whilst trains chuntered through at close proximity AND constant overhead announcements were being made. Huh! I did the unthinkable and used a bit of initiative only to be told that my ticket was not valid for the trip. I took three lots of DIFFERENT advice on the 'rules' and then chose the one that suited me best. I asked the lady in question to print me out an official schedule. On subsequent trains the conductors all queried my authenticity but I tried I tried explaining and then showed the printout and they shrugged and moved on. Amazingly, I only arrived home 2 1/2 hours late. Of course, also lost my seat reservations. Mmmmmmmm........ I'll try sticking to one-train journeys in future or at least huge connection gaps. Blimey. I was truly OK with the original delay. Rubbish happens. The lack of addressing the problem was quite shocking. How would tourists with perhaps an English language limitation cope?

now you kept THAT quiet EVERYONE in GL gets free travel?

I noticed that the Wick to Inverness train was cancelled this morning. Next one? 4 1/2 hours! I think a few people would have been upset. And they wonder why the numbers travelling on this line is reducing.

Kim have you complained?
A friend was traveling from Milton Keynes to Perth and a late arrival meant missing a connection. The help she'd prearranged was not provided and the next available train did not meet the 1st class conditions so she was actively encouraged to complete a complaints form.
She received an apology and compensation and was treated very courteously.

If you go by train regularly its worth getting a senior railcard - you can only travel off peak but its much cheaper and less crowded. And you can use your bus pass in LOndon so avoid the underground. Try googling 'train line' in advance to check times and prices and even to buy your ticket in advance. Its also much cheaper to buy your ticket much earlier (ie weeks before you travel) if possible.
I know some of this might not be possible in your case, but at least by checking fares online you'd have been prepared with the right amount of money, or the packed lunch.
I think it's shocking that people did not offer you a seat - I have found that they often do, even in London. Im not disabled so I must look particularly old!1

Book the seat and ticket in advance! We don't go to London much now (lived there many moons ago!)but always pre-book tickets as it's cheaper and you can book a seat so can sit down. Now have the advantage of a senior railcard (there must be some perks for being over 60!!)

mcem. Thank you. No I didn't complain. Just so pleased and relieved to get home that I dropped in a chair and unwound. That was last Monday (15th) so I think I've left it unreasonably late. Also......I'm ashamed to say I'm lazy enough not to want hassle - even for financial gain. Tempted but lazy...... Again, thank you for the thought, mcem. Appreciated.

I used to travel from Somerset & now Devon to Yorkshire to visit DM. I have a Senior Railcard so save 1/3 off fare. Last journey was in December, cost with Railcard reduction was £96 plus taxi between Manchester Piccadilly & Manchester Victoria.

When I visited DM in May I drove there as she has now sold her car (88 & poor eyesight), she lives in a small village with limited buses, no shop, no pub. Cost of petrol £80 & convenience of my car to go out exploring & lunches.

I used to live & work in Surrey just outside Greater London, at times I had to travel into London for courses & meetings, luckily my station was only the 3rd one from the start of the journey so I could always get a seat. Hate using the tube, buses in London are much better.

Freedom pass applies to any-one living in Greater London of Pensionable age, used to be 60 but now in line with increase which will plateau at 66 in 2021

From time to time we go to London, sometimes with grandchildren. Get south eastern service ( NOT southern) from West st Leonards to London Bdge. or CharingX. Leave about 10 am, always get seats on what is often a half empty train. Coming home can be more tricky. Get tickets well in advance so cheaper, ( can get refund if you don't like the look of the weather and don't go). We street park the car, so no fee there.
Usually take packed lunch...eat early on the train, though there's always picnic in St James Park possible.

By the way we have a3year railcard each. Well worth it.

We are very lucky to be able to use Chiltern Railways. I just booked a single ticket to Marylebone from north Oxfordshire for Wednesday - the prices varied throughout the day but I didn't mind what time I travelled and got one leaving around lunchtime for £3.65. I do have a Senior railcard.

I live near Greenwich, we have a fantastic bus service, the jubilee line, DLR. we can go free on transport in London and where we live too. I haven't gone by train to other parts of England but have friends that travel by coach from Victoria and find it cheap.

Hi GailJ you might not have had any choice on this occasion but off-peak is the only way, that is usually after 9.30 here or try a one-day travel card which includes the buses and tubes off-peak of course. The only problem with sandwiches is that you have got to find somewhere you can sit and eat them, so just depends which bit of London you were in. Good luck next time!

lol thanks -

My DD lives in Letchworth, not that far from Royston and she has some kind of travel card, I am not sure which, she certainly has an oyster card. She goes up to London quite frequently, to the theatre and to visit friends and certainly wouldn't be doing that if it cost her £40, or anything near it for her ticket.

I think, as another GNer said, you need to get online and investigate all the options, from travel cards to advance booking. If you do that you should be able to drastically reduce the cost. Sometimes it is something as trivial as getting the train just before or just after the one you were thinking of travelling on. This weekend someone told me that they could cut the cost of a journey they made regularly from £32 to £6, just be getting a train 20 minutes earlier than the one they usually aimed for.

I am registered blind and also have a heart condition, but because my blind bus pass allows me to travel at any time I usually avoid the crowds.

However a few months ago I had to travel at peak time and got on a bus which was totally packed and standing room only. So I stood with my white stick trying to wedge myslef into the luggage rack to help keep balance. The disabled seats were all full of young people going to work.

Anyway much to my surprise the Bus driver switched off his engine, got out his newspaper and started to read it. A few minutes passed and people were muttering we'll be late for work etc etc and this isn't a rest stop. Eventually one of them shouted to the bus driver asking him what he was playing at and he replied "I'm not moving this bus till one of you "Brass Studs" moves and lets the blind gentleman sit down!"

I've never known people move so fast to offer me a seat, and when I was seated the driver continued!