car hire v train prices

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mjr
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by mjr »

TonyR wrote:
mjr wrote:
tyreon wrote:Portsmouth to Leicester.

Cheapest walk up fare is £88, super off peak, leave Portsmouth between 8 and 1 or after 4. Anyone know if you can book bikes onto EMT at two hours notice?


It's substantially cheaper to buy two advanced singles - about £56 - and cheaper still with a railcard although that has an up front outlay.

I know and that's what I'd do, booking online and collect tickets from the machine at the departure station, but tyreon had expressed unwillingness to buy online, so that leaves the walk up fares... but can you book bikes on like that?
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TonyR
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by TonyR »

mjr wrote:
TonyR wrote:It's substantially cheaper to buy two advanced singles - about £56 - and cheaper still with a railcard although that has an up front outlay.

I know and that's what I'd do, booking online and collect tickets from the machine at the departure station, but tyreon had expressed unwillingness to buy online, so that leaves the walk up fares... but can you book bikes on like that?


AFAIK the only train requiring cycle reservations on that journey is the East Midlands train from London to Leicester and that must be booked no later that 20:00 the day before and after (or as part of) buying the tickets. You can of course do it over the phone if you don't want to buy on-line.
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by PH »

tyreon wrote:Unfortunately I am trapped in Santander. My wife and I have never booked anything via a mobile job with giving out bank details etc. Have you heard of banking promises and those made by government. I know you mean well, with no secure network and no printer and not having done anything like this before...and knowing executive promises mean...me v30 lawyers , I remain very, very cautious about any on line advanced booking.


If you have a fear on online transactions, get a pre paid debit card. The best travel deals are online and it's a shame to miss out on them.
ChrisF
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by ChrisF »

I've bought advance train tickets in the UK using a PC many times, it's very easy, and with most sites (trainline.co.uk excluded) you can also book a bike.
But I recently tried booking a UK train (Gatwick->home) while I was in Austria with my phone (and also with an iPad) and the transaction failed every time; I tried two different credit cards. I think the security popop from the bank's site was blocking everything from completing. I must investigate this with my bank before next time!
You can't ask easily someone else to book for you, because you need to use the same credit card to collect you tickets.
Chris F, Cornwall
axel_knutt
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by axel_knutt »

mjr wrote:booking online and collect tickets from the machine at the departure station, but tyreon had expressed unwillingness to buy online, so that leaves the walk up fares... but can you book bikes on like that?


So you don't need a printer? Do they give you a PIN number to type into the machine or something? Is there any hassle with machines not working, or not recognising the booking? I've always travelled walk-up because I rarely know in advance when I'm going, I've got the bike on OK, but I had a few arguments on occasion.

I'm itching to hire a car at the moment, but I daren't because the trade seems to be rife with scams these days. I also have an issue with head and leg room too, so I don't relish the idea of being fobbed off with an "equivalent" model when I collect it.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by PH »

axel_knutt wrote:So you don't need a printer? Do they give you a PIN number to type into the machine or something? Is there any hassle with machines not working, or not recognising the booking? .

You get a booking reference, put your card in, put the reference in, get tickets. You can nominate the station you collect from, doesn't have to be the departure one. I've just collected tickets at the Derby Station for a train from Penzance next month. If you book more than a few days in advance you can also have them posted, though I think it costs a couple of quid.
I use the train at least once a week and have done for more than a year, always booked on line in advance (And saved a fortune, big savings even on local journeys) not yet had or heard of a problem.
TonyR
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by TonyR »

PH wrote:
axel_knutt wrote:So you don't need a printer? Do they give you a PIN number to type into the machine or something? Is there any hassle with machines not working, or not recognising the booking? .

You get a booking reference, put your card in, put the reference in, get tickets. You can nominate the station you collect from, doesn't have to be the departure one. I've just collected tickets at the Derby Station for a train from Penzance next month. If you book more than a few days in advance you can also have them posted, though I think it costs a couple of quid.
I use the train at least once a week and have done for more than a year, always booked on line in advance (And saved a fortune, big savings even on local journeys) not yet had or heard of a problem.


If that's too complicated you can take your ticket booking reference number to a ticket office and they'll issue it for you.
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by PH »

TonyR wrote:
If that's too complicated you can take your ticket booking reference number to a ticket office and they'll issue it for you.


I didn't know that.
tyreon
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by tyreon »

I think ive followed the discussion and appreciate the help

Am probably talking nonsense but from recall recall some trains accepting bikes are still at the discretion of the guard, todays train manager.

Most guards are fine, but I accept they have to follow rules and regs or get disciplined. I try to defer to authority but sometimes fail. As Mr Awkard meeting Mr Rules and Reg guard and being denied access to a train, when is a bike not a bike? I mean if i dissembled a bike its 2 wheels and a frame, no? I dont fancy a night sitting out at St Pancras station.

For the record, I feel very paranoid hiring any car these days. Invisible costs, then full fuel tanks. I would also have to video the whole car to sight any damage. L8st me trust in this world, sorry to say
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Re: car hire v train prices

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PH wrote:I use the train at least once a week and have done for more than a year, always booked on line in advance (And saved a fortune, big savings even on local journeys) not yet had or heard of a problem.

I've been using the train less often that that but using the click+collect tickets since they first became available. The only problem I recall is the occasional failure to encode the ticket for the barriers correctly, so I had to ask the barrier operator to let me through each time, which they all did.

tyreon wrote:Most guards are fine, but I accept they have to follow rules and regs or get disciplined. I try to defer to authority but sometimes fail. As Mr Awkard meeting Mr Rules and Reg guard and being denied access to a train, when is a bike not a bike? I mean if i dissembled a bike its 2 wheels and a frame, no? I dont fancy a night sitting out at St Pancras station.

If it's booked, it's booked and I'd kick up a stink. It's the trains where you can't book and it's basically "first two bikes OK and the rest at discretion" where Mr Awkward could cause problems, but it's never happened to me, although I've not tried to take my bike anywhere that's really really busy.

To turn a bike into luggage in theory you need to get it under 90cm x 70cm x 30cm according to http://www.atob.org.uk/bike-rail/uk-bik ... vel-guide/ which few bike bags seem to do (shortest I've seen is 115cm) but in practice there have been a few stories of people putting hastily-bought wrapping paper around a fully-built bike and getting let through...
For the record, I feel very paranoid hiring any car these days. Invisible costs, then full fuel tanks. I would also have to video the whole car to sight any damage. L8st me trust in this world, sorry to say

I'm with you there. I've only been stung for debatably-accurate charges but I've overheard some blazing arguments whlie returning hire cars - I have also been lucky by refusing an upgrade at the counter, then getting a free upgrade in the collection car park because they'd sold out of the class we'd hired.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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geocycle
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by geocycle »

mjr wrote:If it's booked, it's booked and I'd kick up a stink.


So would I. But, the small print still gives the 'guard' the final say. I was on a train toward Manchester a couple of years ago with a connection to Hull and the ferry. The train was busy and the bike space full with cases. The guard tried to tell me there wasn't space and I should get off the next stop even though I'd booked and attached the ticket to the bike. After 10 minutes of me re-arranging the cases he went away shaking his head. I checked afterwards and he was technically correct.
ferdinand
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by ferdinand »

Did Nottm to Portsmouth Harbour last Nov, and it came to about £35 booked 48 hours in advance.

You may want to book the legs separately because they tend to make assumptions about how quickly you will get across London.

Portsmouth is likely to be OK walkup, but you may need to book a bike space on the Leicester train if you are tied to the particular service.

I'd book it via the East Coast website for the bike space or over Skype from a net cafe.

If you get bumped from a train from because the Guard says No Bike, even on an Advanced ricket, you are entitled to travel on the next one. Or that is what they told me when I queried not being able to book a bike space on the Portsmouth leg.

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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by PH »

I did Derby - Southampton last year for a bit under £30, direct train with no changes. Quick look shows that you can go Southampton - Birmingham for £25.40 with a change in Portsmouth. And Birmingham - Leicester for £4.20. it's two changes but you don't have to go through London.

The only train I've failed to get on was a Virgin East coast Mainline without a reservation, unexpected trip, they have a guard who lets you on and off, it wasn't a problem I got on the Cross Country train 10 min later.
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by Mick F »

If I were to get from somewhere to somewhere and take my bike, the last thing I would do would be to use the train.
I've done it a couple of times, but no more. The hassle just isn't worth it.

I went up to Edinburgh with my Mercian and luckilly the train started off in Plymouth so I was first on. Had I got on in Bristol or Birmingham, there would have been no room at all. I'd booked, no doubt other people hadn't as it was a commuter train for most of the journey. Good job I was first on!

Also, I took the train down to Redruth with Mercian. Again I was first on at Plymouth, but it was a commuter train again and if I'd tried to get on only two stops later, it would have been packed solid in the bike stowage. I was seriously worried about my precious Mercian.

Coming back in the afternoon, the train had left Penzance and I only just managed to get on.

I sent my Raleigh Chopper and Trailer to Wick by pallet, then followed on by train. As I was riding JOGLE for charity, the transport firm did it for free. Had I needed to pay, it would have been about £100. They provided the pallet, a friend and I wrapped it up, and the transport firm picked it up and took it north. I collected it at Wick Airport. I would do this again, even with my Mercian if the need arises.

Other than that, a hire car is the next best thing ............. but trains and a bike? No way! :shock:
Mick F. Cornwall
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by PH »

I wouldn't have a bike I wasn't happy taking on the train, it's where Ti really comes into it's own, takes the knocks without any paint to worry about. My painted bike gets a bit of pipe lagging over the main tubes and has never come to any harm. I see a bike as a transport as well as leisure vehicle, seamless bike - train - bike journeys have become second nature in the fifteen years I haven't owned a car. I hear lots of stories like MickF's where there was nearly a problem, but hardly any where there's actually been one.
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