How come a return train ticket to London from cornwall costs £235?

Question

BUT if you get 2 singles they are £32.50 each. Same trains/times etc......??? where is the logic??

Answer 1

£235 would be the peak fare and offers total flexibility. You could either go straight to Paddington with First Great Western, or change at Exeter and go to Waterloo courtesy of South West Trains. The revenue generated by this fare would be shared between operators, regardless of which one you used. The £32.50 single fare would be an "Advance" ticket which tied you to a specific train. Train operating companies prefer you to buy "Advance" tickets because they get to keep all the revenue generated from them.

Answer 2

It tends to be a lot cheaper if you restrict yourself to certain trains.

The £235 is probably an open return valid on any train. The return part will be valid for a month.

The cheap ones will restict you to the specified train on the ticket, if you don't catch that exact train your ticket is void and you would have to pay the full fair.

Answer 3

I have no idea why train fares are so expensive, it's not as if you get comfort or a reliable service for the extortionate sums they charge. Why not look at alternatives like National Express Coaches? They're not quick, but they are cheaper.

Answer 4

I don't know sorry, i'm not good at Trains only Planes.

In Croydon Train Station it costs about £14.97 per person, I'm not to sure.

Answer 5

Train fares are mad. If you travel from Liverpool to London before 9.30 you pay peak fare. If you travel from Liverpool to Crewe at the same time the local service is off peak, so you buy a local ticket to Crewe and a ticket from Crewe to London and you can travel on the peak rate train for an off peak fare as by the time you get to Crewe the train you are on is now off peak! Legally you have to put your foot out of the train and onto the platform at Crewe to break your journey. Totally mad. You have my sympathy.