Avanti Trains (match day travel from the South East)

[JGL07]

I suspect industry is trying to claw back its losses,of which rail was hit very hard.

They do not offer cheap fares to be nice to the travellers. Putting up prices at weekends will cost the railways passengers and lose them money. I assume that the absence of discounted fares is due to technical factors and uncertainties over the short term as @staffsblue has already pointed out.

Once things get back to something approaching normality, I expect the saver prices to be restored. Apart from anything else a number of people have shifted from rail to private car during the pandemic. The railways will want to win back this trade. I suppose it will depend if there is a big backlog if maintenance works with weekend closures.

We normally travel from Edinburgh by rail for match days. For the Everton match, the West Coast line was shut north of Carlisle for engineering works and the price to travel East Coast to Manchester via York was ridiculously high. So we ended up driving down and staying overnight.

 

[DTKOAG]

Ex rail travel coordinator. Well and truly retired from that role as well as my actual job!

I must say pal that your input over the years has been most helpful

 

[CatMan]

Finances are my sole limitation and effect only my away trips - home games won't wear thin any time soon. I haven't driven for 15 years, the new tech isn't a hassle personally and health problems can impact someone at any age. Your recent posts have been relentlessly negative on these issues, I don't really understand why. You don't even know for certain what the "regulated routine" will be for next season, seeing as our glorious leaders haven't yet announced what capacities will be allowed.

I think you are correct, my posts have been largely negative but they serve only as a barometer of how I, and I suspect countless others do, feel about every aspect of football as it is served up currently. I suppose I'm a bit like Victor Meldrew, struggling to come to terms with change. Each change just compounds my disassociation and erodes the desire to continue. Once upon a time our fans were the club, without us there was nothing. We could, and on occasions did, have managers and chairman removed. The club in effect worked for us if you like, effectively players and staff employed to represent a certain group's aspirations on a national stage, pitted against other folk's teams in tournaments that were historical, iconic and almost verging on holy. To win was almost to be chosen by God. Success was Nirvana but more often a failed dream as you spent season on season burning in the hell of hope. It was this longing for your team to one day become the chosen team that kept our fires burning.

Now we are nothing more than a colourful backdrop and of late we've been easily replaced with banners and placards. Our power has gone. Once we could choose not to attend, yet today I can't even get through on the phone to say I won't be attending so please don't keep taking my money! We are powerless and our importance is ranked only by our ability to spend money rather than cheer the team. We've become products of the product, secondary, almost legacy paraphernalia of a football long since gone.

 

[CityEssex49er]

Just checked on ' The Trainline ' from my local station here in Kent to Manchester for the first 3 weekends in August and get ' no tickets available; please refine your search '. Also checked from London and get the same which is strange as the tickets usually go on sale up to 12 weeks before departure. Going up by train is more relaxing and, of course, you can have a drink as well..............
With the cost of rail travel, I go with one or two others by car more often now - less than £20 each on petrol - with 3 of us -to Manchester so saves a packet but it's a long day; 3 o'clock kick off's are rare now as well. Prefer the away games but our points restrict us more and more these days............

 

[Fat Larrys Band]

Hang on for HS2.... I am sure tickets will be cheaper!!!

(If only)

 

[RegMuffin]

I think you are correct, my posts have been largely negative but they serve only as a barometer of how I, and I suspect countless others do, feel about every aspect of football as it is served up currently. I suppose I'm a bit like Victor Meldrew, struggling to come to terms with change. Each change just compounds my disassociation and erodes the desire to continue. Once upon a time our fans were the club, without us there was nothing. We could, and on occasions did, have managers and chairman removed. The club in effect worked for us if you like, effectively players and staff employed to represent a certain group's aspirations on a national stage, pitted against other folk's teams in tournaments that were historical, iconic and almost verging on holy. To win was almost to be chosen by God. Success was Nirvana but more often a failed dream as you spent season on season burning in the hell of hope. It was this longing for your team to one day become the chosen team that kept our fires burning.

Now we are nothing more than a colourful backdrop and of late we've been easily replaced with banners and placards. Our power has gone. Once we could choose not to attend, yet today I can't even get through on the phone to say I won't be attending so please don't keep taking my money! We are powerless and our importance is ranked only by our ability to spend money rather than cheer the team. We've become products of the product, secondary, almost legacy paraphernalia of a football long since gone.

Couldn't have put it better myself. We've become the bastard child of all I once derided United for. Each change does erode, yet the club worship at the feet of former players whilst proactively pissing off the supporters who were there cheering those very players on, which for many was the 60s and 70s or even before. We once had a voice but now are a cash cow.

Off topic perhaps but yes train prices, late KO changes (ie no cheap trains), VAR, queues, hassle, faff, hoops, apps, schemes.... In the grand scheme of push versus pull I opted to defer but even that comes with hoops and passive aggression that you are no longer loyal and may lose your seat.

 

[JGL07]

Just checked on ' The Trainline ' from my local station here in Kent to Manchester for the first 3 weekends in August and get ' no tickets available; please refine your search '. Also checked from London and get the same which is strange as the tickets usually go on sale up to 12 weeks before departure. Going up by train is more relaxing and, of course, you can have a drink as well..............
With the cost of rail travel, I go with one or two others by car more often now - less than £20 each on petrol - with 3 of us -to Manchester so saves a packet but it's a long day; 3 o'clock kick off's are rare now as well. Prefer the away games but our points restrict us more and more these days............

Your first mistake was using The Trainline. They are an agency that charges you extra to book ticket so either go directly to the Train Operating Company concerned or use the National Rail app which does not charge you extra.

 

[its a Barm]

Train tickets are impossible to book at the moment no tickets available for Wembley weekend tried to book for family to go London this weekend no chance no idea what's going on

 

[Chris Holmes]

Sat 14 - Sun 15 August	No	Timetable available on 6 July Please sign up for advance ticket alerts.
Mon 9 - Fri 13 August	Yes	Timetable available to view in booking engine Tickets available to book in booking engine
Sat 7 - Sun 8 August	No	Timetable available on 29 June Please sign up for advance ticket alerts.
Mon 2 - Fri 6 August	Yes	Timetable available to view in booking engine Tickets available to book in booking engine

Current Advanced Ticket timetable and release dates above

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Mon 2 - Fri 6 August	Yes	Timetable available to view in booking engine Tickets available to book in booking engine
Sat 7 - Sun 8 August	No	Timetable available on 29 June Please sign up for advance ticket alerts.
Mon 9 - Fri 13 August	Yes	Timetable available to view in booking engine Tickets available to book in booking engine
Sat 14 - Sun 15 August	No	Timetable available on 6 July Please sign up for advance ticket alerts.

Current Advanced Ticket timetable and release dates above

Cheers for that. Good find. Wish there was a way of finding out likely prices, as I’ll need to make a decision on deferment before then