No inflated prices at TrainTickets.co

We're all a bit more savvy about train travel nowadays. We don't just turn up at the station with five minutes to go and pay a fortune for our ticket. We know that if we go online a few days - or even a few weeks - in advance we can pay far less for our ticket.

But before we get carried away with just how clever we have become, it's worth bearing in mind that many of us are still paying almost 50% more than we need to - because we're falling foul of the rip off train booking websites.

The complexities of the UK train system make it tricky to know exactly who will be operating your rail service. There are scores of services around the country and even the same journey is often run by more than one train company. It's hardly surprising, therefore, that so many people don't try to tack down their train company website.

The rip off
There's no doubt that they are easy to use, but research by Southern Railway has discovered that they often charge far more than going direct to the rail company, and in some instances charge 50% more.

They searched for a journey from Brighton to London Victoria, and found that while their lowest fare was £4.50, Trainline and Raileasy would charge £5. To add insult to injury the other companies also add a booking fee, a fee if you use a credit card and another fee if you want the tickets posted to you first class. It means overall a £4.50 ticket from Southern would set you back £9.50 at The Trainline or £8.95 from Raileasy.

The solution
And you don't need to be booking tickets with the operator running your service in order to pay less. Most operators will allow you to book on other company's lines, and it will still constitute a saving. The railway operator found that in every single case it was cheaper to buy direct from Southern, even when travelling outside their operating area.

Alistair Buckle, head of marketing at Southern Railway said: "With headline adverts like 'Save up to 80% on train tickets', customers could be mistaken into thinking they are getting a good deal by using a commercial ticket site. In fact, these percentages only compare the commercial sites' prices to the cost of buying a ticket at a station on the day of travel, when even greater savings could be made by buying advance tickets direct from the train operators' websites. The truth is that all commercial ticket sites include a mark-up on the face value of the tickets sold, and then create extra revenue with added booking and credit card fees, further increasing the cost to the consumer."

The simple message, therefore is that if you have a few minutes more to shop around for your ticket, you could save significant sums. It's worth doing a search for who runs the service and looking up the prices on its website. It's also worth bookmarking a few other operators who don't charge booking fees, postage fees or credit card fees, so you know you can make a saving when you travel.


With no booking fees TrainTickets.co is the place to go for the best deals on Train Tickets

Railways upgrade postponed

CHILTERN Railways has postponed bringing in its new speeded-up timetable for May, just days after unveiling it.
The train operator said it had taken the decision to reduce the risk of disruption for passengers after reviewing progress on its Evergreen3 improvement project, which will cut journey times between Oxfordshire and London by about 25 per cent.
The review found there was a possibility that the final phase of engineering work in late April and early May could overrun and disrupt services at short notice.
Chiltern’s chairman Adrian Shooter said: “We’re obviously disappointed to be postponing the launch of the Chiltern Mainline timetable but I do believe it’s the right decision for our passengers.”
As a result of the decision, work to commission the final track and signalling changes will be rescheduled for the end of August, when many commuters are on holiday.
Once the work is complete, trains will be able to run at 100mph most of the way between London Marylebone, Bicester and Banbury.
Mr Shooter added: “We’re sorry that we’re not able to offer the improved service from May as planned, but it will be ready when commuters get back from their summer break.”
Chris Bates, chairman of the Cherwell Rail Users’ Group, said: “Something has slipped, what it is I’m not sure at the moment.”
He added: “They have done the right thing. There was no way to complete the commissioning in the time they had left, to be ready for May 22, when the new timetable was due to start.
“They now need to give passengers more information, as quickly as possible, about when the work will be rescheduled, so they can plan for work and holidays.”
Book your train tickets today at www.traintickets.co 

More Brits use high-speed rail to reach luxury villa holidays

More and more Brits are opting for high-speed rail travel as their chosen transport for summer holidays.

Ideal for villa holidays in France, high-speed rail now has the highest number of UK passengers since the 1920s, according to the Association of Train Operator Companies (ATOC).

ATOC member Eurostar has seen passenger numbers double over the last 30 years.

Last year, the travel company had 9.5 million passengers, travelling to a range of European destinations including Lille, Paris and Nice.

Brits planning luxury villa holidays in France this year can travel to a range of French cities with Eurostar.

Recent research by the rail company revealed that 97 per cent of respondents believe Eurostar's services have brought the UK closer to France and Belgium in terms of social and cultural exchanges.

Travellers currently have the opportunity to win free rail tickets as part of a new social media campaign launched by the company.

To enter, passengers have to upload a video of themselves explaining why they want to visit a Eurostar destination, before asking people to vote online for their entries.

The Blue Train Magic

The Blue Train has an aura of mystique about it. Kings and presidents have travelled on this magnificent moving five-star hotel. Its very name has become synonymous with the ultimate in luxury and personal service.
The routes of The Blue Train - both scheduled and chartered - take guests through some of the most breathtaking countryside to be found anywhere in the world.

As the ever-changing scenery flashes past the windows, guests can savour exquisite meals freshly prepared on board by top chefs. Our meals are complemented by the best wines South Africa has to offer.
The suites on The Blue Train live up to its reputation for magnificence and splendour. The finest bed linen, marble tiles and gold fittings in the bathrooms and sheer opulence all ensure that guests will never forget the time they spend on The Blue Train.
When you choose to travel on The Blue Train, you choose to travel in a world of grace, elegance and romance.

Bergen to Oslo - one of the greatest rail tours in the world

If you want to see everything beautiful Norway has to offer - from vibrant city life to some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world - then rail tours are the perfect way to do it.

While attempting to tour a country by road can be difficult, involving expensive hire cars, having to tackle tricky foreign motorway signs and spending time working out the route on a map, riding the railway means that all the hard work is done for you.

Indeed, this is why Europe train holidays are among the best getaways to choose if exploring several towns and cities, rather than staying at one resort, is your idea of the perfect break.

If you are planning to see Norway in this way, there are a number of options from which to choose from. You can travel from Bergen to Oslo or vice versa, or you may prefer to take a shorter rail tour for just part of the route.

The Bergen Railway, which links the Norwegian capital of Oslo with the country's second largest city Bergen, allows you to sit back and relax as you race between two tourism hotspots, stopping off at several exciting destinations on the way.

Journeying to a high point of 1,222 metres above sea level, the track is among the highest altitude railway lines in the world - allowing you to take in spectacular scenery from the comfort of your seat.

If you begin your journey from Bergen, you should spend a few days in this lively city before you board your train.

With several museums and art galleries waiting to be visited - including the Bergen Art Museum, home of several pieces by Edvard Munch - you may also wish to spend some time walking around the huge outdoor fish market.

Norway is renowned for its seafood dishes and this could be the perfect way for you to sample some of the national cuisine for yourself.

After enjoying a hearty meal, visitors could head to Bergenhus Fortress - Norway's best preserved fort and once the home of the country's king - or the Unesco World Heritage site of Bryggen.

Once you have finished exploring Bergen you can board the train and let your rail adventure begin.

Departing from the city, you will be transported in comfort and style up into the rugged mountains of Norway, where you will be rewarded with outstanding bird's eye views across the forests and fjords.

Your train will race along as you stay warm inside and the journey will include the exhilarating experience of blasting through several tunnels that have been carved through the mountains - including the 5.5-mile Trollkona tunnel.

After a few stops, including the beautiful suburb of Arna nestled in the foothills of Norway's highest mountain, Gullfjellet, you will reach Voss - a firm favourite with winter sports enthusiasts due to it being regarded as one of the country's premier ski resort destinations.

Next stop is the mountain station of Myrdal, where your journey will continue on the Flam Railway - one of the most beautiful lines in the world that will see you enjoying views of waterfalls, deep ravines, fast-flowing rivers, sheer slopes, Alpine farms and snow-capped mountains through your window.

The track is also one of the steepest in the world and as it twists and turns through mountain tunnels you are sure to wonder at this feat of Norwegian engineering.

Once you have snaked through some 20 tunnels - the majority of which were hand-drilled - you will reach the literal high point of your trip, Taugevann, situated 4,267 feet above sea level.

The highest station on the route is Finse - a town that is so remote no roads lead to it, meaning you can appreciate how lucky you are to spend time in this quiet and snowy spot that is still packed full with things to see and do.

Next on your trip you will be able to enjoy the scenery as your train snakes through the Hallingdal Valley past the Hallingdalselva River to Lake Kroderen, where you will be greeted by the mountain of Norefjell.

In addition to this awe-inspiring sight, you can expect to travel through a wild landscape on this part of your trip and you may even be able to indulge in a little nature-spotting through your window.

The end of the line is Oslo and you are sure to appreciate the chance you had to relax in comfort while on board the train, as this vibrant capital city is made to be explored.

Among the attractions you may wish to take in is the Royal Palace - which can be toured during the summer - the cathedral and the opera house.

Once your holiday is over, you are sure to take home with you memories that last a lifetime.

Train Tickets sales in China

People wait in line to buy train tickets at a temporary ticket office in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, Jan 9, 2011. Ningbo Railway Station started to sell tickets for the 2011 Spring Festival travel season on Sunday. The travel peak will start on Jan 19. During the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, from Jan 19 to Feb 27, about 230 million trips are expected on Chinese railways. 

Spring Festival, which starts on Feb 3 this year, is China's biggest holiday, during which people return home to be with family.