Pricing

[Adrian]

Was quite shocked that an adult single Edinburgh - Dunfermline is £5.50... The train is 30p more and the journey takes 20 minutes less!

An adult return is £5.70, and a child return is just £2.85.

£5.70 seems quite steep if the train fare is only 30p more. I know Newcastle to Durham on the 21 is about the same distance, and about the same price, but it's still considerably cheaper than the rail fare.

[Tom]

£5.70 seems quite steep if the train fare is only 30p more. I know Newcastle to Durham on the 21 is about the same distance, and about the same price, but it's still considerably cheaper than the rail fare.

It's £4 for a single on the 21.

[Dan]

It's £4 for a single on the 21.

And looks like it's £5.30 for an off-peak single between Newcastle and Durham (much to my surprise, as I thought it was a lot more expensive than that) - for a 13-18 minute journey opposed to 1hr 3min.

[Tom]

And looks like it's £5.30 for an off-peak single between Newcastle and Durham (much to my surprise, as I thought it was a lot more expensive than that) - for a 13-18 minute journey opposed to 1hr 3min.

I never get the 21 anyway. Far too long!
And it's only 90p for me.

[tyresmoke]

Plus of course trains are even cheaper if you book in advance. I went from Thornaby to Dunfermline for £15.50 yesterday afternoon (YP railcard). Some of the fares in Scotland are "impressive" on the buses though. Having said that the express network can be great value!

[Adrian]

Plus of course trains are even cheaper if you book in advance. I went from Thornaby to Dunfermline for £15.50 yesterday afternoon (YP railcard). Some of the fares in Scotland are "impressive" on the buses though. Having said that the express network can be great value!

£15.50 isn't bad at all. I managed to get Edinburgh for £22.50 in September, and then £25.95 the time before, which I think is cracking value for money!

[Andreos1]

Interesting article in Metro today with regard to pricing.

Will try and find the link later.
The article also comments on local authorities taking back control of bus operations, following research by the IPPR.

edit: Cant find the Metro link, but The Guardian ran a similar piece http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/...-thinktank

[Tom]

Just found out the Child Explorer is priced at £4.00 until the 31st August.
However, I was charged, on the three occasions I bought one, £7.50. So that means I'm £10.50 out of pocket.
Not sure what to do? I'm sure I still have at least one of the tickets too, so might email them.

[Andreos1]

Just found out the Child Explorer is priced at £4.00 until the 31st August.
However, I was charged, on the three occasions I bought one, £7.50. So that means I'm £10.50 out of pocket.
Not sure what to do? I'm sure I still have at least one of the tickets too, so might email them.

Write/email to the operator with an image of the tickets and CC Nexus in.

[tyresmoke]

Just found out the Child Explorer is priced at £4.00 until the 31st August.
However, I was charged, on the three occasions I bought one, £7.50. So that means I'm £10.50 out of pocket.
Not sure what to do? I'm sure I still have at least one of the tickets too, so might email them.

Is it? First I've heard of it, not had any notices to say they'd reduced them.

[Tom]

Write/email to the operator with an image of the tickets and CC Nexus in.

Sorry I was talking about the Lakes
Should have said.

[Andreos1]

Sorry I was talking about the Lakes
Should have said.

haha, thought it strange I hadn't seen/heard anything on top of the funny prices.

In that case, do the same, but just miss Nexus out off the CC bit

[Tom]

haha, thought it strange I hadn't seen/heard anything on top of the funny prices.

In that case, do the same, but just miss Nexus out off the CC bit

I'll do that then!
Hopefully I'll get a free Explorer.

[GuyParkRoyal]

Just found out the Child Explorer is priced at £4.00 until the 31st August.
However, I was charged, on the three occasions I bought one, £7.50. So that means I'm £10.50 out of pocket.
Not sure what to do? I'm sure I still have at least one of the tickets too, so might email them.

I asked one of the drivers on the 685 about the £4 child explorer and she told me that it could only be purchased on Stagecoach Buses that are boarded within Barrow, West Cumbria and parts of North Lancashire. Also to get the £4 offer the child has to be travelling with an adult fare paying passenger.

I am not saying that the information above is correct but it’s probably best to check the small print in the terms and conditions of the £4 Explorer offer before you contact Stagecoach or Arriva for a refund.

[Tom]

I asked one of the drivers on the 685 about the £4 child explorer and she told me that it could only be purchased on Stagecoach Buses that are boarded within Barrow, West Cumbria and parts of North Lancashire. Also to get the £4 offer the child has to be travelling with an adult fare paying passenger.

I am not saying that the information above is correct but it’s probably best to check the small print in the terms and conditions of the £4 Explorer offer before you contact Stagecoach or Arriva for a refund.

I bought it on the 530, 555 and 800 respectively. So why should I be charged double the price?

[GuyParkRoyal]

I bought it on the 530, 555 and 800 respectively. So why should I be charged double the price?

Unfortunately 555 & 800 are Central / Southern Lakes Zones and the Explorer promotion is taking place in the Barrow and West Cumbria Zones. The 530 is is not so clear cut and I guess it will be based on the zone where you board the bus.

In my opinion Stagecoach have scored an own goal by trying to promote explorer in a selected part of Cumbria leading to customers in other parts of the county being disappointed by not receiving the same discounted rates.

Nothing lost in sending an email to customer services though you might get some gesture of good will from them.

[Tom]

Unfortunately 555 & 800 are Central / Southern Lakes Zones and the Explorer promotion is taking place in the Barrow and West Cumbria Zones. The 530 is is not so clear cut and I guess it will be based on the zone where you board the bus.

In my opinion Stagecoach have scored an own goal by trying to promote explorer in a selected part of Cumbria leading to customers in other parts of the county being disappointed by not receiving the same discounted rates.

Nothing lost in sending an email to customer services though you might get some gesture of good will from them.

I boarded them all at Kendal Bus Station.
I wasn't aware of that, so cheers.

[GuyParkRoyal]

I was looking at the prices of travel from Newcastle to South Shields and return for the Great North Run yesterday. The three most popular options all had the same single fare of £3.30 but when checking the return price I was offered a day ticket option and the price variation was quite wide.
Metro = Single £3.30, All day £4.50.
Stagecoach 553 = single £3.30, All day £3.80.
GNE R1 = Single £3.30 All day, £5.00
That is a shocking price difference between Stagecoach and GNE.

[Adrian]

I was looking at the prices of travel from Newcastle to South Shields and return for the Great North Run yesterday. The three most popular options all had the same single fare of £3.30 but when checking the return price I was offered a day ticket option and the price variation was quite wide.
Metro = Single £3.30, All day £4.50.
Stagecoach 553 = single £3.30, All day £3.80.
GNE R1 = Single £3.30 All day, £5.00
That is a shocking price difference between Stagecoach and GNE.

GNE was £3 per single on the R1, and Stagecoach was £3.50 on the 553?

Difference in all day tickets are down to the fact GNE were offering an all day ticket on all their services regionwide, whereas Stagecoach were offering Tyne and Wear only.

[Malarkey]

How does this work, £1.15 Single from Stagecoach Offices into Town on the E2 and any other Stagecoach Services in Sunderland, but it's £1.30 into Park Lane, I am Baffled as Park Lane is in Sunderland City Centre.