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ONE of the country’s few independent railway stations, Chester-le-Track in Chester le Street, Co.Durham, has launched a campaign to secure the best deals for rail users.
The move comes after The Campaign for Better Transport revealed that the region’s travellers were being hit hardest by the spiralling cost of fares. Research showed that passengers in Newcastle are being charged a staggering 5.33 times more for walk-on fares than if they booked advance tickets – more even than travellers in the capital.
The station’s new leaflet The Friendly Guide to Rail Ticketing demystifies the process of buying bargain tickets. With tips on how to secure the best deals, when to call and what to ask for, it is the first publication – ever – to reveal insider information on rail ticketing.
Station master Alex Nelson commented: “We want to help rail users understand when and where they can secure the best deals – something which the rail industry has thus far refused to do, claiming that the information is ‘commercially sensitive’. This is totally unacceptable, especially at a time when travelers are being hit with spiraling fuel costs.”
The guide – which is backed by advice from Chester-le-Track’s frontdesk staff – comes as the Transport and Salaried Staffs Association has ordered the rail industry to be open about when passengers can secure the best deals as passengers find it almost impossible to find bargain advance fares, especially at weekend and busy holiday periods.”
Alex added: "Rail travel is particularly popular when there are only one or two people travelling together, and for family groups where the Family Railcard can offer substantial savings on normal fares. In fact the "families" do not even need to be related to one another. Our fares leaflet is unique in the industry in telling people who are new to rail travel how to make journeys in the most economical way. Not even "Passenger Focus", the industry watchdog, publishes such information."
To obtain your copy of The Friendly Guide to Rail Travel, visit www.nationalrail.com for more information.
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