Train ticket prices!

[Davef]

For every advanced ticket sold, 7 off-peak tickets are sold.

For longer distance routes though?

Currently the cheapest to travel with any flexiblility and without booking months ahead is by car.

I am sure I read recently that 2 or more people in a car is less co2 than the train. Electric cars are better still.

The marginal CO2 cost of travelling by a train that's running anyway is zero.

And the vast majority of passenger miles in this country is already electric, which IIRC is delicious zero-ish carbon nuclear power.

You could apply the marginal co2 argument to aeroplanes too.

[ian]

The actual carbon dioxide omitted though is a tiny part of the equation (and it is marginal, plus we know all the car manufacturers have lied extensively) and the bulk of car use is not for these longer journals, it's going to the local shops, dropping the kids off etc. Events that perhaps shouldn't always require a car.

[grams]

You could apply the marginal co2 argument to aeroplanes too.

Yes and no. In the very short term yes, but plane companies are very aggressive about varying schedules and routes to match demand and ensure every plane is full.

The rail network is generally full already and you can't easily run more trains on it, or run longer trains. And the timetables are often fixed and driven by political considerations. So the reaction to demand is much more muted.

[perpetual dan]

Given how much plans have changed over the last year I'm glad to be able to mostly afford to skip over the no-refund, fixed service tickets. But it would also be nice to be able to book a ticket at all, say, at the end of May. It's not so very far away. I want to do a train out / ride back holiday. Again, very fortunate for me to be able to consider this - and I'm aware that covid numbers could scupper it. But it falls apart if either of places to stay (that I'm comfortable with) or getting to the start aren't available. </grumble>