But not in the way you might think.

Going to London on Wednesday to pay respects with the missus and Mk2 Daughter (10) so rather than driving I thought I'd check how extortionate the train was.

3 seats departing Stoke to Euston return.
Leave 7:02am 1hr:28 direct
Return 18:20 1hr:32 also direct

Reserved seats both ways.

Imagine my suprise when I was faced with a total price of £96! I was expecting 6 grand each way.

There is of course compulsory food and drink which will cost an extra £500 each way - enjoy!

Via Ullapool…check the small print

Booked via Trainline for mid November to Kings X and return to Hartlepool, Grand Central. I booked 2 singles as it’s usually cheaper around £19 for each ticket. It can be hit and miss depending on the days and departure times, from late November onwards into December you probably won’t get any cheap tickets as it’s nearing Christmas.

I'm a regular on the GC to Hartlepool for the match, always book direct. Currently negotiating with them on Saturday's cancelled trip. Generally a good rail service but their Customer Service is also very responsive when I need to talk to them. Trainline are just intermediates taking a cut / booking fee. I've never booked with them so can't discuss their service/ benefit.

@Mr Irrelevant - Stoke to Euston in 90 minutes? Impressive journey time (and makes me wonder why HS2.. - but that is another debate).
I hope you achieve all you want to on the day (since 'enjoy' is not an appropriate word in this context).

The lying in State doesn’t start till 5pm Wednesday if you were putting that into your visit, people have already started to queue.

Naw, I'm not queuing up for 20+ hours but we'll be at the Palace or on the Mall/Horse Guards as the boss passes by.

With Trainline like any agent even for airfares you get a better deal, there commission is only just over a £1 50, they buy a job lot of seats at a cheaper price and sell them on. The downside is their terms and conditions, it can be very difficult to get a refund and change dates/times etc. albeit I received a refund the other day when I made an error when booking.

I have always found GC very good with enthuastic staff who seem to enjoy their job.
Got a day return from Boro to Saltburn today only £3.35 with an old farts rail card.I was chuffed

‘old farts rail card’…..you’re only 14!!!!

The ‘old farts* railcard is £30 a year whilst it gives you a third of you need to b using the train regularly to justify the cost of it.

it all seems fine when london is your planned destination. try going across the country and you,ll get ripped off. single to southport from keighley 47.50 4 hours plus journey. 60 miles away by road taking less than 2 hours using very slightly over a gallon of diesel. no they can shove trains up johnsons arse for me with that cost and no pacers either to ride on.

If you're a footy fan an old farts railcard is a Godsend. You can also get a two together card for £30. You don't need old fart status for that one either. So young twatty upstarts are catered for and that lot far outnumber the old farts brigade. My old farts railcard cost me £70 for three years and I've saved more than that already, with over two years to go. If you like sightseeing by train and use the rail rover cards you get a third off those as well.
Less driving, less parking fees ( and you don't have to remember where you've parked the bloody thing ), ability to enjoy a few beers and sometimes more relaxing.
If they created a free train pass similar to the bus pass, I would be in heaven. I love train travel.
Me and Snowy would be organising a round Britain train tour with daily bulletins on here cos we know how you guys appreciate your daily fix, courtesy of our infinite wisdom.

Very true Mr D. I have a 3 year one and it only takes me 6-9 months to get my money back.
Bring back steam.

trains would need to be free with the comfort of a first class seat to get me onto them. Its like being sat on a bus travelling on rails nowadays but at much greater cost. Take london out and its hard to get anywhere off your local line without changing trains. 3 changes for me coming up to pools by train including wandering lost around york and leeds stations both ways which is worse than finding parking spaces at a new ground you have never been to. if they put on a steam special with mark 1 carriages i may be persuaded.

20 minute journey on an old rattler from Hartlepool to Sunderland £6/£7

Do you have to travel on a certain train as well though. will you get a full tefund for any last minute cancellation by you for something like sickness or a death or illness in the family you cannot be expected to have thought of at the time you booked. if we lived in a perfect world all this is fine but reality cannot always be as simple as that.

I never think about what might happen, if I did I would never go anywhere and be stuck in Hartlepool.

I got a Two Together railcard and went to Newcastle to see David Essex. Cost was just over £20 as opposed to £30

As a famous Yorkshireman once told me, this is the age of the train.

Mind you, the same man wanted me to introduce my little sister to him and Prince Andrew so I'm not sure I fully trust him!

they would have clunked and clicked on every trip.