Help! Annual Season Ticket for Grantham to Kings Cross

[scsnow]

First post here, and not an experienced rail user - but all about to change!
Adult, aged 39 9/10. No railcard.

Do to new job & home relocation, I'll be having to get into London from Grantham everyday.

After a bit of searching:
1. I understand that there are two operators: Virgin & First Hull (not sure if there are others doing London services...)
2. According to Virgin a 12 Month Season Ticket including London Travel Card (zones 1-6) is priced at £7,984.00 (ouch)
3. According to First Hull, the 12 Month Season Ticket including London Travel Card (zones 1-6) is priced at £7,984.00 (ouch, again)

Q1: Is this price fixing? Or have I made a error somewhere?
Q2: Are the Season Tickets interchangeable between the two operators, e.g. if I miss a Virgin train, can I get on a First Hull train?
Q3: If they're not interchangeable, who should I travel with? Is one better than t'other?

Sorry for all the questions, but any advise would be very appreciated!

 

[bb21]

Price fixing? No.

The £7984 ticket is only valid for travel on Hull Trains services (who only run seven trains each way on weekdays) between Grantham and the Travelcard area. A ticket valid on Virgin East Coast would cost you £8936 for 12 months. This more expensive ticket is valid on all operators.

Where are you travelling to in London? You may not need a Travelcard depending on where you need to go.

 

[Hadders]

Annual Travelcard prices from Grantham to London Zones 1-6 are as follows:

Hull Trains Only £7,984 (note very few services)
Any Permitted £8,936 (valid on any Train between Grantham and London)

 

[scsnow]

bb21 & Hadders,

Many thanks for the prompt replies! Very helpful!

My workplace is right by the Museum of London, close to St. Paul's & Barbican.

So contrary to an email reply I have from National Rail, the prices are clearly different! Looks like I'll have to cop the ~£9k for the Any Permitted option, as I just can't be sure what time I will be leaving the office.

Still, on the bright side, I'm hoping if I'm early enough I should at least be able to get a seat, and expect it to be a lot more comfortable / smoother than the Amersham to Barbican Met line journey I have had to endure previously...

 

[LAX54]

Although maybe not used 365 days, works out at
Distance to London terminal: 185 miles 370 return.
£173 per week, or £25 per day, or £12.50 each way, or 15p per mile.

 

[Romilly]

As I understand it, a ticket that is valid on national rail between Finsbury Park and London Terminals (e.g. a rail-only season ticket from Grantham to London Terminals) is also valid on London Underground from Kings Cross to Old Street or Moorgate (but not for exit at any other Underground station): see 7.3.3 of the Forum's fares & ticketing guide. So if Moorgate is just as convenient for the OP, the OP could save the cost of buying a travelcard and just buy a Grantham-London Terminals season ticket (£8,264 for a year on any train between Grantham and London). The ticket is also valid for a journey on national rail to Moorgate via Finsbury Park, but that is likely to involve two changes and end up being considerably slower.

 

[najaB]

So contrary to an email reply I have from National Rail, the prices are clearly different! Looks like I'll have to cop the ~£9k for the Any Permitted option, as I just can't be sure what time I will be leaving the office.

Does your employer offer season ticket loans? That might take a little of the sting out of it.

 

[scsnow]

As I understand it, a ticket that is valid on national rail between Finsbury Park and London Terminals (e.g. a rail-only season ticket from Grantham to London Terminals) is also valid on London Underground from Kings Cross to Old Street or Moorgate (but not for exit at any other Underground station): see 7.3.3 of the Forum's fares & ticketing guide. So if Moorgate is just as convenient for the OP, the OP could save the cost of buying a travelcard and just buy a Grantham-London Terminals season ticket (£8,264 for a year on any train between Grantham and London). The ticket is also valid for a journey on national rail to Moorgate via Finsbury Park, but that is likely to involve two changes and end up being considerably slower.

Romilly, that's brilliant! it's only a ~10min walk from Moorgate to work. Thanks!

My man-math calcs:

 

[455driver]

Although maybe not used 365 days, works out at
Distance to London terminal: 185 miles 370 return.
£173 per week, or £25 per day, or £12.50 each way, or 15p per mile.

Which is roughly what I pay in fuel for my 58 mile commute, of course I have to add in depreciation, tyres, servicing, repairs, tax, MOT, insurance etc.

Note this my commuting car which is use solely for work, the other half has the 'family' car.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . . So if Moorgate is just as convenient for the OP, the OP could save the cost of buying a travelcard and just buy a Grantham-London Terminals season ticket (£8,264 for a year on any train between Grantham and London). . . .

Moorgate would be an attractive option, but I'm reminded that I've come across a few Grantham - Kings Cross commuters who travel with a First Class season ticket (£12k to Kings Cross, or £14k to London terminals) but who also use a bike in all but the worst of weather to get to and from the stations at each end (one of whom uses a floding bike which is squeezed behind the seats and with no need for a reservation).

I find the combination of cycling and First Class accomodation particularly attractive myself, (especially during those hours when London's commuter services are full and standing).

 

[Romilly]

Romilly, that's brilliant! it's only a ~10min walk from Moorgate to work. Thanks!

In that case, just to add that some contributors to the Forum have encountered staff who are unaware of the validity on the Underground between Kings X and Moorgate. However, the following closed thread gives the background information about validity:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=90761

 

[Haywain]

Although maybe not used 365 days, works out at
Distance to London terminal: 185 miles 370 return.
£173 per week, or £25 per day, or £12.50 each way, or 15p per mile.

Has Grantham moved? It is actually 'only' 105 miles from London, so your calculations are some way out. However, a season ticket does still represent quite good value for the distance.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Romilly, that's brilliant! it's only a ~10min walk from Moorgate to work. Thanks!

My man-math calcs:

I'm afraid you will need to recalculate based on the shorter actual journey distance!

 

[maniacmartin]

I don't think knowing the price per mile is helpful.

 

[455driver]

I don't think knowing the price per mile is helpful.

No, but it does put the perceived high costs into perspective!

 

[scsnow]

Has Grantham moved? It is actually 'only' 105 miles from London, so your calculations are some way out. However, a season ticket does still represent quite good value for the distance.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'm afraid you will need to recalculate based on the shorter actual journey distance!

Updated to the driving equivalent according to google:
I guess it's an 'interesting' calculation - in the academic sense (trying to keep my emotions out of it )

 

[westv]

In that case, just to add that some contributors to the Forum have encountered staff who are unaware of the validity on the Underground between Kings X and Moorgate. [/URL]

Not surprising really considering how hidden away the validity is.

 

[yorkie]

Not surprising really considering how hidden away the validity is.

It's readily available to LU staff.

However in my experience several CSAs are apparently unaware of it.

Fair enough if they are prepared to take your word for it, or look it up (not hard), but I find it unacceptable that someone on a £30k+ per year job invents their own rules. I've seen it all too often, sadly. I couldn't get away with making up my own rules and denying customers legitimate requests in my lesser paid job so I don't really see why they should be acting this way and getting away with it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Although maybe not used 365 days, works out at
Distance to London terminal: 185 miles 370 return.
£173 per week, or £25 per day, or £12.50 each way, or 15p per mile.

Maybe not? Definitely not. As for 185 miles, that would be around the site of the old Companthorpe station just south of York!