Cheaper, Nicer, Better - the Train, Plane and Boat Travel Alternatives Every Londoner Should Know

Evening Standard - London › February 27, 2009

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Summary

JAMMED into a backward-facing seat on one of Virgin's hideous Pendolinos, with its smelly toilets, low ceilings, constant amplified announcements, buffet car filled with the worst junk food imaginable, no table to work on, tiny windows (or even, at some seats, no window at all) and the risk of deep-vein thrombosis through lack of legroom, it was hard not to think dark thoughts about the general collapse of civilised service on the nation's private railways.

The truth was, it was as much my fault as Richard Branson's. I could have been sitting on a far more pleasant train, eating a three- course meal, doing the same trip in much greater comfort for less money.

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Extract

Cheaper, Nicer, Better - the Train, Plane and Boat Travel Alternatives Every Londoner Should Know

Because even in the transport black hole that is Britain, there are pockets of travel quality. It's just that remarkably few people seem to know about them.

Last week, the watchdog Passenger Focus published an exhaustive survey confirming everyone's suspicions that British rail fares are by far the highest in Europe. Yesterday, even the Transport Minister, Lord Adonis, made clear that the days of ever-rising fares had to stop.

Today, as the backlash gathers pace, the Evening Standard tells you where to find those...

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