So much for trains

[bellinghman]

I was just attempting to get train fares for a journey from Sierre (Swiss Alps) to London.

Holy crap! How do they expect anyone to use trains? I can get from Sierre to Paris at a reasonable price - a very reasonable price for a direct TGV that takes 5:20. But that's no use whatsoever, if it then costs THREE TIMES AS MUCH for the Paris to London link, which is only 2:40.

</rant>

EDIT: Many thanks for the purpletigron/purplecthulhu's advice on getting round Eurostar.

EDIT: OK, I can do Sierre to Paris-Lyon for 113 CHF, if I buy it from the Swiss, and using the halbtax card. That's just under £48. And going via the "I am American" part of the Eurostar site allows me to buy the single/non-flexible fare at $89 each - which is roughly £45. That's compared to the insane £300+ it was trying to do me for originally for the Paris to London leg!

So, Swiss Alps to central London for £93 isn't too bad. I just wish it wasn't such an incredible hassle finding this all out. If I was a PA doing this, and factoring in the cost of my time, it'd be another matter.

EDIT: Ooops, forgot time zone differences. That was 2:40, not 1:40

Comments

[uitlander]

I just booked holiday flights for later this year. Before buying I didn't a price breakdown - this was provided on the receipt.

Return flight - 2x £73.
Taxes - £103.
Admin Charge - £10.

I note the taxes were 125% of the overall flight charge from the carrier. The flight itself is more than cheap, the local Govs involved seem to be taking their pound of flesh which I assume in part at least is done under the 'climate' banner. The recent UK increase in them certainly is.

[evilshell.livejournal.com]

Good point - on the Basel - Luton return flight I've mentioned charges were half taxes, half fare.

[knell.livejournal.com]

Be careful - a lot of what the airlines call "taxes" is actually "fuel surcharges" and "insurance surcharges" and so on - the airline pulling big chunks of its own costs out of the ticket price and calling it tax. This kind of manipulation of headline ticket prices has got them in trouble in the past. The "admin fee" is effectively part of the fare as well.

[uitlander]

I am fully aware that the total fare is the sum of all those figures. I can't tell what the breakdown is between airport taxes, local taxes, fuel surcharges any more than anyone else. What interested me was the way the ticket costs were broken down.