Lydia Johnson on: Trains and rising rail fares (From Hereford Times)

Lydia Johnson on: Trains and rising rail fares

3:21pm Thursday 31st January 2013 in Lydia Johnson On...? By Lydia Johnson

I FULLY understand complaints about the recent rise in rail fares.

With each month that I fork out around £250 to get to and from work on the train, the glorious countryside of Herefordshire and Worcestershire that I speed through seems a little less glorious.

It would feel less like robbery if every other train wasn’t cancelled or delayed, and I was guaranteed a seat and a comfortable journey.

I could reel off stories of how I’ve almost been driven half mad by my time on trains – one of the most recent saw me pay around £75 for a ticket to Newcastle which was supposed to ensure I got in at a reasonable hour.

However, as my train was delayed from Hereford to Birmingham New Street, I then missed my connection and had to wait more than an hour for another slower train, meaning I didn’t arrive at my destination until 1am. By that time the Metro had stopped running and I had to pay £12 for a taxi to reach my destination.

I would balance this with a story about a great journey on the trains but I can’t think of one.

So while I would love to do a bit more for the environment and use public transport, I will definitely be driving to work as soon as I pass my test.

Do you think the cost of train travel is justified by the service or not? Share below your worst (and best!) stories of your travel on the trains.