The most expensive public transport journey in the world
Feb 2, 2007, 8:09 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,572
A two-minute, 0.9 mile ride on the Long Island Rail Road from Flushing to Shea Stadium costs $10 or $12, depending on time of travel, if the ticket is purchased on board. The ticket is $5 or $7 if purchased in advance. (Of course, hardly anyone would take the LIRR to get from Flushing to Shea Stadium, when a bus or subway will get you there for $2.)
Feb 2, 2007, 8:15 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west of DFW airport
Programs: AA LT Gold 1.9 MM flying my way to LT PLAT
Posts: 11,074
Feb 2, 2007, 8:23 am
#18
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
I Was Stunned By This
I was going from Marylebone Station to Waterloo Station on the Bakerloo Line a couple of Saturdays ago, when I bought a ticket out of a machine for L4.00, or $8.00; by contrast, a similar trip in Washington, DC would be $1.35.
The good news is that, if you are going to be using public transport in London, you can get the aforementioned Oyster Card, or you can buy a travelcard out of a machine--a travelcard good for London zones 1-2 is L5.10 ($10.20) all day, and for all six London zones is L6.70 ($13.40) per day. If you are arriving at LGW, you can go into the train station, go to one of the machines on your right, and purchase a combination one-way ticket and Zone 1-6 travelcard for a price not much more than the one-way ticket into London (which, on the Southern or First Capital Connect services, is L11.20--the non-stop Gatwick Express is a few more pounds one way). The Southern service offers great value, particularly on their routes that only stop twice--at East Croydon and Clapham Junction).
The good news is that, if you are going to be using public transport in London, you can get the aforementioned Oyster Card, or you can buy a travelcard out of a machine--a travelcard good for London zones 1-2 is L5.10 ($10.20) all day, and for all six London zones is L6.70 ($13.40) per day. If you are arriving at LGW, you can go into the train station, go to one of the machines on your right, and purchase a combination one-way ticket and Zone 1-6 travelcard for a price not much more than the one-way ticket into London (which, on the Southern or First Capital Connect services, is L11.20--the non-stop Gatwick Express is a few more pounds one way). The Southern service offers great value, particularly on their routes that only stop twice--at East Croydon and Clapham Junction).
Feb 2, 2007, 8:24 am
#19
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
Jamaica-Penn Station Was Just $3.00 in September 06
I bought the ticket out of a machine at Jamaica Station. Train was non-stop, covered the distance in 18 minutes.
Feb 2, 2007, 8:28 am
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: USA
Programs: UA/CO(1K-PLT), AA(PLT), QR, EK, Marriott(PLT), Hilton(DMND)
Posts: 9,538
Absolutely. It's really funny, since to get from some pairs of stations which are literally a 5 minute walk from one another, one has to change trains and lines futher away - turning what could have been a chance for some exercise in the open into a twenty minute ordeal of waiting, standing, going up and down stairs and escalators, waiting standing and more walking up stairs and escalators.
Feb 2, 2007, 8:30 am
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: USA
Programs: UA/CO(1K-PLT), AA(PLT), QR, EK, Marriott(PLT), Hilton(DMND)
Posts: 9,538
I was going from Marylebone Station to Waterloo Station on the Bakerloo Line a couple of Saturdays ago, when I bought a ticket out of a machine for L4.00, or $8.00; by contrast, a similar trip in Washington, DC would be $1.35.
The good news is that, if you are going to be using public transport in London, you can get the aforementioned Oyster Card, or you can buy a travelcard out of a machine--a travelcard good for London zones 1-2 is L5.10 ($10.20) all day, and for all six London zones is L6.70 ($13.40) per day. If you are arriving at LGW, you can go into the train station, go to one of the machines on your right, and purchase a combination one-way ticket and Zone 1-6 travelcard for a price not much more than the one-way ticket into London (which, on the Southern or First Capital Connect services, is L11.20--the non-stop Gatwick Express is a few more pounds one way). The Southern service offers great value, particularly on their routes that only stop twice--at East Croydon and Clapham Junction).
The good news is that, if you are going to be using public transport in London, you can get the aforementioned Oyster Card, or you can buy a travelcard out of a machine--a travelcard good for London zones 1-2 is L5.10 ($10.20) all day, and for all six London zones is L6.70 ($13.40) per day. If you are arriving at LGW, you can go into the train station, go to one of the machines on your right, and purchase a combination one-way ticket and Zone 1-6 travelcard for a price not much more than the one-way ticket into London (which, on the Southern or First Capital Connect services, is L11.20--the non-stop Gatwick Express is a few more pounds one way). The Southern service offers great value, particularly on their routes that only stop twice--at East Croydon and Clapham Junction).
Feb 2, 2007, 8:40 am
#22
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,489
It had a mechanical problem and our taxi ride from one Heathrow terminal to the next cost us £20!
That's the most we've ever paid for a free ride.
Feb 2, 2007, 8:46 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,572
Feb 2, 2007, 9:02 am
#24
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
What Mayor Ken and his henchmen at TfL don't realise is that they are not in their Animal Farm world of utopia where everyone has to travel the way they say they should. If I want to use public transport and am not "in the know" about Oyster cards it most certainly does not serve the cause if I am charged £4 for a quick tube journey, as the casual user would likely say "never again".
It is the increasing governmental way nowadays to charge huge sums to anybody who does not do as they want. Only today I have heard separate discussions about big fines if you don't put your rubbish out to spec, or if you want to own a car that is not of a politically correct type, or here if you don't use Oyster. There is no attempt to make things convenient or easy, only to hit you in the wallet if you don't follow the procedure.
Most journeys in London I do by car. It is far faster, more convenient and cheaper. The London public transport network is probably the most unreliable of all those round the world I have most experience of, in terms of delays and disruptions. And after any hiatus it takes them far longer to get back going again than elsewhere. Just bad (but overpaid) management.
It is the increasing governmental way nowadays to charge huge sums to anybody who does not do as they want. Only today I have heard separate discussions about big fines if you don't put your rubbish out to spec, or if you want to own a car that is not of a politically correct type, or here if you don't use Oyster. There is no attempt to make things convenient or easy, only to hit you in the wallet if you don't follow the procedure.
Most journeys in London I do by car. It is far faster, more convenient and cheaper. The London public transport network is probably the most unreliable of all those round the world I have most experience of, in terms of delays and disruptions. And after any hiatus it takes them far longer to get back going again than elsewhere. Just bad (but overpaid) management.
Feb 2, 2007, 9:23 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: PHL (and sometimes BKK)
Programs: aa/ua gold; mar titanium. SPG till I die.
Posts: 15,648
That's what I would say. At typical exchange rates, the Heathrow Express costs more for the 15-minute journey between LHR and Paddington than the Narita Express does for the 70-minute journey between NRT and Tokyo (Central) Station.
I used it on my BritRail Pass, because I was going on a train that left from Paddington the same day, but that's the only way I'd ever ride it. I'ts nice but not THAT nice.
I used it on my BritRail Pass, because I was going on a train that left from Paddington the same day, but that's the only way I'd ever ride it. I'ts nice but not THAT nice.
forget that, I just take the Picadilly line or wahtever.
Feb 2, 2007, 10:02 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, IHG Spire Elite, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Hertz President's Circle, HH Silver
Posts: 806
That's what I would say. At typical exchange rates, the Heathrow Express costs more for the 15-minute journey between LHR and Paddington than the Narita Express does for the 70-minute journey between NRT and Tokyo (Central) Station.
I used it on my BritRail Pass, because I was going on a train that left from Paddington the same day, but that's the only way I'd ever ride it. I'ts nice but not THAT nice.
I used it on my BritRail Pass, because I was going on a train that left from Paddington the same day, but that's the only way I'd ever ride it. I'ts nice but not THAT nice.
Given the PITA that getting to Heathrow can be, it seems that flying to Gatwick and taking the Gatwick express is often a better idea.
Mar 20, 2007, 8:15 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
Here's Another Entry--the Venice "vaporetto" System
E6.00 ($7.80) for a one-way ticket--we bought 3 day passes for E30.00 ($39.00) each.
Mar 20, 2007, 8:25 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west of DFW airport
Programs: AA LT Gold 1.9 MM flying my way to LT PLAT
Posts: 11,074
You can't get the Oyster card out of a vending machine, but you can top it up at some of the electronic ticket machines.
You can obtain the actual Oyster card from the following places:
At the Oyster website
At most Tube station ticket offices
At over 2,200 Oyster Ticket Stops across London
At some National Rail ticket offices
At eight London Travel Information Centres
By phone on 0845 330 9876†
There is a £3 deposit on the Oyster card, but you can get this back if you no longer need the card.
I beleive the credit on an oyster card has no expiry though, so you can save the card for future visits to London.
You can obtain the actual Oyster card from the following places:
At the Oyster website
At most Tube station ticket offices
At over 2,200 Oyster Ticket Stops across London
At some National Rail ticket offices
At eight London Travel Information Centres
By phone on 0845 330 9876†
There is a £3 deposit on the Oyster card, but you can get this back if you no longer need the card.
I beleive the credit on an oyster card has no expiry though, so you can save the card for future visits to London.
Jul 3, 2014, 2:26 pm
#29
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,565
The "cheapest public transport" thread made me think about the other extreme, and that made me search for this one. Before I opened it, my two guesses were the Vaporetto and the HEX.
I'd probably give Venice the prize for "most expensive" since there really are no other less-expensive feasible alternatives for getting into and out of your hotel with luggage. London does have cheaper alternatives...plus multiday unlimited Tube passes and Oyster rates aren't that bad. (Vaporetto passes are expensive no matter what...multiday rates don't drop off dramatically to become cheap per-day.)
I've taken some expensive transit options to/from far-flung airports (NRT comes to mind), but this thread seems to be more about purely intra-city transit.
I'd probably give Venice the prize for "most expensive" since there really are no other less-expensive feasible alternatives for getting into and out of your hotel with luggage. London does have cheaper alternatives...plus multiday unlimited Tube passes and Oyster rates aren't that bad. (Vaporetto passes are expensive no matter what...multiday rates don't drop off dramatically to become cheap per-day.)
I've taken some expensive transit options to/from far-flung airports (NRT comes to mind), but this thread seems to be more about purely intra-city transit.
Jul 3, 2014, 3:48 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
I've read how expensive the LHR transport is...goes hand in hand I guess. Expensive to land at/transit through/get away from...yet I still wanna go there and check it out for sure.
I think my most expensive trip was JFK-EWR. I landed at JFK off of an overnight Cathay flight from YVR at about 5:30am or so. Asked the friendly transportation desk peeps what's the best/most cost effective way to get to EWR because my hotel was there as was my return flight. She said there's basically 3 options, 1) taxi but that's not cost effective 2) shuttlebus @ around $22 and decent speed 3) public transit which might take a bit longer but should be cheaper.
I'm adventurous and I wasn't in a hurry (other than I was tired) so I decided to try and be frugal and take transit. So it was JFK airtram (or whatever name it is) to New York Penn. I think that was like $12 or so, then it was a NJ transit to Newark airport station, another $10.50 or whatever.
In the end it cost me like .50 cents more to take transit and took a good 45-50 minutes more...learned my lesson. Whenever I'm in NY or that area now, it's the blue shuttle van I'll be choosing.
I think my most expensive trip was JFK-EWR. I landed at JFK off of an overnight Cathay flight from YVR at about 5:30am or so. Asked the friendly transportation desk peeps what's the best/most cost effective way to get to EWR because my hotel was there as was my return flight. She said there's basically 3 options, 1) taxi but that's not cost effective 2) shuttlebus @ around $22 and decent speed 3) public transit which might take a bit longer but should be cheaper.
I'm adventurous and I wasn't in a hurry (other than I was tired) so I decided to try and be frugal and take transit. So it was JFK airtram (or whatever name it is) to New York Penn. I think that was like $12 or so, then it was a NJ transit to Newark airport station, another $10.50 or whatever.
In the end it cost me like .50 cents more to take transit and took a good 45-50 minutes more...learned my lesson. Whenever I'm in NY or that area now, it's the blue shuttle van I'll be choosing.