DO RAIL OPERATORS MANIPULATE FARES?
Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder
Q As a frequent user of Virgin West Coast, I’m interested in understanding the quirks of fare pricing. Specifically, four of us are travelling from Preston to Euston in September. I’ve booked the outward journey more than three months in advance at a decent price for first class travel. I thought such booking couldn’t occur more than three months before the travel date.
Returning then via the Virgin website to book the Euston to Preston return leg, I noticed the fares varied, inevitably increasing in price as I checked the options. As a cynic, I believe Virgin manipulate the fares as
they see interest in the specific journey, similar to airlines. Why does this happen and what is your view on this rather tawdry manipulation?
Terry D
A To answer your first point, cheap advance tickets go on sale 24 weeks ahead on Virgin Trains on both the West and East Coast lines – though not for weekend travel, because of the possibility of engineering work being planned a few months ahead. Next, I am intrigued by your comment: “I noticed the fares varied, inevitably going a lot higher as I checked the options … I believe Virgin manipulate the fares as they see interest in the specific journey, similar to airlines.”
Virgin Trains says it operates a straightforward pricing system for its Advance tickets. The first tranche are always the cheapest. Once they have gone, the next lot are more expensive, and so on until the day before travel, when they reach the highest fare. Unlike airlines, the train operator never cuts prices nearer to departure, except for occasional special promotions.
As far as I am aware neither Virgin Trains nor any other train operator has the intention or the ability to vary prices based on the perceived interest of a customer. I have heard many times the claim that airlines push up fares in line with perceived demand by a specific customer, but I have never seen any evidence to support this. Do let me know if you have information to the contrary.
Every day, our travel correspondent, Simon Calder, tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder