Easyjet and Wizzair charge significantly for anything but a small bag. Those who are able-bodied and trying to cut the cost of travelling with little or no baggage may well find that the walk up the hill is more manageable than one might think. Yes, I do it regularly unless the weather is foul. I found that from station platform to terminal door, the time to walk via Kimpton Road (i.e. waiting for bus to arrive, to board the bus and until the bus leaves the bus stop versus not having to wait when walking) was pretty similiar to using the bus. Increase the cost of the ride between Parkway and terminal, and you push people a little more in the direction of walking, particularly if it's daytime and warm.
Previously there were many arrow signs at the station pushing rail arrivals towards the bus, but as people are diverted towards Kimpton Road later this spring, Google Maps might start encouraging people to take a different approach. Virtually everyone who can afford to fly has a self-navigation/GPS map app on their phone.
That said, if the cost of the DART is double that of the bus, I'm wondering if people coming from (north) London will start using Greenline / National Express coaches more - they go to the terminal door, have a frequency not that much worse than the train, and are modestly priced
I still think the DART pricing structure is wrong from the point of view of raising revenue. Instead of £4.90 oneway or £9.80 return, it should be £6.90 oneway uphill, £3.90 oneway downhill, and £9.80 return. Paying a supplement to upgrade a oneway into a return should not be possible. Furthermore, there should be a an additional charge (maybe £1) for people who pay for the DART at Parkway station, compared to those who buy it as part of their rail fare. People will be more willing to pay if there is a perceived need to hurry to catch a flight and wanting to avoid walking up the hill in an area they don't know well, compared to a walk down the hill without time pressure.
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 14th Mar 2023 at 15:27.