Originally Posted by The Real Slim Shady
The trains should be cheaper. Why does it cost over £100 return, Nottingham to London, when I can fly FR EMA to Berlin or Alicante for less?
Maybe if the train companies adopted a similar loco model it would get people to use them instead of their cars.
But you're comparing the full-price, flexible train fare with a restricted, advance-purchase air fare. Not a fair comparison at all.
Britain's railways do operate a low-cost model. If I want to travel from London to Cardiff, for example, I can do so for around £27 return if I book in advance and specify the train on which I want to travel (but the fare will rise as the cheapest seats sell out). If I'm able to accept some restrictions then I would pay between £60 and £80, and if I want to be completely flexible and travel at peak times I would pay about £160. That is exactly how low-cost airlines work.
For your specific example, the lowest, restricted train fare between Nottingham and London is £18 return - a far cry from the £100 you claim.