UK’s train system – how stupid can it get?

These UK trains drive me crazy. This morning in particular South West Trains. So I have a off-peak return ticket. For those not comfortable with the UK train booking system: Getting a train ticket is a science – time slot, return, special fares, hard to grasp without explanations.

Anyway, I landed in London City Airport and needed to go to Canterbury, and return to the same place early morning. So I bought a return ticket, and it turned out to be a off-peak. Now, this morning in the train back to the airport, I had a bad awakening …

The conductor informed me that this is not off-peak – wait – I am boarding the train at 5:25 and leaving at 6:15, this is not off-peak. According to the conductor, any train that arrives in London before 10am is considered peak train … irrelevant whether you are going to London or not, and which time. And I had to pay another 35 pounds!

Well, I left the train at 6.15, as you can see from the above photo (with time!), the train was swarming with people, it was hard to get a seating, the perfect incarnation of rush hour on the train.

South West Trains – thanks a lot, I really would like to have your rush hours in our local train from Kanazawa to Tsurugi, we would be happy.