Shocking Double Pricing For Foreigners

[cyb]

This thread should have a "Don't bother reading" warning at the top for all non-Brits...

Why?

Do you believe it is only Brits that visit england?

Wake up see the light this thread has info good for brits or non brits.

[GungaDin]

This thread should have a "Don't bother reading" warning at the top for all non-Brits...

FF5

Welcome, & congrats.

You made the Top 20 posters in your "1st" 4 hours yesterday!

That must be a record of some sort for a "Newbie"

[jackr]

Hows the buses Patin? I don't mind taking the bus, its not like places are that far apart

National Express are the best coaches in the UK. They go all over, including between airports and cities, airports and airports, etc, and are well turned out and efficient. Someone mentioned UK buses are crowded. This may perhaps be the case with standard commuter services but not those that are bookable... seating room only and similar to the US's Greyhound

[cyb]

Hows the buses Patin? I don't mind taking the bus, its not like places are that far apart

National Express are the best coaches in the UK. They go all over, including between airports and cities, airports and airports, etc, and are well turned out and efficient. Someone mentioned UK buses are crowded. This may perhaps be the case with standard commuter services but not those that are bookable... seating room only and similar to the US's Greyhound

Agree jackr, But if you are traveling any distance 50 miles or more then you could be in for a long journey. They tend to go from a to b via c sometimes.

Better to plan your journey sbk by the websites you have being given, Then if you need to travel a little from the railway station to your final destination Take a local bus. If your not traveling at peak times then you will not normaly find them overcrowded.

I have not seen you say what areas in uk you are visiting sbk.

If you are willing to give a general area, May be someone knows that area could give you better advice.

Edited September 7, 2009 by cyb

[badge]

the first time for a long time that I can recall seeing any flights or special offers actually CHEAPER from BKK

http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/spec...s/thailand.html

[citizen33]

This is a bit off topic but just to expand the advice for SBK re travel in the UK, a couple of others points are worth noting. (1) Advance purchases of railway tickets which specify the date and time of travel are very much cheaper than unrestricted tickets. Often two 'singles' (i.e. one way tickets) are cheaper than a return. You should visit the website in the link posted (The Trainline) to investigate prices by putting in some example times and dates. You can book online and arrange to collect your tickets from a station ticket machine (using a booking number provided to you) without needing a UK address. Sometimes individual railway company websites (the old state enterprise British Rail was privatised under Mrs Thatcher) have their own deals, so look at companies like First Great Western. (2) National Express is indeed one of the leading bus companies but again, following the policies of deregulation, there are now many competing companies, including, for example, Stagecoach. Different companies may offer more convenient services on different routes. Unlike on the railways, there is usually no advantage to buying two singles on buses (often the single price is only a little less than the return price). As with trains, most bus tickets can be booked online, but the price gain of advance purchase is usually less. (3) For longer journeys within the UK (say London-Edinburgh or London-Manchester) flying may be cheaper than train travel. It is worth investigating the so-called budget airlines like BMIBaby, Flybe and Easyjet. These all have websites and allow online booking and e-tickets. One way tickets are possible and keenly priced, but you need to look out for add-on fees on things like checked bags and airport (as opposed to online) check-in. Overall it will pay to do some research ahead of your trip and advance booking could bring big savings. Hope you have a good trip. If I can offer any advice or assistance please ask: I remain grateful for your help in your moderator role.

[jasreeve17]

Shouldn't the name of this thread be changed; it's clearly wrong.

(There's no double pricing for foreigners - they are different tickets. [special tickets, designed for non UK residents are cheaper!!!])

So, this thread was designed to make people who dislike the Thai double pricing policy (extra charge for the same service because you look foreign, for example the Bkk to Kanchanaburi ticket) look foolish... didn't work did it.

All over Europe foreign tourists are encouraged with packages that are cheaper than the locals pay, that's normal practise - Thailand practises the opposite, hence slogans like 'amazing Thailand' and 'TiT".

After 7 years of paying taxes I get quite bored of watching the Thai rolling up in a Benz and buying a ticket for 25% of what I'll pay for exactly the same ticket (Bkk - Kanchanaburi)...

[Huey]

So, life is not fair...get used to it.

J.

what's the point of that comment. if we all took that attitude, we'd all be living as serfs.

Some people still are living as serfs, it's more of a bend over and take it mentality now more than anything else.

[cyb]

Shouldn't the name of this thread be changed; it's clearly wrong.

(There's no double pricing for foreigners - they are different tickets. [special tickets, designed for non UK residents are cheaper!!!])

So, this thread was designed to make people who dislike the Thai double pricing policy (extra charge for the same service because you look foreign, for example the Bkk to Kanchanaburi ticket) look foolish... didn't work did it.

All over Europe foreign tourists are encouraged with packages that are cheaper than the locals pay, that's normal practise - Thailand practises the opposite, hence slogans like 'amazing Thailand' and 'TiT".

After 7 years of paying taxes I get quite bored of watching the Thai rolling up in a Benz and buying a ticket for 25% of what I'll pay for exactly the same ticket (Bkk - Kanchanaburi)...

SBK is somewhat correct in the topic title.

SBK was refering to the over pricing on a site for people booking from overseas. (correct me if i'm wrong SBK)

Then on looking at local sites the fare was cheaper.jmho

[MAJIC]

I use this to book online every time from Thailand can be booked up to 9 weeks before easy to do use fast ticket then collect ticket at station

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/default.aspx

Yes and there are other Train services that you can get membership online to rail companies and get prepaid tickets at a vast reduction.

Last time I travelled from Paddington to Exeter St Davids a £68 ticket was £28 as a previous poster mentioned they send

you a number for use in a ticket machine,put in your Visa or whatever, punch in the number and you get your ticket.

Similar discounts are available for National Express Coaches from Heathrow to many destinations in the UK.

[gregb]

All you have to do is show proof of residency and you will be charged the same as a Thai.

Not so Im afraid.... me, wife, nanny and 3 kids..BKK-Cha-am Thais go free....I could prove residency but was still asked to pay 50 Baht....so, I then paid for a taxi to Sai Tai terminal and also bus fares to Cha am at a much larger cost than the 50 Baht....not cutting my nose to spite my face, I will not be treated that way.......this thread is about train fares in the U.K. anyway....

Another example is the 3RD Class "Death Railway" train from Bangkok Noi station to Kanchanaburi. A sign in english stating that foreigners must pay B100 and the normal fare in Thai script (about B17 for Thais is I remember correctly.) I showed the clerk my Thai drivers license and Retirmenet visa, but he would not budge

FWIW, I recently went to the Ancient City in BKK -great trip- and I was admitted for the Thai price by presenting my DL.

At the risk of really getting off topic here, does anyone know what the SRT's policy really is on riding free? Example, if I take the train from Don Muang to Hua Lampong, I always get the free ticket. However it is absolutely impossible to get out of that 5 baht fare on the return journey from Hua Lampong to Don Muang. They don't care about my Thai DL. Whitey pays, period.

So far, I have not been able to figure out who is right and who is wrong. Even I, as stingy as I am, have a hard time sitting there and raising a real stink about 5 baht. But it does bug me. What is the policy supposed to be? And has anyone ever compiled a list of which stations allow the free foreigner and which ones don't?

And what if you don't buy a ticket at all, but simply hop on and wait for the conductor to come by? What is the general policy in that case? Will he give you that blue ticket for free same as he does for Thais by presenting your DL, or are you going to be thrown off a moving train?

Edited February 6, 2010 by gregb

[bjoe97]

<br />

So, life is not fair...get used to it.<br />J.

<br /><br />what's the point of that comment. if we all took that attitude, we'd all be living as serfs.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

I agree- a pathetic response by one of those sorts who is actually impeding progress, but I am sure would come running to mummy should they be losing out on anything. Perhaps he is a serf!