Things can ONLY get better (Connex)

Member Name: breezelc

Product:	Connex
Date:	01/10/01 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gets you to A-B

Disadvantages: Dirty, untidy, slow...

Being a non car user, I am pretty much forced to use the train service to get from A to B. Living in the South East you get used to paying far more, for the same service elsewhere. In my local area, it is far cheeper to use the train service than it is the buses and even though Connex is usually a little bit late, it does ultimately get you to your destination. One of the main problems with Connex is that the train are some of the oldest in the country, which is quite amazing considering the line is one of the busiest commuter networks. They are dirty, often broken and becasue of the shoddy state they are kept in, are often prone to vandalism.

Connex South East is the rail network from London (Victoria, Cannon Street, Charing Cross), through the outer London towns and villages, Dartford, Medway towns, Maidstone, Canturbury, and onto the North and Eastcoast sea-side towns of Ramsgate, Dover, Margate etc. It is therfore, the main gateway for tourists traveling from Europe to London and for that reason alone I feel that Connex South East has a responsibility to the country to maintain the trains to an acceptable standard. Furthermore, the network goes through the main commuter-belt for London and if the company can't provide a resonable service, then it further effects the economics within the city.

SERVICE AT RUSH HOUR...
All I can say here, is that avoide using the service before 9.30am and between the hours of 4.30pm and 7.30pm, unless you really have to. There are NEVER enough carriages and quite often there won't even be enough room for you to stand. In summer it is a nighmare - becasue they are the old trains they have no air conditioning. If you can, stand by a door as these have the windows you pucsh down to open the door, and do actually let the air in. Otherwise you will be stuck like sardines in a tin, with no air and (lets face it not everyone uses deoderant) nasty smells.

But it isn't always that bad. The netw
ork really is trying to increse the number of new stock and you may be lucky enough to get in a nice new train that is clean, tidy and has air conditioning. Another point to make out, is that (if you are going everywhere but the smallest of villages) the train are frequent. They may often be late, but they are regular, especially at rush hour.

AND AT NON RUSH HOUR...
Well, it isn't that bad at all. They don't put many carriages on during the day, but I've never been on one that didn't have spaces. It's 50-50 as to whether it will be a new train or not. They are also pretty regular. During the day, trains seem to run about every 20 minutes if you're not at a small village. If you are at a smaller station then you will have to catch the 'slow' train, and these seem to run every 30-40 minutes.

FACILITIES
Well all connex SE trains have toilets, they aren't that nice, but to be fair I have never been in a train toilet anywhere that is. If the train is going the full London to Dover/Ramsgate journey then small buffet car does travel down the train, but it is very pricey and the tea isn't that nice. It sells cakes, biscuits, sandwiches, drinks(hot & cold) and alcohol.

AND FINALLY, THE PRICE
As I have already mentioned, the SE is not a cheap area and as a result the train prices are very high. Furthermore there is no chance of ticket dodging as most of the stations have installed ticket barriers to make sure you have paid. If you are a 'young person', then I highly recommend a young persons rail card as this cuts 1/3 off your bill and suddenly makes train travel a bit more reasonable. The main price outcry is the commuter cost. It is so expensive to travel before nine and season tickets to London cost well into the thousands.

MY FINAL THOUGHT
For people like me, there really is no alternative but to use the railways, and that is why the company gets away with providin
g such a poor service. It is getting better though and although we are having to pay for the improvements, anything has got to be better than it was a couple of years ago.

Summary: