I started working full time in the travel industry in the 90’s when making rail travel bookings was done very differently. At that time we had to consult a very packed full British Rail Passenger Timetable and manually look up the timetable with its minuscule print to find all the relevant timings for any particular journey our clients wished to make and then write them out as clearly as possible. We then had to consult our ‘National Fares Manual’ for the correct region to work out the best fare to offer, although back then three wasn’t the large choice of fare options that we have now. Once our clients had decided on the fare we then had to write out each ticket in our best hand writing so it was very clear and precise. It was best not to make a mistake as this would very likely cause the traveller a problem on the day of travel.
There are many advantages to how booking rail travel has progressed over the years, for example being able to book a rail ticket in just a few clicks of a button either on your mobile phone or online and have seats prebooked as well on most routes and by booking using our mobile phones we can also receive train updates instantly and not have to wait until we reach the station to find out of the train is on time.
I am also very pleased to say that our Evolvi rail booking system which we use at DP&L now gives us access to seat maps on the trains in case travellers have some very specific needs when it comes to allocating a seat for the journey.
In order for us to sell rail tickets, our travel agency had to apply for an ATOC license, (Association of Train Operating Companies) which initially involves two members of staff, myself included, completing the National Rail Exam which I went to London to sit back in 1995 and in order to keep our rail license we continue to sit a few exams every two years, this keeps us up to date with any changes arising in the world of UK rail travel!
Travel by rail is also far more environmentally friendly in many ways and should be considered over travel by air and road. UK rail operators are striving to improve sustainability and many have electric trains operating on some of their routes in the UK with more to come.
Rail travel also means reduced carbon emissions, energy efficiency, lower noise pollution and an environmental impact as rail travel minimizes land use compared to roads and airports and therefore preserves wildlife habitats and ancient woodland areas , which are all things we at DP&L consider very important in today’s climate.
Contact us with all of your rail queries and bookings to ensure you receive expert advice, low-cost ticketing, and a friendly team who will make sure you get from A to B.
T: 01382 204848.
E: tmc@dpandl.co.uk.