LOWER RAILWAY FARES.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1924, Page 8

LOWER RAILWAY FARES.

NEW EXCURSION RATES. moke sleeping carriages. MEW TYPE WITH 24 BERTHS. 'Concessions in excursion fares aud improved facilities for railway travellers are announced as part of the policy of the Minister for Railways of popularising the services. Alterations in fares and the’ conditions on which tickets are issued were published in a special Gazette last week. These alterations will operate from December 17.

The availability of tickets for ten miles and over, which in the past has been restricted to three days, has now been brought into line with pre-war practice. Single tickets will be available for one month, and return tickets for journeys of over 20 miles may be used within three months.

The new schedule of excursion fares will be available for the usual limited period. The extent of the reduction is illustrated by the fare for the first - class journey between Wellington and Auckland. The ordinary return fare is 131 s; the new excursion fare will be 945, as compared with 96s under the excursion tariff that has been followed since 1920. The second-class return fare, which is 89s 4d ordinarily, will be 625. 9d excursion. For journeys of 50 miles, the ordinary return fares are 1.5 s lOd and 10s toil first and second class respectively. The excursion fares wifi be Ils 3d and 7s 8d respectively. The three days’ period for the reservation of seats in now being extended to a fortnight. This is in line with the practice of reserving sleeping cars which has been in operation for aomg time.

To provide additional sleeping cars, the Railway Department is converting into sleepers a number of ordinary first-class carriages. which will be used temporarily. A special endeavour is being made to make them comfortable for the occupants. Each car will contain accommodation for 24 passengers.

The present intention is to use these converted cars on the limited cypresses until a new aud improved design can be built. Eight day* cars have been altered to provide sleeping -veommodation. The berths are arranged longitudinally or fore-and-•it, after the style of the American Fullman. The berths are 6ft 6 in. long, and are fitted with wire-woven mattresses. TSiere is plenty of room for luggage and clothing. The upper berth folds into the slope of the ceiling, leaving the lower to l>e used as a •eat.

The director of transportation, Air. A. K. Harris, said to-day that the experience gained with this style of berths would be of distinct value when the new sleepers were designed. In any case the prompt provision of eight cars with 24 berths earh should go far to relieve the inevitable congestion of the holiday period.