Great Western Coffee Shop

How do you compare ticket prices for two different pieces of public transport?  The usual measure is cost (pence) per mile, and I've just been looking at single tickets from Bristol to Paddington for 20th March.  I was offered a baffling 16 different fares on the FGW web site, ranging from 10 pounds to 104 pounds - thats from a good value 10p per mile up to an amazing 104 pence per mile.  The best value "book on the day" ticket was 48p per mile, or 62.5p per mile if I wanted the flexibility to use any train.

Quoting First Great Western, "Our HSTs are the roomiest of the long distance fleets. We don't accept we are cramming people on to our trains ... We are certainly not offering the budget airline pitch".  True, but they're not offering budget airline prices either.   Easy Jet are offering Bristol to Venice on 20th March for 27.99 - that's 3.5p per mile.    I tell you - if First were to offer a coach on each train with budget airlline pitch and a 3.50 Bristol to London fare, I'll bet they would have it packed out.