VR: Redux

Ok, this is getting somewhat embarrassing already. Turns out I need to go to Kuopio in early November, so naturally I start figuring out what the best way to get there would be. And just to be fair, let's look at VR as an option. I punch in the trip details and I get the offers below. VR's ticket system does indeed seem to be very interesting as I understood that they have tried to imitate the airlines. One tip: if you imitate the airlines, at least do it properly so you'd maximize the profits. Screenshot below.

So, what we can see here is that VR has implemented three types of tickets. The "Perus" ticket, unlike the name might imply, is not only for the Perus Suomalaiset folk, but is the old 2nd class ticket, i.e. the regular train ticket. The "Joustava" ticket is the former business class ticket with added flexibility. And the new arrival is the "Ennakko" ticket for the early booker who can buy what is essentially a "Perus" ticket but with more limited options when it comes to making changes to the ticket. Now, why is the flexible economy ticket the most expensive? What's going on?

Additionally an interesting bit is in the trains themselves. I can leave Helsinki at 16:30 and arrive to Kuopio at 21:38 with the Pendolino and no need to switch trains. Or I can leave Helsinki at 17:12, make two train switches and arrive at Kuopio at the same 21:38 with the same Pendolino. The first two legs, however, are travelled with an InterCity 2 train and a regular, old train. So someone please tell me what the point of the Pendolino exercise was when the train that was supposed to improve travel times is actually operated at slower speeds than the older equipment.

Seriously, someone please put an end to this non-sense. Privatize the whole company as it appears that the government is impotent when it comes to making what is fundamentally a for-profit company work.

Edit: As a funny additional thing to notice is that the prices above are student prices. Blue1, a Finnish airline, is offering to fly me to Kuopio and back again for roughly the same amount of money that it would cost to get the Joustava student tickets. Oh, and the Blue1 tickets aren't student discounted...