I wish to travel tomorrow on the 09:30 Shrewsbury to Smethwick Galton Bridge and then use a National Express West Midlands 87 bus to visit a friend in hospital.
The CDR appears to be £12:70 and the Plus Bus website suggests I can add PLUS-BUS to this ticket for £2:70 but I have tried to check this on the East Coast Trains website and BRFARES.COM but neither show the fare.
Is it actually possible to buy such a through ticket ?
Thanks.
Smethwick Galton Bridge isn't a PlusBus destination although any other PlusBus ticket to a destination within the West Midlands County is valid on all services participating in Network West Midlands ticketing throughout the county. Book your train ticket to Birmingham Stations + BUS instead - also CDR £12.70 then £2.70 PlusBus - and just alight short at Smethwick Galton Bridge.
Depending which hospital (City?) you then have the flexibility of continuing into the city centre after your visit to pick up either ATW or LM back to Shrewsbury at New Street, depending on the time, although of course you can return to Smethwick if you prefer.
PlusBus fares are not actually issued as a 'through' fare but as a separate add-on - look up 'Birmingham Stations' to 'Birmingham+BUSWM' in brfares.com as a separate journey. Most booking websites will offer it as an additional option for the origin and/or destination after choosing the train fare itself.
Either way, PlusBus at £2.70 is good value as the ticket is equivalent to the Network NBus day ticket at £4 and less than an NXWM Daysaver.
