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Any interesting route from Birmingham to Cardiff other than via chepstow?

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TSR :D

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I travel on this route sometimes. There's nothing wrong with this route but I'd like to take a completely different route that arrives at Cardiff taking about 2 hour 30 minutes at about £25 return including the railcard.

I will be travelling on mid December, just before Christmas.

Any suggestions?

On completely unrelated note, is first class return to London Euston from Birmingham on Virgin trains on weekend (not with an upgrade) for about £10-15 extra worth it?
 
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cuccir

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Re: Birmingham - Cardiff

This is valid on maps WB and CB in the Routeing Guide.

As this shows, your only real alternative is Birmingham - Hereford - Cardiff, which takes about 2 hours 50 minutes. You can also go via Bristol Parkway and the Severn Tunnel if it's a specific aversion to Chepstow that you have.

Edit: For that price, however, you're travelling on Advance tickets. These are only valid on the booked trains, and only available via Chepstow or Bristol Parkway.
 
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dzug2

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split ticketing at Cheltenham (or Gloucester) and/or Bristol can work on this route
 

LNW-GW Joint

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You can get a pair of Cheap Day Returns splitting at Hereford for about £22.
Journey time 2h48m. After 0845. For a fraction more you can get an SDR to Hereford without time restrictions.
And for a real treat you can go via Shrewsbury and Hereford for £32, also splitting at Hereford, journey time 3h14m.
The fare to Hereford is an SDR without time restrictions.
Trolley on the ATW section.
The XC SVR is £35 and not available before 0930.
I think you can use this on any route (not via Shrewsbury).
 

TSR :D

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Re: Birmingham - Cardiff

This is valid on maps WB and CB in the Routeing Guide.

As this shows, your only real alternative is Birmingham - Hereford - Cardiff, which takes about 2 hours 50 minutes. You can also go via Bristol Parkway and the Severn Tunnel if it's a specific aversion to Chepstow that you have.

Edit: For that price, however, you're travelling on Advance tickets. These are only valid on the booked trains, and only available via Chepstow or Bristol Parkway.
I don't really have any aversion to Chepstow, it's actually one of my favourite routes, but I'm looking for something different. Anyway I'll probably go via Bristol Parkway then.


split ticketing at Cheltenham (or Gloucester) and/or Bristol can work on this route
I'm not really looking into splitting, I'm more of interested in which alternative routes I can take.


You can get a pair of Cheap Day Returns splitting at Hereford for about £22.
Journey time 2h48m. After 0845. For a fraction more you can get an SDR to Hereford without time restrictions.
And for a real treat you can go via Shrewsbury and Hereford for £32, also splitting at Hereford, journey time 3h14m.
The fare to Hereford is an SDR without time restrictions.
Trolley on the ATW section.
The XC SVR is £35 and not available before 0930.
I think you can use this on any route (not via Shrewsbury).
Sounds good, but I'll probably take Bristol Parkway instead.

Another question, when looking at timetable, it seems most of FGW's HSTs stop at Bristol parkway instead of Bristol temple meads, surely it would be the other way around?

Also, is it worth it taking an XC HST? I'm wondering because I think XC's voyagers is pretty good. I would be taking the 11:20am off BHM if I'm taking an HST. I also like a return through camp hill chord, is that possible with an HST?
 

dzug2

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.

Another question, when looking at timetable, it seems most of FGW's HSTs stop at Bristol parkway instead of Bristol temple meads, surely it would be the other way around?

Also, is it worth it taking an XC HST? I'm wondering because I think XC's voyagers is pretty good. I would be taking the 11:20am off BHM if I'm taking an HST. I also like a return through camp hill chord, is that possible with an HST?

Most London - South Wales services only serve Parkway as the Bristol stop

London - Bristol services serve Temple Meads - some of them via Parkway but most via Chippenham

I don't think HSTs are normally scheduled over the Camp Hill curve
 
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TSR :D

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Most London - South Wales services only serve Parkway as the Bristol stop

London - Bristol services serve Temple Meads - some of them via Parkway but most via Chippenham

I don't think HSTs are normally scheduled over the Camp Hill curve

Thanks, I think I'll take voyager on return over the Camp Hill curve. 14:08 ex Bristol Parkway sounds good to me.
 

Class172

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The HSTs go via the West Suburban line (Cross-City) so won't use the Camp Hill line; they don't need to as they face the correct direction at new street.
 
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