Pontypridd to Bristol Temple Meads/Bristol airport and return 1st week of July

[bradleyd]

Hey all, I need to be at Bristol Airport on the 2nd July (travelling from pontypridd on the 1st July to Bristol), and returning the 7th July. From looking at national rail, it appears as though the severn tunnel is going to be closed, and will be either a rail replacement bus from Newport to parkway, then train to templemeads, or via Gloucester/Cheltenham and down.

Would a Pontypridd (PPD) to Bristol airport by Bus (XPB) ticket (showing as £36.40 in the national rail app) allow me to travel from Pontypridd to Gloucester (taking a few hours break in Gloucester) to Bristol TM (BRI) on Friday 1st July, overnight stay in Bristol, then BRI to XPB early afternoon in Saturday 2nd, then returning on Thursday 7th July, and then hoping to catch (at the latest) the 20:14 airport flyer, which would get me into BRI in time for the 21:03 arriving at PPD at 00:02, or if have unavoidable delays, staying over in Bristol.

If the PPD -XPB £36.40 ticket isn't the best for these options, what others would you be able to suggest?

 

[sonic2009]

You wouldn't normally be able to travel via Gloucester, but because the Severn Tunnel is closed the following easement in the National Routeing Guide will apply :

700989 (Local) The Severn Tunnel will be closed between 01 and 10 July 2022. Customers from Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicot, Chepstow and Lydney travelling to Cam & Dursley, Yate, Bristol Parkway , Filton Abbeywood, Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road and Bristol Temple Meads, or to destinations via Bristol Parkway may travel on trains via Gloucester to avoid using the rail replacement bus service. This Local easement applies in both directions.

So to me this means you can do this in reverse, other's will confirm.

 

[bradleyd]

I thought via Gloucester would be possible, just due to the national rail app giving me the same price if I just did PPD-XPB those dates, or PPD-XPB via Gloucester (GCR) whereas it doesn't on other days.

It's more the breaking of the journey at GCR and BRI that I'm not sure of

 

[Mcr Warrior]

If the £36.40 Anytime Return (route via Cardiff) is o.k. via Gloucester, noted it has five days validity on the outward portion, so presumably this will mean it's o.k. for overnight Breaks of Journey at Gloucester and then Bristol (assuming the rail replacement buses are operating on the days that the outward journey is broken/resumed at Gloucester, yes?) If not does the easement noted by @sonic2009 still apply?

P.S. Any reason why the Anytime Day Return for this same Pontypridd->Bristol Air Bus journey seems to be £2.00 dearer?

 

[Watershed]

Hey all, I need to be at Bristol Airport on the 2nd July (travelling from pontypridd on the 1st July to Bristol), and returning the 7th July. From looking at national rail, it appears as though the severn tunnel is going to be closed, and will be either a rail replacement bus from Newport to parkway, then train to templemeads, or via Gloucester/Cheltenham and down.

Would a Pontypridd (PPD) to Bristol airport by Bus (XPB) ticket (showing as £36.40 in the national rail app) allow me to travel from Pontypridd to Gloucester (taking a few hours break in Gloucester) to Bristol TM (BRI) on Friday 1st July, overnight stay in Bristol, then BRI to XPB early afternoon in Saturday 2nd, then returning on Thursday 7th July, and then hoping to catch (at the latest) the 20:14 airport flyer, which would get me into BRI in time for the 21:03 arriving at PPD at 00:02, or if have unavoidable delays, staying over in Bristol.

If the PPD -XPB £36.40 ticket isn't the best for these options, what others would you be able to suggest?

The easement alluded to by @sonic2009 allows travel via Gloucester, and gives no indication that break of journey will be prohibited. Therefore I would suggest that you can break your journey at Gloucester, although whether the gateline staff are aware of the easement is another matter - so it may be best to carry a copy of your itinerary if needed.

Advance tickets are available at very reasonable prices for PPD-Bristol TM, but none exist to the Airport. And unfortunately it looks like GWR have failed to load in the timetable for the Bristol Flyer, therefore you can't buy a ticket to Bristol Airport Bus on any system that requires an itinerary.

Incidentally, rail replacement buses are also in operation between Cardiff-PPD between 2-8 July.

 

[bradleyd]

I

P.S. Any reason why the Anytime Day Return for this same Pontypridd->Bristol Air Bus journey seems to be £2.00 dearer?

When I put this journey in the the 1st July, leaving PPD at 8:08, returning at £19:45 it shows as £36.40 in the nationalrail app also

The easement alluded to by @sonic2009 allows travel via Gloucester, and gives no indication that break of journey will be prohibited. Therefore I would suggest that you can break your journey at Gloucester, although whether the gateline staff are aware of the easement is another matter - so it may be best to carry a copy of your itinerary if needed.

Which journey planner is going to be the best to show me such an itinerary including the 2hourish break in Gloucester?

Incidentally, rail replacement buses are also in operation between Cardiff-PPD between 2-8 July.

I'm used to rail replacement buses between pontypridd and radyr at various times over the last year or so (I've had to do PPD to queen street in each direction 2-6 times a week

 

[Watershed]

When I put this journey in the the 1st July, leaving PPD at 8:08, returning at £19:45 it shows as £36.40 in the nationalrail app also

It looks like the add-on for the bus has been miscalculated for the Anytime Return, which is why the Anytime Return to Bristol Airport Bus is showing as cheaper than the Anytime Day Return.

Which journey planner is going to be the best to show me such an itinerary including the 2hourish break in Gloucester?

TrainSplit will allow you to force a change and wait at Gloucester. If you use the Advanced options you can specify a minimum interchange of 99 minutes above what's required.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I'll be honest given the RRB and the bus from Temple Meads, I'd be tempted instead to see if the times of the National Express coach from Cardiff to Bristol airport work for you. It picks up from near Cathays station too so easy change from train to coach.

 

[bradleyd]

TrainSplit will allow you to force a change and wait at Gloucester. If you use the Advanced options you can specify a minimum interchange of 99 minutes above what's required.

I've just tried in TrainSplit putting in PPD to XPB, break of Journey at GCR for 99 minutes, coming back at various times/dates, and it's just saying
"We're sorry.

Your search failed for the following reason: No itineraries found for search. Please try again or contact us"

I'll be honest given the RRB and the bus from Temple Meads, I'd be tempted instead to see if the times of the National Express coach from Cardiff to Bristol airport work for you. It picks up from near Cathays station too so easy change from train to coach.

I'd be staying in Bristol on the Friday at one of my friends, and then flying on the Saturday afternoon

 

[kieron]

Which journey planner is going to be the best to show me such an itinerary including the 2hourish break in Gloucester?

I don't know about the app, but nre.co.uk has a "break 2 hours whenever you change trains" thing which may give you the time you need in Gloucester.

For what it's worth, there is an easement which permits journeys like this via Gloucester on these dates, but it's 700988, not 700989.

 

[sonic2009]

I don't know about the app, but nre.co.uk has a "break 2 hours whenever you change trains" thing which may give you the time you need in Gloucester.

For what it's worth, there is an easement which permits journeys like this via Gloucester on these dates, but it's 700988, not 700989.

The 700989 i quoted was taken the thread you update National Routing Guide.

But thanks for clarification

 

[bradleyd]

Thank you everyone, has been so helpful