Swindon to Didcot hugely expensive?

I'm planning for a two month commute from Bath to Didcot Parkway in July and August so I can use my YP railcard at any time and found it was 100 pound for a weekly season which I thought was a bit pricey.

Looking at railcard returns every day it is ~£10 to Swindon but ~£33 for one more stop to Didcot for an anytime return! What's the reason for this?

If anyone knows of a bus suggestion from Swindon to the STFC in Didcot that would be lovely

When do you need to travel?

The roads between Swindon and Didcot are rubbish unless you go via the M4/A34. As far as know there is no direct bus.

There's no useful bus - best bet would be 66 to Oxford and then the X32, which would take hours and probably not save any money. Even a rail replacement (i.e. direct, non-stop) bus from Swindon to Didcot takes ~45 minutes!

As for the reason for the price difference, it's partly psychological and partly historical (I believe). The psychology part is that although it's only one stop and 15 minutes, Swindon-Didcot is actually the same distance as Bath-Swindon. The historical part is that fares between London and Oxford (and thus Didcot), being in Network SouthEast territory, were capped at different levels to those from Swindon and west (which was InterCity). Swindon and west to London, and by extension Didcot, is priced at a premium whilst Oxford/Didcot are more "commuter" priced - partly because of longstanding competition with the Oxford-London coach service. That's my understanding anyway.

PlusBus will cover Harwell at £36/month (not sure if you get discounted travel if you work there, obviously check this out first).

I guess that makes some sense, thanks for the info. Leaving about 7am and returning after 5pm. Maybe a Nobel Prize winning discovery will make up for it

Hi there,
The STFC labs are served by quite good public transport but only really to and from Didcot. There are other buses that extend to Oxford, Wantage and a few to Newbury but that's your lot.

If you're coming from Bath then there are no bus options I ever knew of. It's train to Didcot and then onto the bus.

Most people working at the labs tend to stay onsite or nearby in a B&B for experiments and those on short term contracts there seem to do that same. Compare a Monday - Thursday B&B stay with the price of what are relatively expensive tickets from Bath to Didcot.

It's the Swindon - Didcot bit that is expensive. I'd say that in the circumstances the weekly Bath - Didcot weekly season for about £100 is quite good value.

Not quite what you hoped for I guess. Sorry.
Mr Toad

I currently commute part of this route (Swindon - Reading via Didcot). The M4 is hell of a morning rush hour and I can understand how FGW justify their fares for that time. 2 hours to drive from Swindon to Reading. Unreal!!!

I thankfully travel off-peak the majority of the time, so splitting at Didcot saves me a few quid.

When I did have to travel at peak time, the lovely ladies in Swindon ticket office suggested to me the following: -

Y-P Anytime Single Swi - Did @ £14.20
Y-P Super Off-Peak Single Did - Swi @ £6.40

So a total of £20.60, so a third cheaper than your ~£33.

There are no evening peak time restrictions on the Super Off-Peak single from Didcot - Swindon which is an added bonus, but sadly, I don't know how to get the prices down further than the season ticket already suggested by yourself.


I'm cheating in bringing my costs down, I've worked out that be re-locating and renting in Reading, I'll be saving myself almost £200 / month. Oh how I miss having a railcard / no longer being classified as a YP!