Cardiff to Leeds 17/18th February 2016

[ValleyLines142]

Morning all,

My parents and I are going to Leeds on 17th February. We need to be there by 10.30am. I was hoping we could catch the 0435 Cardiff to Manchester and then TPE to Leeds but because of engineering works ATW are diverted to Oxford Road instead of Piccadilly and I'm getting £46 for a single! There is an Advance available but it is coming up as £25 but even that involves a bus between Crewe and Stockport! With that being one way only and with the Manchester to Leeds section I'm looking at about £60 each!

CrossCountry from Bristol Parkway to Leeds seem astronomical as well.

If anyone could help me find a much cheaper alternative, I'd be very grateful because at this rate I think we'll be driving instead!

3 adults, 1 16-25 railcard, Cardiff to Leeds, out Wed 17 Feb arriving as close to 10.30 as possible, back Thu 18 Feb not fixed for time returning though. Thank you.

 

[Iskra]

I'm on my mobile at the moment so can't check myself, have you tried via Birmingham, Chester or even London could come out cheaper.

 

[Adam0984]

Just a quick look I've found Cardiff to Crewe at £20 advance on 0435, £13.60 SDS Crewe to Manchester. £7.30 advance Manchester to Leeds

 

[Romilly]

A Cardiff-Stockport Advance is the same price as a Cardiff-Crewe Advance. So two lots of £53.20. Then a Stockport-Leeds offpeak return for 3 adults (one with a 16-25 railcard) is £61.45. Total £167.85.

 

[ValleyLines142]

For both of these though I still need to get the replacement bus between Crewe and Manchester won't I?

 

[185143]

I know a loophole that'll make Crewe-Manchester a bit cheaper

 

[pt15sb]

For both of these though I still need to get the replacement bus between Crewe and Manchester won't I?

I just took a look at the engineering works announcement from ATW:

Arriva Trains Wales services between Manchester Piccadilly and Cardiff Central/Carmarthen/Milford Haven, will be diverted via Warrington Bank Quay and will start from/terminate at Manchester Oxford Road. Train services will also be unable to call at Stockport and Wilmslow. A bus will run between Crewe and Stockport calling at Wilmslow.

To me this suggests you get off at Crewe and take a bus only if you need Stockport or Wilmslow. The train will continue direct from Crewe to Oxford Rd

NRE suggests the same and isn't showing a bus either.

 

[Romilly]

There are certainly through trains to Manchester Oxford Road (MCO), but in terms of pricing there's quite a saving to be made on the days the OP wants to travel by using the bus between Crewe and Stockport: £20 Advance for Cardiff-Stockport, compared with £70.10 anytime day single for Cardiff-MCO or £39 Advance for Cardiff-Manchester Piccadilly (using the Crewe-Stockport bus).

 

[ValleyLines142]

Don't see why I should have to get a bus! Advances should be available to Oxford Road; at the end of the day why should I miss out?

I'm driving up, it'll only be £80 wish in petrol and I haven't got time to jump on and off buses and trains all day!

 

[30907]

Don't see why I should have to get a bus! Advances should be available to Oxford Road; at the end of the day why should I miss out?

I'd agree, it's odd. Have you contacted ATW to check if there is a bug in the system?

Or checked whether going the night before and booking a couple of Travelodge rooms is worth it.

But even in normal circumstances, with 3 travelling it would be difficult to beat the marginal costs of driving.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I'd agree, it's odd. Have you contacted ATW to check if there is a bug in the system?

Or checked whether going the night before and booking a couple of Travelodge rooms is worth it.

But even in normal circumstances, with 3 travelling it would be difficult to beat the marginal costs of driving.

I have. They actually PM'd me on Twitter personally to tell me that there was an error on the system, but even so there still doesn't appear to be a cheaper option.

I'm a little bit reluctant to book a Travelodge the night before as we are already staying overnight in Leeds, and the train will still be the same price later on the previous day! Think we're going to do the Cardiff to Stockport and Stockport to Leeds option on the way up, and then perhaps get the Megabus from Leeds to Cardiff on the way back, although the thought of having to sit on a Megabus for over six hours does make my skin crawl!

I will continue to find different options, but not having much luck to be honest!

 

[evotista]

How about this for a slightly nutty routing

Go day before on the 16th and do this....

17:50 Cardiff to Crewe 20:22

20:33 Crewe to Liverpool South Parkway 21:04

21:40 Liverpool South Parkway to Leeds 23:12

Grand total £29.20 for one Adult

£22 for Cardiff - Warrington Central - Advance ATW, LM &N conns ticket!!
£7.20 for Warrington Central to Leeds - Advance TP only ticket

With YP railcard , it comes down to £19.25!.


You would still need cheap accomodation on the Tues night...but train tics...I think that's really cheap

Not looked at the coming back yet...HTH

 

[father_jack]

Dan Train Man you have PM

 

[evotista]

Dan,

Just looked up the reverse for coming back and it's available on the Feb 18th as follows....coming back though you'll have to do 3 changes

11:09 Leeds to Warrington Central 12:30 - TPE service
12:46 Warrington Central to Liverpool South Parkway 13:06 - TPE service
13:15 Liverpool South Parkway to Crewe 13:46 - LM service
14:08 Crewe to Cardiff Central 16:57 - ATW service

Again 2 tickets required both advances -

1 - Leeds to Warrington is £7.20 Adv from TPE
2 - Warrington to Cardiff is the £22 ATW, LM and Connections Advance - you have to force the routing via liverpool south parkway for this tic to show up

This way avoids the bus from stockport to crewe (which was a way of getting the cheap £20 ATW advances) and yet still means you connect on to a ATW service that is the same ones coming from Manchester Oxford Road whose 1st stop is Crewe...but as you said, none of those have Advance tics available on them from Manchester!

HTH

 

[father_jack]

Dan you have PM !!!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Dan.

You should have read that PM !!!!

Have a look now. You'll have to do 0435 CDF-MCO for £20 and then 0824 MCO-LDS (chg MAN) arr 0936 for £9.30. Minus any railcards obviously.

Lots of love.

Father_Jack.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I've seen your PM, thank you very much!

The fares to Oxford Road have also gone down, however for all 3 of us including 1 16-25 it is £106.40 return to Manchester and £49 return Manchester to Leeds, so £155!

 

[father_jack]

I've seen your PM, thank you very much!

The fares to Oxford Road have also gone down, however for all 3 of us including 1 16-25 it is £106.40 return to Manchester and £49 return Manchester to Leeds, so £155!

Glad to be of help !

 

[ValleyLines142]

To be honest, I was hoping to get it within the £100 region, so we're still going to drive! Thank you all for your help though!

Update: settled on £156 for the whole lot. A lot more expensive than what I was expecting, but never mind! By contrast, my friend and I have just got a return to Liverpool (via Stafford on VT), for £43 return!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Update: settled on £156 for the whole lot. A lot more expensive than what I was expecting, but never mind! By contrast, my friend and I have just got a return to Liverpool (via Stafford on VT), for £43 return!