Chippenham to Sandown (Isle of Wight)

[tgrb]

Hi All,

I'm going on a day trip tomorrow to Sandown, from what I can tell I have a couple of options...... anyone with better ideas/experience I'd be happy to hear from you!

Option 1: Train to Bath, Onward Train to Portsmouth and Southsea, connecting bus to HoverPort, hovercraft to Ryde, walk to Ryde Island line station, then train to Sandown - All in return £80.70 which includes all tickets for all modes of transport (so I understand!)

Option 2: Train to Romsey, change, train to Eastleigh, change train to Portsmouth Harbour. Then fastcat to Ryde Pier Head then walk to island line station Pier Head Station and take the train to Sandown
Return Chippenham to Portsmouth Harbor £47.30
Fast Cat Return £19
Island Line Return £5.40
Total £71.70

Quite like the thought of the hovercraft but with the bus seems like more faffing....

Cheers

Tim

 

[bigfoote]

Quick look on trainsplit showing some advances between Bath Spa and Portsmouth available. Depending on when you plan to travel, may be worth a cursory look if you can book today.

 

[Harbouring]

The HoverBus is every half hour (leaves City Centre South at xx11 and xx41) and is quite quick however if you've got luggage then on the Ryde side there is a bridge over the railway you have to go over or walk up to the main road which is extra faff

The hovercraft is quick but you don't see much as the spray is on the window whereas the Fastcat gives a good view of the harbour on the way over

 

[tgrb]

OK thanks guys - as a result I've got the train to Portsmouth Harbour for about £30 and going on the fastcat for the view!

Thanks for yor help all - I always forget about split tickets!

 

[James Wake]

Sandown Station is about 5-10 min walk from the centre of the resort. A day ticket on all Southern Vectis buses is £10, and a day ticket on the Island Line trains is £6 if you need to make more than one return journey.

Have a good time tomorrow. For future reference, a through ticket from Chippenham to Sandown via Portsmouth Harbour would also include the FastCat. in case advances are sold out. There is the sun deck upstairs on the Cat as well as a spacious air-conditioned indoor cabin with plenty of windows.

 

[tgrb]

Hi James

Ah - thanks - will bear that in mind next time - that would have been easier than the many tickets I've just bought! But at least £10 more! I do like the way these connecting tickets work, but finding out about them is hard work!

I'm actually going to Sandown Airport - so looks I've already messed up as I should have got the ticket to Lake Station, oh well...................

 

[James Wake]

The guard on the Island Line train may be able to excess your ticket up for the extra 30p, approach him or her before the train leaves Ryde Pier Head. A Ryde Pier Head to Lake day return is £5.70 rather than the £5.40 to Sandown. (Shanklin being £5.90 and the day ticket being £6)

 

[James Wake]

Looking at the distance to the airport from the stations, it may be worth getting the number 8 bus from Sandown or Lake out there.

 

[tgrb]

Hi James

Thanks for the heads up on asking the guard I'll certainly do that

Ref the bus where did you find that info or is it local knowledge? I looked on the bus website and the route may of sandown but couldn't seem to see the anything going that way

Thanks again for all the pointers

Tim

 

[James Wake]

I did the 8 on my holiday three weeks ago it stops right outside the airport gate, if you are able to, the 8 also goes from Ryde, so a walk across the Pier from the FastCat terminal and a return bus ticket would mean you wouldn't need to use the train.

http://islandbuses.info/service.shtml?serviceid=1335

Is the timetable page for the 8, click on Google Route Map and it shows you the route, it passes the end of the approach road for the airport with the bus stop right outside the gates.

 

[James Wake]

The only problem is the 8 takes almost an hour and a quarter from Ryde due to going via Bembridge and Seaview. The 2 and 3 go between Ryde and Sandown/Lake directly via Brading, but it would still need a change onto the 8 for the final stretch to the airport.

 

[tgrb]

Not a good start 7:36 Bath Spa > Portsmouth Harbour Cancelled!

Lots of in-happy people at the station as the supervisor there sending everyone for the Southampton Farnham area back to Reading to then make a connection back Southampton - providing it makes the connection! Unfortunately the Guard on the Train from
Chippenham said they'd organise a Taxi but the station supervisor said it was pointless due to traffic etc - I can understand there frustration but it's not the poor blokes fault a train had broken down and signal failures!

Hey ho - I waited in line to get his best advice and he said best wait for the 8:36 and he gave me a refreshment voucher which the others didn't get, my reward for not screaming at him

 

[tgrb]

:cry::cry::cry:

And the 8:36 is now the 8:48 - GWR app claims we'll make up the time en route.....

 

[tgrb]

We eventually left at 8:55 - due to a door fault - going to have to get his foot down now! (As it were)

 

[James Wake]

No surprise there, GWR had a load of cancellations over the Bank Holiday weekend, one directly affected me, but I was able to take an alternative route and was only delayed by 12 minutes. Hope your day on the island is going well despite GWR's efforts this morning.

 

[tgrb]

I eventually got to Portsmouth Harbour @ 11:13 - I ran and made the 11.15 SeaCat - which was relief otherwise I would have lost another hour!

Got straight of the SeaCat onto the "train" and got to my desination after a short walk (long wait for a bus) about 12:45 so all good

lets hope the journey home has less delays!