IoW Travel

[Buzby]

During the Rail Sale I bagged a ticket from the far north to Ryde Esplanade (the IoW has been on my bucket list of destinations for years).

Are there any runabout-type tickets that will give me access to buses and the Island Line that are reasonable value?

So far all I’ve found are tickets that will get me to/from the island - which I don’t need! Any advice for what I should get? TIA

 

[Gloster]

During the Rail Sale I bagged a ticket from the far north to Ryde Esplanade (the IoW has been on my bucket list of destinations for years).

Are there any runabout-type tickets that will give me access to buses and the Island Line that are reasonable value?

So far all I’ve found are tickets that will get me to/from the island - which I don’t need! Any advice for what I should get? TIA

There is the Island Line Day Ranger, which should be on the National Rail website: the information on the South Western Railway site is not very informative. Southern Vectis does a number of tickets, but other than the Rail Link through tickets to Ventnor I think that they are all bus only. If you get a bus rover you should know that only 24- and 48-hour Rovers are available on card: the rest need a smart ‘phone.

If I remember I will ask the next time I am at Esplanade, but this will be Saturday at the earliest.

 

[Haywain]

I bagged a ticket from the far north to Ryde Esplanade

You should have got one to Shanklin if you wanted to do the whole line.

 

[Buzby]

You should have got one to Shanklin if you wanted to do the whole line.

I realised that after the event, but as I’m staying in Ryde and the issued tickets are all Advance Singles with rimed departures from Waterloo etc I thought it would be an additional complication - a Day Ranger-type thing would be ideal! I know it’s only a short walk but specifying the Promenade as the destination didn’t get me the 1 stop - it says walk!

 

[ajs]

There is an Island Line Day Ranger ticket costs £6.70, no railcard discount. Gives a days unlimited travel on the train between Ryde Pierhead and Shanklin.

Don’t confuse it with Island Line Day Rover which includes IOW Steam Railway. Costs £23 and should only be issued when the steam railway is open.

Southern Vectis do a day bus ticket for £10.70 but excludes Breezer Buses.

A 48 hour ticket which includes Breezer Buses is £18.50.

 

[Thames99]

Are Southern Vectis offering £2 singles? Most but not all companies do this. If so, unless you are planning to user lots of buses, it may be cheaper to pay bus by bus rather thsan buying a day ticket.

 

[YorkRanger]

Yes, Southern Vectis are still in the £2 scheme.

They also offer tap on tap off, which might be suitable for the OP: https://www.islandbuses.info/tap-tap-contactless-payments

 

[Buzby]

Yes - I’d already thoughts the bus rover was quite pricey unless I planned to sit on a bus all day! The same too on the IL as a standard return should allow me to break my journey for a sniff round Brading and Smallbrook Jcn - even if no Steam trains are running. Since I’ve 3 days midweek are there any routes I shouldn’t miss? (from Ryde).

 

[YorkRanger]

Island Line trains will only stop at Smallbrook Junction if the Steam Railway is operating (they don't start operating again until March 24th).

 

[ainsworth74]

Since I’ve 3 days midweek are there any routes I shouldn’t miss? (from Ryde).

My recollection is that the interesting routes, or the "must not miss" ones anyway originate from Newport. So if that is an option then from memory the 12 up to the Needles is quite good though I'd do the Needles Breezer from Yarmouth (but I think it might be summer only?) to go up to the Needles if possible. I seem to recall that the 3 and the 6 to Ventnor are quite good as well.

 

[hermit]

The Needles Breezer from Yarmouth is one of the most spectacular bus routes in Britain. It runs from March 2. It doesn’t accept concessions.

Among normal routes from Newport the 6 to Ventnor via Chale and the 12 to Totland via Brighstone take you through the most attractive country and coastal scenery.

The 3 from Ryde to Newport via Ventnor takes in the east coast resorts. Unfortunately at present it doesn’t use the dramatic coastal road between Shanklin and Ventnor as that is closed following the major Bonchurch landslip. It has to reach Ventnor by going in and out on the inland road via Wroxall.

 

[ainsworth74]

The 3 from Ryde to Newport via Ventnor takes in the east coast resorts. Unfortunately at present it doesn’t use the dramatic coastal road between Shanklin and Ventnor as that is closed following the major Bonchurch landslip. It has to reach Ventnor by going in and out on the inland road via Wroxall.

Ah I suspect that's why I remember it then! Shame its being diverted at the moment but obviously unavoidable.

Glad that a local has concurred with my suggestions generally though, memory has totally failed me yet

 

[ajs]

The Souther Vectis Routes 2 & 3, take the long way round from Ryde, Brading , Sandown, Shanklin to Newport.

Because of a landslip before Christmas the 3 has to take a different route between Shanklin & Ventnor and has to double back on itself.

The Southern Vectis app l find helpful but also like their timetable booklet, which is generally easy to get hold off and contains a useful map.

A Breezer bus ride from Yarmouth upto the Old Battery at the Needles is enjoyable but don’t think that they are running this time of year,

Ryde to Alum Bay involves at least 2 buses each way, which would cost £8 for the return journey.
Something to think about when planning your journeys.

 

[Gloster]

The Southern Vectis Rover tickets are valid for 24 hours from the time on the ticket. I checked the point a few days ago for normal tickets and it is the boarding time that counts: if your ticket says 11.58 you can get on the 12.00 bus at 11.57 and stay on to the end of the journey, but you can’t board at 11.59. (The situation with 11.58 is unclear, but you would be chancing that the ticket machine’s clock is not fast.) i don’t think you can buy them in advance.

If going from Ryde to the Needles Breezer, I think it would be cheapest to buy the Rover+Breezer: if you time it right you can still use it for a bit of the next day. In case it isn’t clear, the £2 fare is for each leg of a journey: if you change buses, you must pay £2 again.

There is a bus information office in Ryde Bus Station, although its hours are only something like 09.00-15.00 with a lunch break. Newport is open 08.00-18.00 with a 12.00-13.00 lunch break.


ADDED 24-HOURS LATER:

I asked in Ryde Esplanade ticket office today and there are still two one-day tickets for use on Islandline: one is Islandline only and the other includes the Steam Railway (only one round trip, I think). I can’t remember which is which (the member of staff had to check as well), but they only sell the ‘combined’ when the Steam Railway is running.

The Needles Breezer should restart on 02 March, but only with an hourly service. Be aware that in windy or similar weather it may be cut back at short notice and not go right down to the New Battery as this may be closed.

 

[Buzby]

Thanks all - mutch to ponder. Shame that I’m going before the real touristy stuff happens, but at least I’ll have made it to the island!

 

[Gloster]

Just to inform all that there will be no trains on the Islandline from Friday 8 March to Monday 11 March, but quite possibly on Tuesday 12 as well. I am not sure what it is this time, but they can always find an excuse to stop running trains. Passengers, pah…

(Source: notices on rolling destination boards at Portsmouth.)

 

[YorkRanger]

Maintenance work @Gloster

The Island Line will be closed from Friday to Monday, all days inclusive, due to maintenance work.

Rail replacement bus services will be in operation Friday to Monday

Link: SWR: Planned Engineering

 

[Buzby]

Just to inform all that there will be no trains on the Islandline from Friday 8 March to Monday 11 March

Thanks for that update - the IL is actually my primary reason for going (sad, I know!) and I thought this would put the tin lid on it, but my week there ends on 1st March, so I’ll have been and gone by then. It would have been so frustrating otherwise with everything else booked!

I’ll also get a Bus Rover to keep my options open whilst there!

 

[Gloster]

Maintenance work @Gloster


Link: SWR: Planned Engineering

Indeed, but there has been lengthy closure after lengthy closure in the last few years. And this is not just a Sunday or weekend, but four or five days. All on an 8 1/2 mile, mostly single-track slow speed line.

 

[redreni]

Hope you enjoyed your trip, Buzby?

I'm planning on doing a similar thing on Easter Monday (arriving on the island at Ryde then heading for Needles via Newport initially, back to Ryde at the end of the day; I may or may not want to make other bus trips in between). It's just a day trip.

The bus fares aren't a huge deal, of course, but it's a bit unclear what ticket(s) I should buy. It looks like if I tap on/off the daily fare should be £2 per trip but not exceeding the cost of a 24h ticket (i.e. £10.50 max)?

I assume that means if I use the Needles Breezer (which I may or may not do as I could just use the 12), that would be £2 per journey on top of the £10.50 daily cap?

I am a National Trust member and I understand I can get a discount on the Needles Breezer if I show my membership card:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/isle-of-wight/the-needles-old-battery-and-new-battery ("Needles Breezer from Yarmouth and Alum Bay (every 30 mins, March to October), member discount with card.")

So I'm assuming my best course is to use contactless on the non-Breezer buses but to show my National Trust card and buy a ticket if I use the Breezer. Does that sound right? Or is there an advantage to buying a 24h Rover (with or without Breezer)?

 

[Buzby]

My choices were somewhat simplified as the Dedicated Breezer services to the Needles hadn’t started making your standard fare of £2 a better buy (being £8rtn on the day from Ryde). It takes around 30 min each way to walk from the closest bus stop at the Needles ‘Landmark Attraction’ which was under serious maintenance when I visited and was shut! At least the Marconi obelisk could be viewed. Similarly, the NT Old and New Battery sites weren’t open either!

if walking is an issue, the Breezer is a must as it takes you down the headland to within 100 metres of the only close up perch to view the Needles themselves as they aren’t visible from any other path, only 4 or 5 can use the viewpoint at a time, so if busy, be prepared to wait!

 

[Gloster]

It is £2 a leg for buses, but the Needlas Breezer is outside the system so you need a Rover at £15.00: the standard £10.50 one doesn’t include it. I am not sure what the single Needles fare is, but if you are crossing from Ryde, it will be cheaper to pay the £15.00.

From Ryde the easiest buses are 9 to Newport, then 7 to Yarmouth: there are only around half-a-dozen 12 a day, while the 7 is half-hourly. If you start early or end late there is the Island Coaster around the coast.

Will check the ticket details when I am in Newport today.

 

[redreni]

It is £2 a leg for buses, but the Needlas Breezer is outside the system so you need a Rover at £15.00: the standard £10.50 one doesn’t include it. I am not sure what the single Needles fare is, but if you are crossing from Ryde, it will be cheaper to pay the £15.00.

From Ryde the easiest buses are 9 to Newport, then 7 to Yarmouth: there are only around half-a-dozen 12 a day, while the 7 is half-hourly. If you start early or end late there is the Island Coaster around the coast.

Will check the ticket details when I am in Newport today.

Thanks. I knew the Breezer wasn't included in the Rover, but are you saying it's not capped at £2 single either?

Because if it is, even if I use it twice (and I really can't imagine I'd use it more than that), £10.50 plus £2 plus £2 is less than £15. And that's without the unspecified National Trust discount mentioned on the National Trust website (if that's a real thing).

 

[Thames99]

I'm surprised that an operator can pick and choose which of their services to include in the £2 scheme. All Morebus services on the mainland cost a maximum of £2 including their open-top Breezer services - route 50 Bournemouth to Swanage via Sandbanks ferry is a bargain and a joy to travel on.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm surprised that an operator can pick and choose which of their services to include in the £2 scheme.

Primarily tourist type services don't need to be included.

 

[ajs]

As far as l know the fares on the Needles/Yarmouth Breezer are not capped at £2 a journey. The only ticket that l have been able to find is the Breezer Ticket which gives unlimited travel for 24 hours.

It is cheaper by 50p to buy the Breezer Ticket on the app, which does of course give travel on all the Southern Vectis buses for the duration of the ticket.

They can charge extra for the Breezer Services as they are regarded as a tourist bus.

 

[RT4038]

Primarily tourist type services don't need to be included.

nor those primarily for schoolchildren.

 

[redreni]

Thanks All,

So the single and return fares on the Breezer (both for adults and for National Trust card holders) are a secret? Have I got that right?

Or is there just a general sense that they're so high that you'll always be better to pay the £4.50 supplement on the Rover even if you only plan to use it once or twice? Even with the discount?

I'm sorry to be a bit OCD about this - it's not the amount I have to pay that troubles me, it's the fact insufficient information is provided to know what tickets to ask for. (EDIT: I should add that this is a general issue with the UK bus industry - companies promote day tickets but won't tell you what the single and return fares are - equivalent to a supermarket selling loose carrots and prepacked carrots but refusing to tell you the price per KG of the loose carrots until you have agreed to buy them).

I will happily pay an extra 50p on a one-off basis not to have to download an app - that strikes me as a bargain.

Perhaps I should enquire at the Travel Centre when I arrive in Ryde?

 

[paul1609]

Indeed, but there has been lengthy closure after lengthy closure in the last few years. And this is not just a Sunday or weekend, but four or five days. All on an 8 1/2 mile, mostly single-track slow speed line.

Its because all the maintenance manpower and tools machines come from the mainland and its too expensive on the ferry unproductive in terms of working hours to bring it accross for days at a time.

 

[ajs]

On the Southern Vectis ticket site there is a paragraph that says

“Through Tickets​

Through fares are available to any point across the Island, but must be used within 3 hours of purchase.”

That could possibly mean you could get from Ryde to Alum Bay for the cost of 1 x £2 ticket excluding Breezer buses. You would have to check this with Southern Vectis though.

Rather than wait till you get to Ryde why not contact them beforehand on
0330 0539 182. Hopefully it’s a human on the other end!.