Rail fares which are poor value compared to bus

[TUC]

I think the Arriva Day Rover ticket is now £6, but even so it would be quite an endurance test undertaking a day return by Arriva Buses from Holyhead to Chester, I suspect by the time you got to Chester you would more or less have to start return journey!

You would have to change buses four times in each direction, and with Arriva Buses Wales complex timetables, difficult to navigate website and reliability issues, I wouldn’t risk it!

My original post was about journeys which are equally or more direct and quick by bus, but which are cheaper.

 

[sjb-2812]

My original post was about journeys which are equally or more direct and quick by bus, but which are cheaper.

I was going to say, otherwise I think you can (just about) do Macclesfield to Holyhead single for £6.00 on the bus (but 10hrs); or £54.30 (3.5hrs) if everything clicks.

 

[D6975]

Whitby is probably a good one for this.
If you are heading to Whitby from anywhere in the South, doing the whole trip by rail is not a good option. Changing to bus at either Malton or Scarborough is much more sensible route.

 

[Statto]

Holyhead to Chester £36.00 off peak return by train. £5.50 by bus

Chester to Wrexham would be more comparable rail fare is £7.50 return, £6 day ticket on the bus, bus takes 45 minutes compared with 15 to 20 on the train, although it's a bit of a trek Chester station to the City Centre.

That journey from Holyhead involves changing at Bangor-Llandudno-Rhyl & would take around 6 hours, maybe more, bus from Chester to Rhyl[11] takes 2 hours 15 minutes alone.

 

[NorthOxonian]

Whitby is probably a good one for this.
If you are heading to Whitby from anywhere in the South, doing the whole trip by rail is not a good option. Changing to bus at either Malton or Scarborough is much more sensible route.

Even from the North, I'll generally use the bus from Middlesbrough rather than the train. The service is much more frequent, faster, and if coming from Newcastle you can use a £10.90 Explorer ticket which includes the X9/X10 as well (cheaper than the through train ticket, even with a railcard). While the rail line is much more scenic you really do have to plan your whole day around the train timetable.

 

[PeterC]

Oxford - Swindon £8.05 off-peak return with Railcard.

Infinitely more expensive than off-peak by bus with ENCTS.

I would class railcard users as a special case.

 

[BigCj34]

Glasgow to Fort William, Inverness to Kyle of Localsch and Inverness to Thurso are much quicker on the bus. Fares are a bit less than the walk-up single fare but the rail routes have cheaper advance fares.

 

[Western Sunset]

Infinitely more expensive than off-peak by bus with ENCTS.

I would class railcard users as a special case.

Surely, by using local buses, it'd be free using ENCTS?

 

[Haywain]

Infinitely more expensive than off-peak by bus with ENCTS.

I would class railcard users as a special case.

If railcard users are a special case doesn't the same apply to ENCTS holders?

 

[PeterC]

If railcard users are a special case doesn't the same apply to ENCTS holders?

Exactly which was why I made the point of comparing ENCTS to a fare that was only available to a subset of rail travellers.