Slough to Cardiff - any suggestions

[PaintYourWagon]

I will be visiting England for 3 months from April and be staying in Windsor.

I think that I should visit Cardiff for the day - and take a day tripper into Wales to see some local countryside (and ride some trains!!).

Can anyone give any suggestions for anything better than a Cheap Day return on FGW please?

I have a BritRail pass - 12 days (8 & 4 combined). It is fully allocated in my plan!), however, it maybe sensible to swap a trip out of it (Windsor-Waterloo-Kent) for the Cardiff trip.

I will investigate on the web, but thought I should throw it open to the experts!

 

[clagmonster]

Your best btet will be to get a pair of advance purchase singles, these are available from £11 each. With these, you need to book as far in advance as possible, tickets are currently on sale up to mid May. You also need to travel on the specified train.
If you want to be more flexible, you can buy the following conbination:
Windsor-Didcot cheap day retrun £12.60
Didcot-Bristol Parkway cheap day return £16.80
Bristol Parkway-Cardiff cheap day return £8.90
Total: £38.30
To do this, you need to make sure that you travel on trains that call at both Didcot and Bristol Parkway, which most do. There may also be some time restrictions on cheap day returns on these routes, check before travelling. These tickets can be brought from the booking office on the day of travel. I've assumed that you don't have a railcard, if you do, deduct 1/3 from these fares.

 

[yorkie]

Where in Kent?

I think it may be better to buy a ticket to Kent and use your rover to Cardiff.

 

[PaintYourWagon]

Thanks so far for the tips. On which web site are the 11 pound singles please?

In Kent, the destination is Sissinghurst Garden near Staplehurst Station.

Staplehurst is a 19.90 cheap day return - seems to be the answer!!

Thanks for your help.