Train > Metrolink > Train

[nrturner]

Hello everyone,

Later this week I'm travelling from Halifax to Birmingham New Street, however, when booking the tickets online it wasn't until I'd paid that I realised I wouldn't be going via Leeds. Instead, I'm to do the following:

Halifax -> Manchester Victoria (Northern Rail)
Man Vic -> Man Picc (Metrolink)
Man Picc > Birmingham (CrossCountry)

My questions are:
1. Will I need to buy a separate ticket to use Metrolink, or will my rail ticket be valid? (and how would I know from looking at the ticket)
2. Typically what sort of train would the CrossCountry service be? I'm assuming Voyager.

Thankfully my return journey is via Leeds!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....My questions are:
1. Will I need to buy a separate ticket to use Metrolink, or will my rail ticket be valid? (and how would I know from looking at the ticket)....

The rail ticket is not valid for use on the Metrolink, but if it were the route would be marked 'Manchester Ctlz'.

....2. Typically what sort of train would the CrossCountry service be? I'm assuming Voyager....

Crosscountry only operate Voyagers out of Piccadilly.

 

[Muzer]

It also should be possible to walk between Victoria and Piccadilly if it's a nice day and you'd prefer not to spend the money. I don't know how much time it's given you, though.

 

[nrturner]

Thanks, that's helpful.

 

[34D]

It also should be possible to walk between Victoria and Piccadilly if it's a nice day and you'd prefer not to spend the money. I don't know how much time it's given you, though.

There's the free bus service also.

Can the OP advise the actual ticket(s) he has purchased, rather than just the itinerary

 

[pemma]

Crosscountry only operate Voyagers out of Piccadilly.

Except in rare cases where a 170 or pair of 170s deputises.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Thankfully my return journey is via Leeds!

Well that actually makes it harder to suggests splits that would be valid on Metrolink and may be cheaper. For instance, a Rochdale to Stockport ticket is valid on Metrolink even though a Halifax to Stockport via Rochdale ticket is not.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

It also should be possible to walk between Victoria and Piccadilly if it's a nice day and you'd prefer not to spend the money. I don't know how much time it's given you, though.

I've walked it in 15 minutes, but I would advise allowing no less than 30 minutes, I'm not entirely sure what the official connection time is.

There's the free bus service also.....

None of the free bus routes directly link Victoria and Piccadilly

Except in rare cases where a 170 or pair of 170s deputises....

Perhaps I should have said only Voyagers are booked to operate, perhaps realising that a 'once in a blue moon' event might produce a Turdostar.

 

[suley]

Your ticket is valid on the metro link. I just checked the Train Line site and can see the journey you have selected and can see your first journey is to Manchester Victoria. When you pick up your ticket you will see the first one says Manchester Stations, or Manchester Cental Zone, since it has calculated this route for you it is permitted, its the same as when I travel around london and it routes me on the under ground to go from London St Panncreas to Euston Station.

In honesty i would walk it, its probably just as a quick no more then 15 mins at a maximum. Google maps routes it around 20 mins as it walks you around the center. In simple follow the tracks out of the station keep following the metro link track up to the when you go past Primark the track goes right, go straight on and you will come to a road cross over and you see a few hotels ahead and the road on a ramp going up, top of the ramp is Picadilly station you cant miss it!

 

[telstarbox]

The ticket is not valid on Metrolink.

 

[Muzer]

Your ticket is valid on the metro link. I just checked the Train Line site and can see the journey you have selected and can see your first journey is to Manchester Victoria. When you pick up your ticket you will see the first one says Manchester Stations, or Manchester Cental Zone, since it has calculated this route for you it is permitted, its the same as when I travel around london and it routes me on the under ground to go from London St Panncreas to Euston Station.

In honesty i would walk it, its probably just as a quick no more then 15 mins at a maximum. Google maps routes it around 20 mins as it walks you around the center. In simple follow the tracks out of the station keep following the metro link track up to the when you go past Primark the track goes right, go straight on and you will come to a road cross over and you see a few hotels ahead and the road on a ramp going up, top of the ramp is Picadilly station you cant miss it!

What telstarbox said is correct. TTL-based sites give a very misleading indicator that implies the ticket is valid on Metrolink. It is *NOT*. Don't trust booking engines.

 

[bb21]

Use it on Metrolink and you land yourself with a £100 fare, potentially.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

Your ticket is valid on the metro link. I just checked the Train Line site and can see the journey you have selected and can see your first journey is to Manchester Victoria. When you pick up your ticket you will see the first one says Manchester Stations, or Manchester Cental Zone, since it has calculated this route for you it is permitted, its the same as when I travel around london and it routes me on the under ground to go from London St Panncreas to Euston Station.

!

THE TICKET IS NOT VALID ON METROLINK.

Unlike on the Underground there is no through ticketing arrangement except for local journeys entirely within the greater manchester boundary (and journeys to certain stations on the Altrincham - Chester line on Sundays). Any journey and ticket that has a origin or destination outside the GM boundary is not valid on Metrolink. The OP's ticket will say From "Halifax" to "Birmingham Stns", and therefore is not valid on Metrolink. Even if the OP had two tickets, one from Halifax to Manchester and one from Manchester to Birmingham, neither would be valid unless the ticket from Halifax was purchased to "Metrolink City", which I doubt.

 

[12CSVT]

Would a ticket from a station on the Calder Valley route to a destination south of Manchester be valid via Salford Crescent ?

 

[bb21]

I would say yes.

Although in the new Routeing Guide, Salford Crescent is a new routeing point, Manchester Victoria - Salford Crescent - Manchester Piccadilly is not a doubleback in my opinion.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....Your ticket is valid on the metro link....

A through ticket from Halifax to Birmingham Stns will not be valid on the Metrolink.

....When you pick up your ticket you will see the first one says Manchester Stations, or Manchester Cental Zone....

A thorough ticket from Halifax to Birmingham will not show either.

....since it has calculated this route for you it is permitted, its the same as when I travel around london and it routes me on the under ground to go from London St Panncreas to Euston Station....

And doubtless you think it is the same for the bus at Yeovil too, it is not. London is a special case. Travel via Manchester is permitted, travel on Metrolink is not.

....In honesty i would walk it, its probably just as a quick no more then 15 mins at a maximum....

There is no way 15 minutes is a maximum time for the walk, it is the best part of a mile.

....Google maps routes it around 20 mins as it walks you around the center....

Google Maps walking routes are 'beta' and therefore not entirely trustworthy. It appears to be largely based on vehicle routes rather than specific walking routes. However, 20 minutes is, approximately, average human walking pace for one mile.

....In simple follow the tracks out of the station keep following the metro link track up to the when you go past Primark the track goes right, go straight on and you will come to a road cross over and you see a few hotels ahead and the road on a ramp going up, top of the ramp is Picadilly station you cant miss it!

The track turns left at, and then pass in front of, Primark into Market Street. Once you have followed the tram track to the left (into Market Street), it is straight on from there. I'm sure this is what you meant, but I think I wouldn't have found it with the instructions you put there.

 

[crosscity]

In honesty i would walk it, its probably just as a quick no more then 15 mins at a maximum. Google maps routes it around 20 mins as it walks you around the center.

In the last 40 years I have walked between Victoria and Piccadilly many times. When younger it used to take less than 10 minutes, and now it takes me about twelve if I don't pop into the Wetherspoons opposite Piccadilly Gardens (other watering holes are available).

 

[Mcr Warrior]

A Metrolink single ticket (available from the TVM at Piccadilly Metrolink station) from Piccadilly to Victoria costs just £1.10.

Not worth not buying one if you want to avoid being fined.

 

[maniacmartin]

Buy the Metro ticket to avoid prosecution.

If the Trainline explicitly says your original ticket is valid on the Metro, submit your Metro ticket to them afterwards asking for reimbursement

 

[radamfi]

None of the free bus routes directly link Victoria and Piccadilly

You could walk for 5 minutes from Victoria to Marks & Spencer then catch free bus 1, or if you are really lazy or have walking difficulties you can catch free bus 2 from Victoria to where it meets free bus 1 half way along Deansgate and transfer.

 

[Pendolino jono]

Use it on Metrolink and you land yourself with a £100 fare, potentially.

You can buy a ticket that gets you across the manchester area for about £4

 

[185]

Buy the Metro ticket to avoid prosecution.

If the Trainline explicitly says your original ticket is valid on the Metro, submit your Metro ticket to them afterwards asking for reimbursement

Trainline were warned about that by the ASA. Telling people it was valid when it clearly wasnt.

£1.10 is the single fare Vic to Pic.

 

[Trainfan344]

You can buy a ticket that gets you across the manchester area for about £4

There have been multiple posts saying a single fare of £1.10 is all you need between Victoria and Piccadilly

 

[suley]

So the moral of the story is dont trust the train line and No you cant use it but its just as quick to walk it across or you can use the tram at an additional cost of £1.10.

 

[neilmc]

This is ridiculous, but all that I can find regarding through rail ticketing being valid on the central section of Metrolink is IF:

- your journey is TO one of the Central Manchester stations from another station WITHIN GREATER MANCHESTER and is marked "Manchester CTLZ" as the destination.

This would mean that not only would Rochdale-Birmingham not be valid on Metrolink but neither would Rochdale-Stockport, as another poster suggests (entirely within GM) or a return journey going the other way, out from a central Manchester station to another station within GM. Am I correct??

The concept that train tickets are valid on the central area of the Metrolink is in a complete mess for which TfGM must bear the responsibility.

 

[radamfi]

but neither would Rochdale-Stockport, as another poster suggests (entirely within GM) or a return journey going the other way

All tickets from Rochdale to Stockport bear the route "METROLINK CTLZ"

http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=RCD&dest=SPT

 

[pemma]

This would mean that not only would Rochdale-Birmingham not be valid on Metrolink but neither would Rochdale-Stockport, as another poster suggests (entirely within GM) or a return journey going the other way, out from a central Manchester station to another station within GM. Am I correct??

No. Rochdale to Stockport would be marked as Route: Metrolink (GM) allowing city centre travel on Metrolink. Rochdale to Stoke would be marked as Route: Any Permitted so would not allow city centre travel on Metrolink.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Metrolink's website is useless, which is a big problem.

From The Manual:

Transfer across Manchester City Centre

For journeys wholly within the Greater Manchester area which require a Metrolink transfer between Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria, this will be shown automatically on the ticket.

Tickets showing “route Metrolink” are valid on Metrolink in the City Zone to allow transfer between Piccadilly, Victoria and Deansgate stations. This applies only to appropriate journeys which both start and finish in Greater Manchester. It is shown automatically on the ticket where this applies. Where this is not shown, passengers must purchase a separate Metrolink ticket on their arrival in Manchester if they wish to transfer between stations using Metrolink.

Passengers should allow at least 30 minutes for cross Manchester transfer if walking between stations.

Passengers can often avoid making a cross Manchester transfer by using train company services via Salford Crescent at no extra charge.

You can buy a through ticket from any National Rail station to any Metrolink stop, regardless of whether the origin is in Greater Manchester or not.

 

[neilmc]

All tickets from Rochdale to Stockport bear the route "METROLINK CTLZ"

http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=RCD&dest=SPT

Thank you - I always thought that was the case but the TFGM website seemed to suggest that central Manchester had to be the destination:

http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/Pages/Freedom-of-the-city.aspx

The Metrolink pages are even worse, suggesting that you need to ask for an "add on" in their FAQs:

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/contactus/Pages/Tickets.aspx

Very confusing.

 

[Starmill]

The concept that train tickets are valid on the central area of the Metrolink is in a complete mess for which TfGM must bear the responsibility.

Pretty much everything about Metrolink's concept of through ticketing needs re-inventing to be honest. The present system is simply designed to be as prohibitive as possible to making through-journeys.

 

[Clip]

Pretty much everything about Metrolink's concept of through ticketing needs re-inventing to be honest. The present system is simply designed to be as prohibitive as possible to making through-journeys.

Indeed. You wouldve thought someone would have at least rang London and asked them how they managed it so well