Wightlink Fast Cat train connections

[heart-of-wessex]

Hello all,

Booked train tickets to Portsmouth on Saturday 14th October on the 0629 from Trowbridge to Portsmouth Harbour, arriving at 0850.

I looked on the Fast Cat site for buying tickets, so booked the 0915 to Ryde (otherwise it's waiting around for the 1015), it does suggest a 15 minute check in for foot passengers but IIRC it's not far from the platforms anyway.

However, I know it's usually OK, but what happens in the chance that the train gets delayed and arrives at 09:10? Are they lenient with train connections or am I likely going to have to pay again as I missed the 0915 boat through no fault of my own. They can't suggest that if the train is due at 0850 you should book the 1015 boat surely?

If the train is 10 minutes late and arrives at 0900 I could still make it, but would just be over the 15 minute check in, though I would have thought there is a bit of leeway there, it won't take me 2 minutes to show someone a ticket and get on the boat


Any help appreciated

James.

 

[A0wen]

Hello all,

Booked train tickets to Portsmouth on Saturday 14th October on the 0629 from Trowbridge to Portsmouth Harbour, arriving at 0850.

I looked on the Fast Cat site for buying tickets, so booked the 0915 to Ryde (otherwise it's waiting around for the 1015), it does suggest a 15 minute check in for foot passengers but IIRC it's not far from the platforms anyway.

However, I know it's usually OK, but what happens in the chance that the train gets delayed and arrives at 09:10? Are they lenient with train connections or am I likely going to have to pay again as I missed the 0915 boat through no fault of my own. They can't suggest that if the train is due at 0850 you should book the 1015 boat surely?

If the train is 10 minutes late and arrives at 0900 I could still make it, but would just be over the 15 minute check in, though I would have thought there is a bit of leeway there, it won't take me 2 minutes to show someone a ticket and get on the boat


Any help appreciated

James.

I wouldn't have thought the Island Line offered 'advance' tickets which require you to travel on a specific train - certainly none come up on NR website - hopefully somebody with more knowledge will be able to confirm.

 

[Harbouring]

In my own experience they are pretty lenient and will get you on the next Ferry, certainly if it's a delay that can be shown and it's not absurdly after your scheduled sailing. This would also depend on availability but I can't imagine it being over subscribed at that time.

There are some T&C's that say if you arrive up to two hours late you can go onto the next ferry but these relate to car Ferry mostly where weight and space need to be allocated for vehicles. I think you'll be fine.

The hover is similar, you have to choose a certain departure time but I've arrived early before and they let you on no worries.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Don't through-tickets to Ryde Pier Head/Esplanade or beyond automatically include the ferry crossing anyway? Didn't think you had to book separately.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes. Walk up with no reservations needed, and often cheaper too.

 

[Harbouring]

Don't through-tickets to Ryde Pier Head/Esplanade or beyond automatically include the ferry crossing anyway? Didn't think you had to book separately.

Its often cheaper to book separately if there are advance tickets to Harbour station available but there arent any through advances in my experience

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I wouldn't have thought the Island Line offered 'advance' tickets which require you to travel on a specific train - certainly none come up on NR website - hopefully somebody with more knowledge will be able to confirm.

I'm not arriving by Island Line, I'm arriving in Portsmouth on GWR getting on the Fast Cat.

I have an advance for the 0629 Trowbridge - Portsmouth. I wasn't aware that advances for through tickets would be possible, so booked the Fast Cat online separately as

A) with a short connection I wasn't sure if I'd have time to purchase a ticket and

B) there is a 20% discount code for the beer and buses weekend. I wasn't sure if this was available for walk up fares for the boat so bought online instead and chose the 0915 crossing. That's why I wanted to know if the train was late would my ticket still be valid.

Sounds like they are usually lenient so thank you for your responses and help, most appreciated

P.S I did look at Hover Travel prices, but looked rather costly compared to the cat, and would need a ticket for the hoverbus too

 

[A0wen]

I'm not arriving by Island Line, I'm arriving in Portsmouth on GWR getting on the Fast Cat.

I have an advance for the 0629 Trowbridge - Portsmouth. I wasn't aware that advances for through tickets would be possible, so booked the Fast Cat online separately as

A) with a short connection I wasn't sure if I'd have time to purchase a ticket and

B) there is a 20% discount code for the beer and buses weekend. I wasn't sure if this was available for walk up fares for the boat so bought online instead and chose the 0915 crossing. That's why I wanted to know if the train was late would my ticket still be valid.

Sounds like they are usually lenient so thank you for your responses and help, most appreciated

P.S I did look at Hover Travel prices, but looked rather costly compared to the cat, and would need a ticket for the hoverbus too

Sorry - misunderstood the point you were making. Mea culpa.

 

[DelW]

If you have tickets already then there's no worry about the nominal check in time.

A couple of weeks ago, I was on a train due in PMH at 9.35 and aiming for the 9.40 ferry (which was shown as a connection). Our train didn't actually arrive until 9.38, but everyone was whisked through quickly and the boat left at 9.43. If your connection does look tight, move up to the front doors before it arrives.

Incidentally, I think hovercraft tickets include the Hoverbus - certainly through tickets do. Sadly though, the Hoverbus runs on ordinary wheels

 

[BestWestern]

Is there only one 'Cat an hour?

 

[Harbouring]

Is there only one 'Cat an hour?

At this time of year yes. 2fph On Saturday and Bank hols in summer

 

[signol]

Same company but the car ferry. Thanks to road closures on the way to Portsmouth, we arrived only 5 minutes to departure time, then my 4 year old needed the loo. I took him into the terminal, my wife waited at the car with the 2 year old. We came out to see no car and the ferry pulling away... Wightlink very helpful but they couldn't hold up the ship - son and I followed as foot passengers on the next sailing.
signol

 

[BestWestern]

Is it still possible to buy a rail ticket from a destination on the mainland to a destination on the Island Line which includes the ferry?

**That's already been answered, sorry! Are the staff generally adept at examining railway ticket stock, or does confusion tend to occur!?

 

[joncombe]

Is it still possible to buy a rail ticket from a destination on the mainland to a destination on the Island Line which includes the ferry?

**That's already been answered, sorry! Are the staff generally adept at examining railway ticket stock, or does confusion tend to occur!?

You can buy through tickets from the mainland to all stations on Island Line. In addition you can buy tickets to West Cowes and East Cowes (via Southampton) and Yarmouth (via Lymington). Tickets are also available on the Hovercraft (to Ryde Hoverport) and include the bus from Portsmouth and Southsea station, but availability of these last tickets seems limited to some stations only (I often get told no fare exists).

In my experience staff on the ferries know about rail tickets and let you on with no issues. I don't think I've ever had anyone question the validity of a rail ticket on the ferry. Actually some staff just seem to see that it is an appropriate coloured piece of card and wave you on, others do seem to read the tickets to check the date and destination.

Indeed on the Lymington to Yarmouth route I have used a rail ticket even when not actually travelling by train. The machine on the station platform sells rail tickets from other stations, so by selecting the origin as "Lymington Town" and the destination "Yarmouth IOW" you end up with a flexible foot passenger ticket (valid on any of the ferries) for much less than Wightlink charge for a stand-alone foot passenger day return (which usually needs you to book a specific ferry), particularly as you can use a Network Card at the weekend. The downside is that when the ferry is busy, foot passengers holding rail tickets are treated as the lowest priority so you do sometimes get "bumped" to the next ferry.

 

[BestWestern]

You can buy through tickets from the mainland to all stations on Island Line. In addition you can buy tickets to West Cowes and East Cowes (via Southampton) and Yarmouth (via Lymington). Tickets are also available on the Hovercraft (to Ryde Hoverport) and include the bus from Portsmouth and Southsea station, but availability of these last tickets seems limited to some stations only (I often get told no fare exists).

In my experience staff on the ferries know about rail tickets and let you on with no issues. I don't think I've ever had anyone question the validity of a rail ticket on the ferry. Actually some staff just seem to see that it is an appropriate coloured piece of card and wave you on, others do seem to read the tickets to check the date and destination.

Indeed on the Lymington to Yarmouth route I have used a rail ticket even when not actually travelling by train. The machine on the station platform sells rail tickets from other stations, so by selecting the origin as "Lymington Town" and the destination "Yarmouth IOW" you end up with a flexible foot passenger ticket (valid on any of the ferries) for much less than Wightlink charge for a stand-alone foot passenger day return (which usually needs you to book a specific ferry), particularly as you can use a Network Card at the weekend. The downside is that when the ferry is busy, foot passengers holding rail tickets are treated as the lowest priority so you do sometimes get "bumped" to the next ferry.

How do the ferry operators record the tickets' use, if for example someone held an open return from X to Y via the ferry? Presumably they have some way of ensuring it isn't used more than once?!

 

[DelW]

In my experience staff on the ferries know about rail tickets and let you on with no issues. I don't think I've ever had anyone question the validity of a rail ticket on the ferry. Actually some staff just seem to see that it is an appropriate coloured piece of card and wave you on, others do seem to read the tickets to check the date and destination.

On the trip I mentioned earlier, there were four of us travelling to Smallbrook Junction via the Ryde catamaran, each of us having bought through tickets separately. We were well on the way back when one of our number noticed that he'd been sold a ticket via the hovercraft not via Wightlink, which hadn't been noticed at either terminal.

 

[BestWestern]

As a side note, is the hovercraft potentially the most expensive mode of public transport in the UK I wonder? A journey time of 10 minutes and, according to Google six miles, and a single fare via the Hovertravel app comes in at just north of £17! Yikes!

 

[James H]

The Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf ferry is probably more expensive per-mile

 

[Lrd]

Per mile I believe it's Gosport to Pompey that's the most expensive

 

[Harbouring]

Per mile I believe it's Gosport to Pompey that's the most expensive

1.75 each way for a 1/3 of a mile. But cheap compared to the alternative.

 

[DelW]

As a side note, is the hovercraft potentially the most expensive mode of public transport in the UK I wonder? A journey time of 10 minutes and, according to Google six miles, and a single fare via the Hovertravel app comes in at just north of £17! Yikes!

A single from Fratton to Ryde Hoverport or Esplanade is £13.30 via hovercraft (including bus link) against £16.90 via Wightlink catamaran. Generally through tickets are slightly cheaper via hovercraft than ferry.

 

[BestWestern]

A single from Fratton to Ryde Hoverport or Esplanade is £13.30 via hovercraft (including bus link) against £16.90 via Wightlink catamaran. Generally through tickets are slightly cheaper via hovercraft than ferry.

Currently, Wightlink via the 'cat is around £12 a trip, against £17 on the Hover.

 

[philthetube]

Even the Reedham chain ferry at 50p comes out more expensive, I suspect some of the preserved railways would as well.