Train Journeys That Would be Quicker by Bus

[ashworth]

Mansfield to Chesterfield has already been mentioned but also:
Mansfield to Sheffield (Stagecoach 53 bus) although it still takes 1hr 35m for a journey that is only about 45 minutes by car.
Train takes 1hr 50 minutes due to very poor connections at Worksop.

I have friends in Lancashire and I make use each year of a 7 Day NW Rail Rover, but I do sometimes link this with Bus Day Rovers to cut down journey times.

Preston to Skipton

Preston to Southport

Colne to Keighley or Skipton

Workington to Penrith

Workington to Windermere

 

[Chris M]

Why do XC stop at Lichfield city? And do they actually stop to let passengers on and off? Bit strange, do they stop anywhere else?

I've known Virgin XC services stop at Yatton and Nailsea and Backwell when FGW have been having problems (possibly Worle too), I'm not a local to that area anymore so don't know whether this still happens.
Presumably they will also stop at Patchway if diverted away from Bristol Parkway when FGW do so.

 

[WestRiding]

DEWSBURY TO WAKEFIELD, it is only 5 miles, but by rail requires a change at Leeds or Mirfield. The bus is quicker even if it does go around every council estate in West Yorkshire.

 

[SprinterMan]

Sudbury (Suffolk) to Bury St. Edmunds. 2 hours by train, 45mins by bus, 30mins by car. I know because I have done it, going SUY-KLN with a very reasonable "NOT VIA LONDON" 16-25 railcard ticket (£12.50). I could have got the bus to Bury, but the clientele of the buses in Suffolk is grim to say the least :P

 

[CheekyBandit]

Mansfield to Sheffield (Stagecoach 53 bus) although it still takes 1hr 35m for a journey that is only about 45 minutes by car.

Using the pronto to connect with the X17 is one or two minutes quicker than the 53. Of course the X17 gives quicker journeys from Sheffield and Chesterfield to Matlock. Route 214 offers a slightly quicker still journey between Sheffield and Matlock, a route that makes a Matlock journey nearly 2 hours quicker by bus from Grindleford.

 

[Andyjs247]

Off-peak...

Bicester to Oxford.

Actually the train is quicker at 26 minutes vs 30 (X5) or 32 minutes (S5). Will be even quicker from 2015 when Chiltern's Evergreen3 service gets going.

Bicester to Milton Keynes or Bicester to Northampton are both quicker by bus though.

 

[unlevel42]

Worksop - Doncaster.

Direct train is 78 minutes.
Bus (just north of Carlton Road LC) 57-59 minutes.

On this route:
Direct trains from 66 mins.
Change Retford for train journey from 40 minutes.

 

[johnnychips]

On this route:
Direct trains from 66 mins.
Change Retford for train journey from 40 minutes.

Regular bus (SEM 22) half-hourly during day, hourly in evening. Train connections at Retford a bit hit-and-miss, and the drag from LL to HL platforms.

 

[Par]

Prior to conversion to Metrolink, Hollinwood to Moston would have been about 45 minutes (via Rochdale) or about 20 minutes (at best), changing at Victoria; The 149 bus is about 7 minutes!

 

[CheekyBandit]

Maidstone East - Chatham. 24 minute bus ride vs 27 minutes train (plus connection time at Strood and walk to Maidstone Barracks).

Regular bus (SEM 22) half-hourly during day, hourly in evening. Train connections at Retford a bit hit-and-miss, and the drag from LL to HL platforms.

Plus via Sheffield (where the direct trains stop at) is the cheapest route by train.

 

[moogal]

Back when I lived in North London, Archway - Angel was usually quicker (at peak times) by the 43 bus than the Northern Line, thanks to a good proportion of the route having bus lanes, and the Northern Line doing a huge detour around Kentish Town and Euston. By the time you'd also factored in getting to/from the platforms, the bus was at least 5-10 mins quicker.

 

[Bevan Price]

Also Chesterfield - Mansfield. 45 mins on the pronto, 75 by train?

Also, re: Worksop to Doncaster, often wondered if a direct train via St Catherines Junction would get any support?

There was once such a service, withdrawn in 1929, probably because stations like Maltby were too far from the places they purported to serve.

Bevan

 

[dzug2]

When Reading is closed, or any other reason why they can't call there, XC usually stop at Didcot and Reading West.

Is not Tilehurst sometimes used as well/instead?

 

[Eagle]

Is not Tilehurst sometimes used as well/instead?

Nope.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Am now wondering which journies would be quicker by boat than direct train.
Liverpool - New Brighton used to be when there was a ferry although it would depend on whereabout in Liverpool you were travelling from.
I would imagine South Shields - North Shields would be considerably quicker.

 

[Statto]

Am now wondering which journies would be quicker by boat than direct train.
Liverpool - New Brighton used to be when there was a ferry although it would depend on whereabout in Liverpool you were travelling from.
I would imagine South Shields - North Shields would be considerably quicker.

Mersey Ferries operate an hourly cruise during the day, which can take anything from 10 to 50 minutes, although the Ferry is every 30 min during the Peaks & takes about 10 minutes. The bus Seacombe-New Brighton takes 10 minutes but is every 30 minutes, the Ferries finish 6pm. Direct bus 432/433 takes 30 to 40 minutes but buses 6 an hour daytime, trains about 25-30 min every 15 minutes

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Mersey Ferries operate an hourly cruise during the day, which can take anything from 10 to 50 minutes, although the Ferry is every 30 min during the Peaks & takes about 10 minutes. The bus Seacombe-New Brighton takes 10 minutes but is every 30 minutes, the Ferries finish 6pm. Direct bus 432/433 takes 30 to 40 minutes but buses 6 an hour daytime, trains about 25-30 min every 15 minutes

When there used to be a direct ferry service to New Brighton it took 25 minutes as opposed to half an hour by train. Alas it ceased to operate back in 1971.

http://www.merseyside.net/newbrighton/Pages/NBferries.htm

 

[Statto]

When there used to be a direct ferry service to New Brighton it took 25 minutes as opposed to half an hour by train. Alas it ceased to operate back in 1971.

http://www.merseyside.net/newbrighton/Pages/NBferries.htm

Even when that ended prob still quicker to get the Mersey Ferry going through Seacombe in those days the bus & Ferry timetables were co-ordinated & the Ferries operated all day, well into the evenings, & the Loop hadn't been completed.

 

[transmanche]

Back when I lived in North London, Archway - Angel was usually quicker (at peak times) by the 43 bus than the Northern Line, thanks to a good proportion of the route having bus lanes, and the Northern Line doing a huge detour around Kentish Town and Euston. By the time you'd also factored in getting to/from the platforms, the bus was at least 5-10 mins quicker.

Even more so on the (short lived) X43 Red Express.

 

[Andyjs247]

Am now wondering which journies would be quicker by boat than direct train.
Liverpool - New Brighton used to be when there was a ferry although it would depend on whereabout in Liverpool you were travelling from.
I would imagine South Shields - North Shields would be considerably quicker.

Mallaig - Kyle of Lochalsh is definitely quicker by boat ( about 2 hours if I remember). Not sure if it's still possible though.

 

[Batman]

If the number 997 bus from Birmingham to Aldridge to Brimingham ran a more direct route and didn't serve some of the estates in Old Oscot and Phesey, it could complete the journey a few minutes faster than the proposed New Street - Walsall - Aldridge stopping service.

I don't think this has been taken into account for the business case for the Aldridge extension.

 

[D1009]

Mallaig - Kyle of Lochalsh is definitely quicker by boat ( about 2 hours if I remember). Not sure if it's still possible though.

P.S. Waverley does it once a year. Otherwise you can get the Calmac ferry to Armadale which (sometimes) connects with a bus to Broadford connecting to Kyle over the bridge. Bus services on Skye were reduced a few years ago.

 

[172212]

Wolverhampton to Walsall is one that sticks out like a sore thumb. 55 minutes on the train, 35 minutes on bus route 529

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Wolverhampton to Walsall is one that sticks out like a sore thumb. 55 minutes on the train, 35 minutes on bus route 529

Except the parly

 

[172212]

Except the parly

The parly runs from Walsall to Wolverhampton, in this direction only.

 

[12CSVT]

One that will apply on Boxing Day due to engineering works

Cumbernauld / Greenfaulds to Croy (journey time from Cumbernauld being 39 minutes). You could probably just about do a brisk walk between Greenfaulds and Croy in that time.

PS When was the last time you could get a direct train from Springburn to Bishoopbriggs ?

 

[Garmoran]

Mallaig - Kyle of Lochalsh is definitely quicker by boat ( about 2 hours if I remember). Not sure if it's still possible though.

The direct (3-days-a-week-in-summer) boat stopped running in 1999

 

[nicobobinus]

Back when I lived in North London, Archway - Angel was usually quicker (at peak times) by the 43 bus than the Northern Line, thanks to a good proportion of the route having bus lanes, and the Northern Line doing a huge detour around Kentish Town and Euston. By the time you'd also factored in getting to/from the platforms, the bus was at least 5-10 mins quicker.

Red route enforcement on A1 into town has become a little diluted with the expansion of the network - but I'd say this still stands. Archway to Old Street on the 271 also beats the tube by a narrow margin.

The Bakerloo line from Edgware Road to Maida Vale takes quite a circuitous route via Paddington, but is a 5 minute nip straight up the A5 on any of the multitude of buses that run along there. There are certain times of day when the 18 is a dead heat with the Bakerloo between Edgware Road and Kensal Green - the tube shaves about 5 minutes off the trip at busier times, but with the bus running every 3 minutes in the peaks vs every 6-10 on the Bakerloo N of Queens Park, and once you factor in getting to/from the platforms etc the margin is basically lost.

 

[spargazer]

it was in 1956, steep incline and a B1 up front

 

[blakey1152]

during off peak times Slade Green to Barnehurst is quicker by bus.

17 minutes by rail and about 6 minutes on the 99 bus....