Rail Sail Missed Connections.

[james60059]

Hi Folks,

Just out of interest what would the procedure be if Rail and Sail customers missed a connection due to a previous late running service??.

Say for instance those travelling from London Paddington going via Fishguard to Rosslare which involves a change of train in Swansea, if the train from Paddington is arriving into Swansea AFTER the Fishguard service departs at 11:00 (which happened a week or so ago) what arrangements would be in place for those that miss the boat train, assuming ATW don't hold the service?.

Cheers

James

 

[najaB]

What arrangements would be in place for those that miss the boat train, assuming ATW don't hold the service?

You'd be allowed to travel on the next service.

 

[gordonthemoron]

You'd be allowed to travel on the next service.

and you should claim Delay:Repay compensation from the TOC concerned, as I have done previously from ATW due to a missed ferry at Holyhead

 

[james60059]

You'd be allowed to travel on the next service.

True, but as the 11:00 ex-Swansea is the only service to connect with the ferry to Ireland (dep FGH at 13:10), passengers would have a long fester at Swansea for the next service to Fishguard Harbour (17:05) and then a long-ish wait at FGH for the next ferry to Rosslare (23:45).

 

[james60059]

and you should claim Delay:Repay compensation from the TOC concerned, as I have done previously from ATW due to a missed ferry at Holyhead

I think you mentioned that before IIRC, you missed the Swift didn't you because of ATW's late arrival into HHD thus missing the check-in

 

[najaB]

True, but as the 11:00 ex-Swansea is the only service to connect with the ferry to Ireland (dep FGH at 13:10), passengers would have a long fester at Swansea for the next service to Fishguard Harbour (17:05) and then a long-ish wait at FGH for the next ferry to Rosslare (23:45).

I suppose that our unlucky passenger could ask to go to Holyhead for the Dublin ferry instead.

 

[Flying Snail]

If it isn't too late then a taxi to the port. I have had 2 taxis at the rail company's expense; one from Swansea to Fishguard and the other from Manchester to Holyhead. Both were for night sailings but considering the delay in your case would be 11 hours and arriving at 4am with no onward travel available I don't think waiting for the next service is a reasonable if alternatives are available.

True, but as the 11:00 ex-Swansea is the only service to connect with the ferry to Ireland (dep FGH at 13:10), passengers would have a long fester at Swansea for the next service to Fishguard Harbour (17:05) and then a long-ish wait at FGH for the next ferry to Rosslare (23:45).

There is the Irish Ferries sailing from Pembroke at 14.45 but no rail connection exists, a train arrives at Pembroke dock at 14.14 but is no good as the station and ferry terminal are a good 15 minute walk. A taxi would be required for this too with the added complication that Irish Ferries do not take sailrail on that route so Rail company can not alter or issue a ticket for the ferry.

 

[Flying Snail]

I suppose that our unlucky passenger could ask to go to Holyhead for the Dublin ferry instead.

The earliest ferry in Holyhead you would get to would be the 20.30 departure, maybe the 17.15 if you were coming from further east and turned back by Cardiff. Unless Dublin was the final destination then it wouldn't be much better than the late service from Fishguard. From the 17.15 you would get bus connections to many places in the south, from the 20.30 you wouldn't.

 

[berneyarms]

If it isn't too late then a taxi to the port. I have had 2 taxis at the rail company's expense; one from Swansea to Fishguard and the other from Manchester to Holyhead. Both were for night sailings but considering the delay in your case would be 11 hours and arriving at 4am with no onward travel available I don't think waiting for the next service is a reasonable if alternatives are available.

There is the Irish Ferries sailing from Pembroke at 14.45 but no rail connection exists, a train arrives at Pembroke dock at 14.14 but is no good as the station and ferry terminal are a good 15 minute walk. A taxi would be required for this too with the added complication that Irish Ferries do not take sailrail on that route so Rail company can not alter or issue a ticket for the ferry.

Just to correct you - there is an onward rail connection to Dublin at Rosslare at 05:35 Monday-Friday.

Three out of four Stena sailings at Rosslare are now rail connected.

 

[father_jack]

If there's late running on the GWR leg of the "boat train" the usual arrangement is road transport from Port Talbot. Did a manual "B" reg Bedford coach on it about 15 years ago !!! Probably taxis nowadays.

 

[Flying Snail]

Just to correct you - there is an onward rail connection to Dublin at Rosslare at 05:35 Monday-Friday.

Three out of four Stena sailings at Rosslare are now rail connected.

I preferred the old schedule with all 4 having useful connections in Fishguard mind, midnight in Swansea is pointless unless you live in Swansea.

 

[berneyarms]

I preferred the old schedule with all 4 having useful connections in Fishguard mind, midnight in Swansea is pointless unless you live in Swansea.

Well you can still book a hotel there. It's a late arrival but not impossible.

But yes, swings and roundabouts.

Now there are much better connections at Rosslare but poorer ones at Fishguard.