Manchester Airport, running to the train

[FrozenPoints]

I will be landing roughly 8.30am into Terminal 3 at Manchester Airport with no luggage.

So, is it possible to catch the advance book train at 9am to Preston...

Even if I run from T3 to Manchester Station. Is it possible?

 

[Matt Taylor]

Possible but very risky, you only need a slight delay in the air, at customs or at immigration and you'll be in trouble.

 

[mathmo]

Indeed, if everything is on time, you don't have to get a bus back to the terminal and there's only a short queue at passport control (if you're flying internationally) then you should be able to make it. But what happens if your plane is slightly late? Is it really worth the risk of an advance ticket for so close to your arrival time?

 

[ainsworth74]

If you're travelling on an advance ticket I wouldn't recommend it, however if your on an open ticket then I suppose it might be worth the risk...

 

[Pumbaa]

As its a TPE Advance Ticket, if you miss your train you may get it endorsed at the ticket office for the next available service (or within 3 hours) whichever is sooner.

 

[185]

Have your ticket ready for the barrier in the booking office. It should be on.

 

[northwichcat]

Are you arriving from within the UK or Ireland (for no passport check) or from outside and do you have luggage? These factors can easily save 10-15 minutes.

 

[cuccir]

As its a TPE Advance Ticket, if you miss your train you may get it endorsed at the ticket office for the next available service (or within 3 hours) whichever is sooner.

Just looking this one up, and I notice that they've extended this to departures from Liverpool airport as well (I presume they mean from Liverpool South Parkway).

 

[northwichcat]

Just looking this one up, and I notice that they've extended this to departures from Liverpool airport as well (I presume they mean from Liverpool South Parkway).

Just looked at the T&Cs for this and they've changed them. It was the ticket office staff at Manchester Airport could validate a ticket for a later train. Now it states to present your ticket to the conductor with proof from your airline that the flight was delayed.

South Parkway only has Merseyrail staff present and late in the evening the ticket office is closed and you need to buy tickets from the machines if you don't already have one.

 

[FrozenPoints]

I can confirm I am flying from within the UK - and I do have my ticket already.

Is the chase possible. I am cutting it thin I know!

 

[Nym]

You can walk from Terminal 3 Arrivals to 'The Station' in 15mins, or run it in 7 mins, if you know the fast route and work there. I'd say just get a normal ticket, there every 30mins from MIA to PRE

 

[CosherB]

It's not the run T3 to the station that will scupper you, it's any delay in flight arrival or within the terminal. Very risky to rely on making it, I'd say.

 

[cuccir]

It's not the run T3 to the station that will scupper you, it's any delay in flight arrival or within the terminal. Very risky to rely on making it, I'd say.

But if you're delayed by less than 3 hours - more for an internal flight would be very unlucky - then you'll be OK for the next train. So your issue is delay within the terminal, or taxiing around the airport. My advice would be to book the 09:29 departure, unless you're really desperate to rush it, and then take it easy at the airport - buy a paper and relax!

Of course, if you miss your train you could always try and get your advance endorsed anyway on the grounds that you got delayed during your flight, which is a half-truth if you are delayed by slow passport checks. And if worse comes to worse a walk up fare is only £16.80, or £18.70 to return!

 

[Broken Viking]

I know it primarily depends on where ye are flying from (I'll assume Southampton) but wouldn't it make more sense to go the whole way by rail? Get the splits right, and the off-peak fares can work out much cheaper than any budget airline!

 

[stut]

It's not the run T3 to the station that will scupper you, it's any delay in flight arrival or within the terminal. Very risky to rely on making it, I'd say.

Particularly delays within the terminal. Your flight may arrive dead on time, you're on an airbridge, no immigration to go through and then... An hour later, the luggage for the flight arrives, due to congestion in the baggage handling area caused by a cluster of late widebodies. So you wait half an hour, and the cases come out. Oh, but yours isn't there. You queue up behind all the people on the previously delayed flights for a good half hour or more, then sit for the next 10-15 minutes filling in forms and describing your lost luggage. Finally, you're on your way out, over 2 hours later than expected, but without a delay slip to show for it.

Would TPE use their discretion to accept a PIR (property irregularity report) as proof of delays after arrival?

(Just to give an example...)

 

[trickyvegas]

I cannot remember the terminal (it was Flymaybe from Glasgow), but I have once managed to only just make a train that was departing 25mins after the cabin doors opened and I'm no slouch. Would definitely not risk it on an advance unless allowing an hour between arrival and train departure to be safe.

 

[Broken Viking]

...it was Flymaybe...

[Death clicks the "Like" button] Good 'un!

...but I have once managed to only just make a train that was departing 25mins after the cabin doors opened and I'm no slouch.

My be(a)st time so far between Gate 49 at Stansted (Right at the back end of the eastern terminal) and the StanEX is six minutes - Including cutting a Bloody swathe whilst passing through passport control (I'd flown back from Norway) and the crowds in the arrivals hall!

That said, I fast-walk at about 8mph through most airport terminals and I tend to travel with hand luggage alone. Going back to the original topic, I wouldn't buy an Advance for any journey where a flight came before the train...My experiences with air travel suggest that the timings are too unpredictable and unreliable to rely on aircraft for making Advance connections.

 

[WatcherZero]

I cannot remember the terminal (it was Flymaybe from Glasgow), but I have once managed to only just make a train that was departing 25mins after the cabin doors opened and I'm no slouch. Would definitely not risk it on an advance unless allowing an hour between arrival and train departure to be safe.

That would be Terminal 3, little map

 

[FrozenPoints]

I know it primarily depends on where ye are flying from (I'll assume Southampton) but wouldn't it make more sense to go the whole way by rail? Get the splits right, and the off-peak fares can work out much cheaper than any budget airline!

I am flying from Exeter, and the flights are free anyway! (Flybe...)

 

[Broken Viking]

I am flying from Exeter, and the flights are free anyway! (Flybe...)

EXD to PRE is a doddle by train (And much more enjoyable). All ye need to do is change at Bristol, and ye stand a good chance of getting some kick-arse diesel traction on the way as well!

And the flights might've been free (I've had "free" flights even off of Ryanscare before!) but I bet ye had to pay a pretty penny in taxes, fees and charges!

 

[FrozenPoints]

I am happy to satisfy death that nothing out of ordinary occured for the flights

 

[Broken Viking]

Ahh, it was an Airmiles redemption? So the flights were actually complimentary and not the usual (Ryanair-style) Get your flight free, pay only the taxes/fees and charges ones? (Which normally amount to £50+)

If only we had a similar system for the railways! I won't use flights for overland journeys under any circumstances (Too concerned about environmental impact) and my Airmiles card still has null points even though I've had it for years now...But a similar one for the trains would be fantastic, and Id've probably had my second and third ALRs off of it by now!

Aye...Railmiles would be a Bloody wonderful thing to have, 'tis a shame it doesn't exist. Hang on a moment...

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Just looked at the T&Cs for this and they've changed them. It was the ticket office staff at Manchester Airport could validate a ticket for a later train. Now it states to present your ticket to the conductor with proof from your airline that the flight was delayed.

South Parkway only has Merseyrail staff present and late in the evening the ticket office is closed and you need to buy tickets from the machines if you don't already have one.

Liverpool South Parkway is staffed from first train until last and doesn't have any self service machines.

If TPE issued a memo to Merseyrail staff informing them of this, there's no reason we couldn't authorise travel

 

[paul1609]

If your not particularly familiar with Manchester Airport its not a straight forward walk either!