Getting to Manchester for the bank holiday weekend

[Howardh]

Does the ticket allow Euston/Crewe (cahnge)/Manchester using London Northwestern? Thinking if it does, even thought slower, with it stopping at a number of stations then if you are standing you might be able to grab a seat as pax alight!

Also, enjoy Pride, I believe entrance to the village (bars etc) this time is free but pay-bands for the stage/party areas; but even the Pride website doesn't clarify that (pre-covid you needed a wristband just to get inside the village). I'm not that bothered as I won't be attending, although it's local it's way too big for me; I'll be going to Jersey Pride instead!!

Top Tip, just outside Piccadilly station, down the slope where Co-op's* is, there's a new real-ale bar with outside seating, great ales at decent prices. A friend tells me....

*Edited - got the name of the shop wrong!!

 

[jfollows]

Top Tip, just outside Piccadilly station, down the slope where Tesco's is, there's a new real-ale bar with outside seating, great ales at decent prices. A friend tells me....

Your friend doesn't know Tesco from Co-op I suggest.

 

[Howardh]

Your friend doesn't know Tesco from Co-op I suggest.

Correct! It's Co-op!! Consider it edited!!

 

[jfollows]

Correct! It's Co-op!! Consider it edited!!

Formerly Waitrose, but I think I'm digressing!

 

[Howardh]

Formerly Waitrose, but I think I'm digressing!

It is a handy shop for rail users though, can of icy cold fizzy pop (or a beer!) with a bacon slice from the oven, what, three quid?...the price knocks pounds off what you would pay on the station. So anyone coming to Pride etc via Piccadilly and needs a handy snack - there you go!! On my day trips I stock up from that shop.

 

[jfollows]

Does the ticket allow Euston/Crewe (cahnge)/Manchester using London Northwestern? Thinking if it does, even thought slower, with it stopping at a number of stations then if you are standing you might be able to grab a seat as pax alight!

This ticket does, is this the one you mean?:

It excludes Northern and Avanti between Crewe and Manchester, but includes the hourly TFW service.
[ £46.70 SVR restriction JM, £36.30 OPR restriction JN ]

 

[Watershed]

Does the ticket allow Euston/Crewe (cahnge)/Manchester using London Northwestern? Thinking if it does, even thought slower, with it stopping at a number of stations then if you are standing you might be able to grab a seat as pax alight!

In my experience, a lot of pax get off at Milton Keynes, a few more at Rugby. A handful get off at the Trent Valley stations but most people who are on beyond Rugby are heading to Stafford or Crewe.

Generally you shouldn't struggle to get a seat after MK though.

The ticket does require a change at Crewe onto TfW, yes

 

[Bletchleyite]

It is a handy shop for rail users though, can of icy cold fizzy pop (or a beer!) with a bacon slice from the oven, what, three quid?...the price knocks pounds off what you would pay on the station. So anyone coming to Pride etc via Piccadilly and needs a handy snack - there you go!! On my day trips I stock up from that shop.

I personally use the Subway down there but not so much the Co-op, I prefer the Sainsburys Local inside the station.

If sitting in at that pub, hold onto your bags!

 

[Howardh]

This ticket does, is this the one you mean?:
View attachment 119722
It excludes Northern and Avanti between Crewe and Manchester, but includes the hourly TFW service.

Hmm, surprised Northern are excluded, and in my experience the TFW servide is usually packed, both with pax and luggage!

My preferred ticket is London to Crewe and then a separate one Crewe to Manchester (all services) although the former has alway been with LNW and not any service. Looking at how much would London/Crewe (single or return) be on a Saturday walk-on any service - does this mean you can ONLY use the service highlighted (£39.50) or can you use any train for that price as it suggests underneath the "quick buy"??

 

[Bletchleyite]

Hmm, surprised Northern are excluded, and in my experience the TFW servide is usually packed, both with pax and luggage!

It's a dedicated ticket agreed between those two TOCs. If you want to use Northern you'd need to split, which would cost a little more but not much more.

 

[jfollows]

My preferred ticket is London to Crewe and then a separate one Crewe to Manchester (all services) although the former has alway been with LNW and not any service. How much would London/Crewe (single or return) be on a Saturday walk-on any service?

£89.30 return from https://www.brfares.com/!expert?orig=EUS&dest=CRE ; £62.50 single.

 

[Howardh]

£89.30 return from https://www.brfares.com/!expert?orig=EUS&dest=CRE; £62.50 single.

I've had a look and edited my own post and found £39.50 single, but as I remarked it looks for a specific train yet states "valid on any eligble train" so I suppose the otjher services aren't??

You’ve selected the 10:09, but you can travel on any eligible off-peak train.

 

[jfollows]

I've had a look and edited my own post and found £39.50 single, but as I remarked it looks for a specific train yet states "valid on any eligble train" so I suppose the otjher services aren't??

£39.50 is probably SVS off-peak single WMT & LNR ONLY restriction SK (so no Saturday restriction) which you can see if you follow the link I gave above. So not valid on any train, just on specific operators' trains.

 

[Howardh]

It's a dedicated ticket agreed between those two TOCs. If you want to use Northern you'd need to split, which would cost a little more but not much more.

Okay, thanks for that. Wonder if you did get on a Northern whether you could ask to pay the difference? Probably can't! Frankly if my TFL service was overcrowded I might consider Northern and paying the single ticket, especially with a railcard, just for the comfort.

 

[jfollows]

Okay, thanks for that. Wonder if you did get on a Northern whether you could ask to pay the difference? Probably can't! Frankly if my TFL service was overcrowded I might consider Northern and paying the single ticket, especially with a railcard, just for the comfort.

TFW I think!

 

[Howardh]

£39.50 is probably SVS off-peak single WMT & LNR ONLY restriction SK (so no Saturday restriction) which you can see if you follow the link I gave above. So not valid on any train, just on specific operators' trains.

I pity any foreign tourist - especially if their english is weak - trying to navigate our rail fares and systems.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2022 ==

TFW I think!

Correct! Tryping too kwickly!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Okay, thanks for that. Wonder if you did get on a Northern whether you could ask to pay the difference? Probably can't! Frankly if my TFL service was overcrowded I might consider Northern and paying the single ticket, especially with a railcard, just for the comfort.

As it's TOC specific you can't excess it, no. You'd have to buy a new ticket before boarding at Crewe otherwise you'd risk a PF or prosecution.

 

[_toommm_]

As it's TOC specific you can't excess it, no. You'd have to buy a new ticket before boarding at Crewe otherwise you'd risk a PF or prosecution.

Although Northern advances are normally available on the day for dirt cheap, so if you didn’t want to wait an hour, you could probably get on a Northern service for £6.00

 

[Watershed]

Hmm, surprised Northern are excluded, and in my experience the TFW servide is usually packed, both with pax and luggage!

My preferred ticket is London to Crewe and then a separate one Crewe to Manchester (all services) although the former has alway been with LNW and not any service. How much would London/Crewe (single or return) be on a Saturday walk-on any service?

Basically just 50p or so less than the equivalent LNR & TfW ticket to Manchester.

I suspect the reason why it's TfW only is that WMT already have joint fares in place elsewhere with them, e.g. London to Shrewsbury. So it was easier to do this than to go through the process of creating a new WMT, TfW & Northern only route.

It's not possible to excess away the TfW restriction as it's an operator restriction, rather than a route restriction. Completely illogical, but them's the rules...

 

[jfollows]

I personally use the Subway down there but not so much the Co-op, I prefer the Sainsburys Local inside the station.

If sitting in at that pub, hold onto your bags!

Subway for sure, last time I was there it was too busy, but when it's not I like it because I can say "with everything" which is easy for me ........

 

[northwichcat]

Expect overcrowding.

Indeed. Saturday is not only Pride but Man City play Crystal Palace at home. There's also an international test match at Old Trafford and some smaller events like an Italian food festival.

It's just that an already-busy 2 car train could well leave people behind when Manchester is busier with such a major event.

I'm questioning whether 4 car services on Northern local routes (especially the Altrincham line with the Metrolink connections to Old Trafford) will be able to cope, never mind 2 car services!