Cardiff to Newport Contactless / Lines

[micgnaw]

This is a more of a money saving question. Cardiff to Newport is on TfW contactless PAYG ticketing, GWR is excluded. It's half the ticket price of paper.

I've found a sweet spot for fares from Newport towards Reading line.

To save money, I would catch an earlier TfW or CC service to Newport, then get off, contactless out the gate then use my GWR QR ticket to get back in.
I'll allow a gap of around 10-15 minutes between arriving and getting the GWR service.

Question is this, if the TfW/CC service is delayed, would the GWR service behind me delayed too? or do the TfW services run on the relief lines?

 

[zwk500]

Question is this, if the TfW/CC service is delayed, would the GWR service behind me delayed too? or do the TfW services run on the relief lines?

Currently the vast majority of all passenger services run on the Main Lines only but in the event of disruption the departure order may be shuffled around based on what's ready, or trains may be rerouted to the Relief Lines as required to manage the disruption.

Its entirely possible the GWR service may depart ahead or overtake the TfW service depending on how bad delays are to each train.

 

[micgnaw]

Thanks very much.

 

[Christian Schm]

I must have done a couple of thousands of trips between Newport and Cardiff over the last nearly 20 years.

From Newport to Cardiff most trains normally use the main line, only very few are scheduled to use the relief line. But when there are delays it is quite common for some trains to be shuffled onto the relief line. And I have seen it that those then got overtaken by trains that stayed on the main line, and some passengers that planned to change in Cardiff to go to west Wales missed their connection...

From Cardiff to Newport I believe all trains use the main lines. In fact I can't remember ever been shunted to the relief line even when there were massive delays in Cardiff. The only times when I travelled on the relief line in that direction was when the main lines were completely closed - in which case nothing can overtake.