Arriva Wales Club 55 help please.

[chalkie99]

Hello,

I will be eligible for the Club 55 fares in a few weeks and wonder if anyone could clarify a couple of points please?

Firstly, and I suspect this may be a silly question (!) the terms and conditions include this:

any train Monday to Friday apart from those arriving into Cardiff Central, Birmingham, Manchester or Liverpool stations before 9.30am

If I wish to travel from Pontyclun, a few miles west of Cardiff to, say, Manchester, does that preclude me from travelling via Cardiff (which would be a change of train) before 9am or does that time relate only to a journey terminating there?

Second question:

I would also like to explore the Heart of Wales line which would mean travelling via Swansea.

The Arriva site only lets me book Pontyclun to Shrewsbury via Newport. The Swansea option is not there. I can, however, book Swansea to Shrewsbury via that line. Any suggestions please?

Thank you in anticipation of your responses!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The restriction is on trains arriving in Birmingham, Cardiff Central, Manchester and/or Liverpool, regardless of the journey being made. So no, you could not arrive in Cardiff before 0930.

Pontyclun to Shrewsbury is only valid on the shortest route, direct trains and via Routeing Guide map BD (via Cardiff and Newport). My suggestion would be buy a ticket to Swansea and buy another from there. There may be cheaper ways to do it.

 

[firespire]

The website is happy to sell Pontyclun to Manchester on a through train that visits Cardiff before 9:30 but journeys where you change trains in Cardiff before 9:30 are not available. Not sure if this is the official rule, try to get a reservation.

Pontyclun to Shrewsbury via Swansea appears not to be a valid route as hairyhandedfool says.

 

[John @ home]

There is a through train 0809 Cardiff - 0828 Bridgend 0829 - 0912 Swansea 0915 - 0931 Llanelli 0934 - Shrewsbury 1308. It does not call at Pontyclun. Travel by this train is permitted if you buy a Cardiff - Shrewsbury or Bridgend - Shrewsbury ticket. To qualify as a through train, it must offer a through service from the origin to the destination printed on the ticket.

 

[Capybara]

Moving off the precise topic slightly because I have an interest, is it just Scotland and Wales that are running this at the moment as that's all I can find with a quick Google?

 

[firespire]

Moving off the precise topic slightly because I have an interest, is it just Scotland and Wales that are running this at the moment as that's all I can find with a quick Google?

Arriva Trains Wales start on the 4th September, Scotrail and the English First Groups start on the 19th. The promotion hasn't been publicised yet but a few of the Webtis booking sites have the fares available to look at eg. southeasternrailway.co.uk .

 

[chalkie99]

Thank you for all your replies.

I found that I could go from Bridgend so think that the short drive to start my trip from there would be the best solution.

I think my best solution for Manchester or any points in that direction would be to book a Club55 ticket from Pontyclun in advance and then buy a single Pontyclun to Cardiff to beat the morning restriction.

 

[merlodlliw]

Like the old days of W/S. But the same stock

Wrexham to London Marylebone £36 return, ill have a shot at that. Must work out the times.


Bob

 

[firespire]

Wrexham to London Marylebone £36 return, ill have a shot at that. Must work out the times.

This add on is a bit swings and roundabouts. The add on fare is a £20.50 return from Smethwick Galton Bridge to London Marylebone at Super Off Peak times.
The Standard fare is £25 or £16.50 with a railcard. Non railcard holders save £4.50 but any railcard holders wanting to take the route get ripped off and pay £4 more than if they buy the tickets separately.

 

[merlodlliw]

This add on is a bit swings and roundabouts. The add on fare is a £20.50 return from Smethwick Galton Bridge to London Marylebone at Super Off Peak times.
The Standard fare is £25 or £16.50 with a railcard. Non railcard holders save £4.50 but any railcard holders wanting to take the route get ripped off and pay £4 more than if they buy the tickets separately.

indeed, & very informative firespire almost like buying electricity, The magic of Galton Bridge lives on , ATWs key Birmingham area station in its ill fated and silly London aspirations at open access with 158s,lost in the mists of time & burnt fingers.

Bob