Avanti to Holyhead

[Reliablebeam]

Evening all! I am due to travel to Anglesey on Thursday but I've been watching Avanti's so called 'service' into north Wales with mounting alarm over the last two weeks - I've noticed the 1502 from Euston seems to be cancelled or capped quite frequently. I also note my journey back, at 0853 from HHD seems to be a comedy show, as one of my relatives found the other day.

I'm very tempted to fly to Dublin and take the ferry over - does the hive forum mind know any better? Need to book soon...

 

[signed]

If you need to get to North Wales, I would get Avanti to change at Crewe or Chester onto TfW. It does seem to be the more reliable option

 

[Flying Snail]

If you need to get to North Wales, I would get Avanti to change at Crewe or Chester onto TfW. It does seem to be the more reliable option

There are two problems with that, if the Avanti has been cancelled north of Crewe there will be a big gap in the service and the TfW trains on the coast are more often than not rammed even when Avanti bother to run a full service, even worse when they have cancelled. TfW run ridiculously short 2 or 3 car trains and there is no sign of that changing.

 

[Reliablebeam]

If you need to get to North Wales, I would get Avanti to change at Crewe or Chester onto TfW. It does seem to be the more reliable option

Thanks, main problem being I can see

There are two problems with that, if the Avanti has been cancelled north of Crewe there will be a big gap in the service and the TfW trains on the coast are more often than not rammed even when Avanti bother to run a full service, even worse when they have cancelled. TfW run ridiculously short 2 or 3 car trains and there is no sign of that changing.

Cheers both, this was my concern. I'm very worried about being forced onto some god-awful 2 carriage 'service' courtesy of TfW full of angry people. Two companies that truly hate their customers..

A relative of mine was turfed off the early morning Euston at Rhyl the other day. No offers of any help, just 'cancelled, get lost'...

 

[poffle]

I think you're likely to find that flights from London area to Dublin are likely to cost several hundred pounds at short notice in Summer.

Buying a SailRail ticket back would be fairly straightforward but I very much doubt you will find the experience more convenient.

 

[Max Papworth]

Very Similar Situation for me, every time I look at the 15:02 off Euston it seems to never make Chester.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Very Similar Situation for me, every time I look at the 15:02 off Euston it seems to never make Chester.

The 1702 Avanti service from London Euston to Chester and Holyhead seems to have had even worse punctuality and/or reliability in recent weeks, for whatever reason(s).

 

[Llandudno]

No way you can rely on Avanti to operate any through trains west of Crewe.

Make sure you have a plan B.

Obviously buy tickets for plan A and then when the inevitable happens, revert to plan B and claim delay repay = free ride!

 

[Reliablebeam]

I realised I forgot to update this!!

In the end, I combined my trip to North Wales with a holiday in Ireland and took the ferry over, flights to and from Dublin. Worked surprisingly well and picked up quite a few tier points, had forgotten though how forlorn Dublin airport is. It's in the 'do-able' category, and frankly the ferry journey was very pleasant with Stena - although it's a bit of a 'special trick' to be deployed in emergency.

The North Wales coast line should be one of life's little pleasures, of course it isn't...

 

[CHobbs]

Evening all! I am due to travel to Anglesey on Thursday but I've been watching Avanti's so called 'service' into north Wales with mounting alarm over the last two weeks - I've noticed the 1502 from Euston seems to be cancelled or capped quite frequently. I also note my journey back, at 0853 from HHD seems to be a comedy show, as one of my relatives found the other day.

I'm very tempted to fly to Dublin and take the ferry over - does the hive forum mind know any better? Need to book soon...

Just change at Crewe.. simple

 

[Llandudno]

Just change at Crewe.. simple

If (when!) Avanti is cancelled west of Crewe, you can change at Crewe and usually at Chester as well and travel on an overcrowded 2 car TfW Class 158 or 197 unit and end up at Holyhead over an hour later planned

Not necessarily that simple or convenient…
But at least you will get most of your money back with delay repay.

 

[Porty]

I realised I forgot to update this!!

In the end, I combined my trip to North Wales with a holiday in Ireland and took the ferry over, flights to and from Dublin. Worked surprisingly well and picked up quite a few tier points, had forgotten though how forlorn Dublin airport is. It's in the 'do-able' category, and frankly the ferry journey was very pleasant with Stena - although it's a bit of a 'special trick' to be deployed in emergency.

The North Wales coast line should be one of life's little pleasures, of course it isn't...

Dublin terminal 2 seemed very snazzy to me.

 

[berneyarms]

I realised I forgot to update this!!

In the end, I combined my trip to North Wales with a holiday in Ireland and took the ferry over, flights to and from Dublin. Worked surprisingly well and picked up quite a few tier points, had forgotten though how forlorn Dublin airport is. It's in the 'do-able' category, and frankly the ferry journey was very pleasant with Stena - although it's a bit of a 'special trick' to be deployed in emergency.

The North Wales coast line should be one of life's little pleasures, of course it isn't...

I’m assuming you meant Dublin Port as opposed to Dublin Airport?