Best Ticket for Newport based HST-bashing

[Dai Corner]

I live in Newport and am thinking about doing some HST bashing before it's too late, as well as checking out the IETs and Turbos. Obviously the latter two are less important as they will be around for years to come.

What is the best ticket to get? A Severn and Solent Rover is the obvious one but I was wondering about a Lydney to Swindon season. I think it's valid via Gloucester or Severn Tunnel Junction but will it get me to Newport, Bristol Temple Meads and Bath?

 

[SwindonBert]

Newport is definitely ok, Temple Meads would be pushing it as there's such a regular service between Newport & Swindon

 

[alistairlees]

I live in Newport and am thinking about doing some HST bashing before it's too late, as well as checking out the IETs and Turbos. Obviously the latter two are less important as they will be around for years to come.

What is the best ticket to get? A Severn and Solent Rover is the obvious one but I was wondering about a Lydney to Swindon season. I think it's valid via Gloucester or Severn Tunnel Junction but will it get me to Newport, Bristol Temple Meads and Bath?

The Lydney to Swindon journey looks to be valid via many routes, at least when I try looking at routes for an Anytime Day single (SDS) from Lydney to Swindon using the Fujitsu RIBS journey planner as used on websites like TrainGenius or Raileasy. The same Fujitsu system powers the Journey Planner software that is used by many TOCs at stations.

Routes I could find as valid were:
- via Newport (S Wales) as well as Severn Tunnel Junction (I was expecting that though)
- via Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa
- via Gloucester and Stroud
- via Cheltenham and then Bristol Parkway (via Cam & Dursley). I was a bit surprised it seems to be valid via Cheltenham, but it allows travel on XC services that don't go via Gloucester.

Assuming I am correct, then you can combine these in way you wish.

 

[Dai Corner]

The Lydney to Swindon journey looks to be valid via many routes, at least when I try looking at routes for an Anytime Day single (SDS) from Lydney to Swindon using the Fujitsu RIBS journey planner as used on websites like TrainGenius or Raileasy. The same Fujitsu system powers the Journey Planner software that is used by many TOCs at stations.

Routes I could find as valid were:
- via Newport (S Wales) as well as Severn Tunnel Junction (I was expecting that though)
- via Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa
- via Gloucester and Stroud
- via Cheltenham and then Bristol Parkway (via Cam & Dursley). I was a bit surprised it seems to be valid via Cheltenham, but it allows travel on XC services that don't go via Gloucester.

Assuming I am correct, then you can combine these in way you wish.

That's great and would enable to leap on any train I needed within the area and without time restrictions. I'd take the usual precaution of carrying journey planner printouts of my itineries.

 

[Haywain]

Although they can't be used before 09:00 on weekdays, the Freedom of Severn & Solent Rovers are cheaper and cover a wider area.