Birkenhead -> Ashton via Stanlow and Denton

[Merseysider]

Hi all

My intended journey on Friday 30th Sep is as follows:

0607 Birkenhead Ctl - Ellesmere Port 0638
0653 Ellesmere Port - Warrington BQ 0723
0739 Warrington BQ - Manchester Piccadilly 0814, or
0756 Warrington Ctl - Manchester Oxford Rd 0836
...
0904 Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport 0916
0922 Stockport - Stalybridge 0943
0947/1008 Stalybridge - Ashton 0951/1012

What is the most appropriate & cheapest ticket for my journey? I have a 16-25 railcard so a minimum fare of £12 to somewhere may be better value than splitting.

Thanks in advance

 

[kieron]

There are no maps which include Hooton-Warrington or Stockport-Guide Bridge direct routes, so .you'll certainly need more than one ticket in order to follow those sections.

 

[Merseysider]

There are no maps which include Hooton-Warrington or Stockport-Guide Bridge direct routes, so you'll certainly need more than one ticket in order to follow those sections.

Hmm, thanks for looking that up. I thought as much. I'm fairly confident that most guards wouldn't take issue with say a Birkenhead-Denton through ticket, using outward and part of the return, but I'd rather avoid risking it if possible.

 

[kieron]

This probably isn't the best option (particularly as I can't remember if a route of "Manchester CTLZ" means you have to go through Manchester or not), but one option would be (prices without discounts):

1. Birkenhead Central-Ellesmere Port £4.05 single
2. Ellesmere Port-Ashton-under-Lyne £23.90 anytime return
3. Guide Bridge-Reddish South £2.30 single
4. Reddish South-Guide Bridge £2.30 single
Total: £32.55.

1 takes you from Birkenhead to Ellesmere Port (direct train).
2(out) takes you from Ellesmere Port to Warrington Bank Quay, and then from Warrington Central to Manchester Oxford Road (shortest route to Warrington, then map MR).
3 takes you from Manchester to Stockport and on as far as Reddish South (shortest route).
4 takes you from Reddish South to Guide Bridge (direct train).
2(out) takes you from Guide Bridge to Stalybridge, and on to Ashton (still MR)

For a return journey:
2(rtn) takes you to Manchester, then Liverpool (either via Warrington on map NR or Newton-le-Willows on map NO), and back to Birkenhead.