Cambridge 5 minutes connection time to Stop 6

[DeverseSam]

I missed a coach Cambridge to Stansted today as my train was a couple of minutes late, leaving me 5 minutes to find the coach which I failed to do in time.

Apparently 5 mins is the official connection time, is this reasonable even if it was platform to platform?

 

[bspahh]

I missed a coach Cambridge to Stansted today as my train was a couple of minutes late, leaving me 5 minutes to find the coach which I failed to do in time.

Apparently 5 mins is the official connection time, is this reasonable even if it was platform to platform?

https://www.brtimes.com/!board?stn=CBG says:

CAMBRIDGE is classified as a MEDIUM interchange station.​

Minimum Connection Time is 5 minutes.​

If you had to get from the far end of platform 1 its ~ 400m and 2 flights of stairs to get to platforms 7 and 8, which is 5 minutes if you walk at 3mph.

There is more information on connections

BR Times - Train Times & Station Platform Finder

Alternative journey planner featuring full schedule details including platforms and connection times, for every passenger train on the National Rail network.

www.brtimes.com

 

[Hadders]

Five minutes is an acceptable connection time, in my view. I know there's been repacement buses from Cambridge at weekends recently and these should wait to allow passengers from late running trains to board.

You are entitled to claim delay repay.

 

[Magdalia]

I missed a coach Cambridge to Stansted today as my train was a couple of minutes late, leaving me 5 minutes to find the coach which I failed to do in time.

Apparently 5 mins is the official connection time, is this reasonable even if it was platform to platform?

I use Cambridge station a lot and I don't walk fast for health reasons. For me, platform alterations between platform 1 and platforms 7/8 are a health risk, but 5 minutes is just about doable if the lifts are working.

At Cambridge the bus stops are also quite a long way from the station entrance/exit, roughly equivalent to the far end of platform 3. I definitely can't walk from platform 7/8 to the bus stops in less than 5 minutes. It is not a reasonable connection time at Cambridge for rail replacement buses.

Since Cambridge North opened the rail replacement buses usually connect there with passengers advised to change at Cambridge North not Cambridge. The rail replacement bus journeys between Cambridge North and Audley End or Royston are also quicker because they go round the outside of Cambridge avoiding congestion in the city.

 

[miklcct]

Since Cambridge North opened the rail replacement buses usually connect there with passengers advised to change at Cambridge North not Cambridge. The rail replacement bus journeys between Cambridge North and Audley End or Royston are also quicker because they go round the outside of Cambridge avoiding congestion in the city.

My experience is that, Thameslink replacement buses connect Cambridge and Royston, while Greater Anglia buses connect Cambridge North and Audley End. The result ensures that Thameslink is still the fastest way to get between London and Cambridge when the line is closed.

 

[DeverseSam]

Five minutes is an acceptable connection time, in my view. I know there's been repacement buses from Cambridge at weekends recently and these should wait to allow passengers from late running trains to board.

You are entitled to claim delay repay.

Thank you I will do. I didn’t use the forum booking site as I wanted fee-free changes but I suspect I will regret that.

If anyone from Cambridge station is reading this, please note that there was no signage, stewards or even indication on the coach as to where he was going (the driver drove off as I walked towards him and was only from a different driver that I gathered that that was the right coach). Also by numbering the bus stops with different numbers for hopon hopoff tours it makes it confusing.

 

[MikeWM]

I missed a coach Cambridge to Stansted today as my train was a couple of minutes late, leaving me 5 minutes to find the coach which I failed to do in time.

Apparently 5 mins is the official connection time, is this reasonable even if it was platform to platform?

Not in my opinion, no - I just posted about that on a different thread yesterday.

Before the island platform was built, yes, just about (although even then going from the London end of platform 3 to a departure on platform 6, or 4a, could be tight). Now it isn't - going from say the London end of platform 8 to a departure on platform 3 would be difficult to make in 5 minutes even at a brisk walk.

Replacement buses make it even worse. Years ago they'd go from the car park adjacent to platform 6, often with the exit gate there open to assist in making the connection (and making where to go more obvious). Now they go from the bus station, often the far end of the bus station, which is quite a hike from the station entrance, and I don't think I've seen the gate by platform 3 open in some years.

I think it is fair to say that eg. going from the London end of 7/8 to catching a RRB from the far end of the bus station, even if you're 100% sure of where you're going, is basically impossible in 5 minutes unless you have the ability to fly.

All that said there are implications for what are considered valid connections in increasing the minimum connection time, so it wouldn't necessarily be beneficial if this were increased.

 

[miklcct]

I have found out that the minimum connection time at Ealing Broadway is 1 minute.

Is it even possible to physically make the transfer between the westbound platform and other platforms there in 1 minute?! What if Paddington is closed and bustitution is in effect between Ealing Broadway and Reading?