Freedom Travelpass Bristol Question

[RingmasterTJ]

Hello Everyone,

I am moving to Bristol from the States for work for 6 months & will be without a car for the duration of my stay in the country. I will be largely dependent on my own two feet & the bus & rail system to make my way about the city & country during my stay.

Considering that I'll be traveling during peak hours to work everyday (& will likely want to do a lot of exploring on the weekends) I've been looking into purchasing a monthly Freedom Travelpass, but I have a couple questions/concerns that I'm hoping I can have answered before I make the purchase.

My work happens to be situated in the same campus as the University of West England's (UWE) Frenchay campus, & from what I've read, the Wessex Red (formerly Ulink) routes are the fastest, & easiest way to get to UWE. Does anyone know if the Freedom Travelpass covers The Wessex Red routes, or would I simply be buying a pass that wouldn't get me to & from work every day.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

~TJ

 

[Ivo]

Never mind being able to use it, as far as I am aware Wessex Connect can issue the darned thing! Not that I have ever known anyone to use it

The Wessex Red routes aren't the only ways to Frenchay, and in the event that they ever don't accept the Travelpass, which they certainly should, the First Bus route 70 will take you to the city centre and Temple meads station.

If you need to ask anything else about Bristol don't hesitate to do so

 

[Mojo]

Where are you travelling from/to? The Freedom Travelpass is only worth it if you are travelling by both Train AND Bus as there is a HUGE premium attached. For example Zone A is £143 per month, whereas a Bristol First Zone 1-2 is £64 (until end Jan) and a monthly season Filton to Temple Meads is about the same.

Frenchay Campus is a short walk walk from Filton Abbey Wood station so if you're in the city centre then a train-only season may be better value, plus you won't get stuck in traffic.

Alternatively, Wessex Red, Wessex Connect and First all do their own bus-only seasons.

 

[Oracle]

I was at what was then Bristol Polytechnic at Frenchay in 1976-7 and 1979...I commuted in from Redland on the 87 I think it was...Bristol City Buses Bristoil Lodekkas and then VRs or the Country Bus RELH buses to and from Filton. It took an age via Filton and cost a fortune however there was a pass / season that I bought that saved a lot. In my experience from when I was an Undergrad and then Post-grad student, if you don't have a car or a moped, a bus season of some sort is ideal. However, you will probably want to go to Bath regularly and perhaps other places. You might find that the bus works for you but do think about the train and perhaps a Rover on occasions if you are not working.

 

[RingmasterTJ]

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for the replies! They've all been very helpful in taking some stress off me as I get ready for this move!

I do plan on probably wanting to travel via train & bus, & honestly, being a newbie to not only the transit system but the country in general, it will probably be easier for me to (at least for the first month) have a pass that I know will work on not only the rails but the various bus routes throughout the city.

Once I get more familiar with the routes (& undoubtedly ask a lot more questions on these forums) I will likely get different passes & such.

Any other tips or tricks that anyone has would also be much appreciated, & thanks again everyone!