North Wales Circular - Best fare

[mgood]

Planning to do the North Wales Circular - Chester/ Ffestiniog/Shrewsbury

Is the Ffestiniog Round Robin Ticket the best way - £31 incl the Ffestiniog Railway section ? Any better suggestions?

Thanks

 

[sonic2009]

I'd say that's good value for £31, i don't think you would find anything cheaper.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Can someone suggest/recommend an itinerary during the week from Manchester? (N.B. Noted that the Ffestiniog Round Robin fare to/from Manchester is £36, rather than £31)

 

[sonic2009]

Can someone suggest/recommend an itinerary during the week from Manchester? (N.B. Noted that the Ffestiniog Round Robin fare to/from Manchester is £36, rather than £31)

When are you wanting to travel?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

When are you wanting to travel?

Any Thursday before the end of October would suit.

 

[dave_wm]

Any of these itineraries would work on Thursdays until the end of October;

0750 Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno Junction 0943
1028 Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog 1130
1150 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog Harbour 1300
Walk Porthmadog Harbour to Porthmadog (15 mins)
1402 Porthmadog to Shrewsbury 1726
1751 Shrewsbury to Manchester Piccadilly 1910

1050 Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno Junction 1248
1330 Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog 1442
1510 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog Harbour 1620
Walk Porthmadog Harbour to Porthmadog
1809 Porthmadog to Machynlleth 2000
2007 Machynlleth to Shrewsbury 2128
2219 Shrewsbury to Manchester Piccadilly 2343

0730 Manchester Piccadilly to Shrewsbury 0837
0927 Shrewsbury to Porthmadog 1245
Walk Porthmadog to Porthmadog Harbour
1335 Porthmadog Harbour to Blaenau Ffestiniog 1445
1457 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno Junction 1555
1615 Llandudno Junction to Manchester Piccadilly 1823

0930 Manchester Piccadilly to Shrewsbury 1037
1127 Shrewsbury to Porthmadog 1455
Walk Porthmadog to Porthmadog Harbour
1600 Porthmadog Harbour to Blaenau Ffestiniog 1720
1737 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno Junction 1835
1853 Llandudno Junction to Manchester Piccadilly 2051

NB. If you do the last one next Thursday you should have me as your guard on the Ffestiniog leg!

 

[IanD]

Any of these itineraries would work on Thursdays until the end of October;

0750 Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno Junction 0943
1028 Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog 1130
1150 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog Harbour 1300
Walk Porthmadog Harbour to Porthmadog (15 mins)
1402 Porthmadog to Shrewsbury 1726
1751 Shrewsbury to Manchester Piccadilly 1910

1050 Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno Junction 1248
1330 Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog 1442
1510 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog Harbour 1620
Walk Porthmadog Harbour to Porthmadog
1809 Porthmadog to Machynlleth 2000
2007 Machynlleth to Shrewsbury 2128
2219 Shrewsbury to Manchester Piccadilly 2343

0730 Manchester Piccadilly to Shrewsbury 0837
0927 Shrewsbury to Porthmadog 1245
Walk Porthmadog to Porthmadog Harbour
1335 Porthmadog Harbour to Blaenau Ffestiniog 1445
1457 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno Junction 1555
1615 Llandudno Junction to Manchester Piccadilly 1823

0930 Manchester Piccadilly to Shrewsbury 1037
1127 Shrewsbury to Porthmadog 1455
Walk Porthmadog to Porthmadog Harbour
1600 Porthmadog Harbour to Blaenau Ffestiniog 1720
1737 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno Junction 1835
1853 Llandudno Junction to Manchester Piccadilly 2051

NB. If you do the last one next Thursday you should have me as your guard on the Ffestiniog leg!

If catching the 0750 to Llandudno Junction, you could catch the 0950 to Llandudno Arr 1000 which I believe then forms the 1008 to Blaenau Ffestiniog which calls at Llandudno Junction at 1028. There's some debate as to whether the Round Robin ticket allows this. The ATW map shows that it does but you'd need to check with the guard when boarding at the Junction.

 

[30907]

All things being equal, I'd do the Festiniog Porthmadog-Blaenau as that way the loco has work to do.

Also, if the Cambrian is running seriously late, changing at Minffordd is a good emergency option.