Nottingham to CArdiff

[trainnewbie]

Hi all I'm new on the forum and new to travelling by train to be honest
i have a few questions if thats ok
Has anyone used this route before and what are their experiences on corss country trains like?
I am travelling with my wife and she has a suitcase is there space to put this on the train any over head compartments like on a plane or not?
Slso what are the toilets like on trains these days i have terrible ibs and the journey will last over 3 hours
sorry im complete novice on travelling on a train as i usually drive and i have only once been in a train before and that was in 1998 and it was only to leicester from nottingham , im travliing tommorow and im quite nervous to be honest i booked these tickets in april and seats are reserved no idea what platform it is i will find out on the day i suppose but checking the time tables today it seems it will be platform 3b

 

[70014IronDuke]

.... im travliing tommorow and im quite nervous to be honest i booked these tickets in april and seats are reserved no idea what platform it is i will find out on the day i suppose but checking the time tables today it seems it will be platform 3b

You should be nervous. Nottingham - Cardiff is a notorious journey many struggle to survive.

Only joking. It might be a bit full some of the way as it's a Friday, depending on when you are travelling. (Departing anytime after about 16.00 is likely to be quite full, I'd guess.)

Aim to get to Nottingham 20 minutes before departure. Look up the platform on the departure boards - someone in here will probably know the likely platform number in any case - but you must not assume the regular will always be used. Need to check on the day.

I'm not sure of the units used, but there will ge some luggage space, either racks above the seats (not like airlines, with doors, but open) or between the seats or in a luggage area. Again, someone in here may post more accurate information.

Relax and enjoy the flight .....

 

[Bungle965]

You should be nervous. Nottingham - Cardiff is a notorious journey many struggle to survive.

Only joking. It might be a bit full some of the way as it's a Friday, depending on when you are travelling. (Departing anytime after about 16.00 is likely to be quite full, I'd guess.)

Aim to get to Nottingham 20 minutes before departure. Look up the platform on the departure boards - someone in here will probably know the likely platform number in any case - but you must not assume the regular will always be used. Need to check on the day.

I'm not sure of the units used, but there will ge some luggage space, either racks above the seats (not like airlines, with doors, but open) or between the seats or in a luggage area. Again, someone in here may post more accurate information.

Relax and enjoy the flight .....

Class 170s are used operated by Cross Country and are a mix of 2/3 car units.
Sam

 

[MichaelAMW]

Hi all I'm new on the forum and new to travelling by train to be honest
i have a few questions if thats ok
Has anyone used this route before and what are their experiences on corss country trains like?
I am travelling with my wife and she has a suitcase is there space to put this on the train any over head compartments like on a plane or not?
Slso what are the toilets like on trains these days i have terrible ibs and the journey will last over 3 hours
sorry im complete novice on travelling on a train as i usually drive and i have only once been in a train before and that was in 1998 and it was only to leicester from nottingham , im travliing tommorow and im quite nervous to be honest i booked these tickets in april and seats are reserved no idea what platform it is i will find out on the day i suppose but checking the time tables today it seems it will be platform 3b

Yes, 3b is likely to be the platform BUT, as you say, make sure to check. The trains start from Nottingham so are generally available for boarding for a fair while before they go, in my experience.

 

[trainnewbie]

thanks for the replies yes dont worry i wont assume just because its leaving from platform 3b today it will be same tommorow
anyone know what the toilets are like on these trains and luggage space for suitcase? many thanks

 

[Starmill]

The toilets are not very reliable, and there are only two per train. It's unlikely that both will be out of order, but it is not impossible.

There is ample overhead luggage space for small items. For anything larger than a very small suitcase (or a very big handbag) you will probably not be able to fit it in and will need to rely on the very small luggage stacks in each coach.

The route generally only has two or three car trains as mentioned. They're quite cramped and often have a large number of standing passengers, on a Friday that will probably apply to most trains. Which train are you aiming for? If it is mid afternoon or later, I would plan on the assumption that the train will be have lots of people standing up, possibly for over an hour.

 

[trainnewbie]

hi thanks for the reply, the departure time is around 11am and scheduled to arrive at cardiff just after 2pm
i hope your wrong about the toilets being out of order as with my health condition that would be very awkward and uncomfortable for me there is 0% chance of me getting through a 3 hour 20 min journey without having to visit the loo lol
just a furthe questions if i may i reserved my seats does that make any difference?

 

[Starmill]

Well it makes the difference that you will (probably) have a seat with a white label stuck in the back of it. Your departure time will hopefully be early enough that the train will not be quite so packed, but it could still be busy.

As I say it's unlikely both toilets will be out of order, but you should probably be prepared for one of them being out of order and that putting extra use on the other one. Hopefully at 1100 you will find them both working though. If you do have a problem speak to the guard. At the very least you should be able to get off somewhere to use the toilets and join the next train, they may even be able to wait if both onboard toilets are out of order.

 

[edwin_m]

You can also get from Nottingham to Cardiff via Bristol Parkway. This involves two changes of train, but that could be an advantage if you're worried about toilets as it's pretty unlikely that all the toilets on all the trains would be unavailable and you may have time to use the facilities at the stations where you change. Downside is that the middle leg of your journey is likely to be on a Voyager, which I think most people would agree is less comfortable than the 170 unit and probably just as crowded (though with more coaches).

 

[Starmill]

And also a Voyager (the express train between Derby or Birmingham and Bristol Parkway) will have at least 3 toilets.

 

[Hadders]

Before we start suggesting alternative routes we need to be sure that the OP is travelling on a flexible ticket rather than an Advance (which for the benefit of the OP can only be used on the specific booked train).

 

[ashworth]

My experience is that if you are getting on in Nottingham, where the train starts, you will have no trouble getting a seat especially if you there early.
Whenever I travel anywhere by rail, even with just one smallish case, I do my best to avoid voyagers. I don't hate voyagers like some on here and I am more than happy to travel on them when I don't have luggage. It's just that the overhead racks are too small for even a small case. Last year when travelling back to Nottingham from Exeter I used a GWR 150 from Exeter to Gloucester and then a 170 from there to Nottingham in preference to travelling on a Voyager with a case. It's something I think about very seriously and last week travelled up to Newcastle from Nottingham via Grantham despite the longer journey time due to poor connections so to avoid a Voyager because I had luggage.

 

[Hadders]

Nottingham to Cardiff will be a class 170, not a Voyager.

 

[ashworth]

Nottingham to Cardiff will be a class 170, not a Voyager.

I know that. I was making comments following an earlier post which suggested changing at Derby because of unreliable toilet facilities on 170's.