West Midlands Trains - Super Off Peak London Euston - Chester

[parkender102]

We have tickets For Chester to London Return this coming weekend using West Midlands Trains, Transport for Wales and Avanti. Super Off Peak Return and Advance bought as Split Tickets via Raileasy. Mainly due to the fact we are not in a rush, to avoid the notorious Avanti problems/excuses and the fact we prefer the regular stops and big windows on the West Midlands Trains. Also a lot cheaper than Avanti,

The outward Leg is fine - Chester to Crewe on Avanti then change to West Midlands Trains to Euston.

However on the Return leg I noticed we have an extra change at Rugby:

London Euston 12:50 service to Birmingham New Street - Rugby 14:32 (WMR) - Super Off Peak Single
Rugby 14:41 service to Crewe 15:59 (WMR) - Advance Single
Crewe 16:30 service to Holyhead - Chester 16:52 - Off Peak Return

Ideally a better option would be to have a direct service London Euston to Crewe (wish I'd spotted it earlier). We did a similar trip last weekend and the Services were extremely busy making us glad we had boarded early at Euston and seeing the crowds at Milton Keynes and Nuneaton etc waiting to board. What would be the most cost effective way to change the tickets to Direct London Euston - Crewe?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What would be the most cost effective way to change the tickets to Direct London Euston - Crewe?

Not sure that will be possible without throwing away the money paid for the 14:41 departure Rugby->Crewe Advance Single(s).

 

[Haywain]

The train you are booked from Rugby starts there, so there is no real risk of it already being overcrowded on arrival.

 

[parkender102]

Not sure that will be possible without throwing away the money paid for the 14:41 departure Rugby->Crewe Advance Single(s).

Was thinking the same - not sure where to check for valid trains for Super Off Peak Tickets and see what I can pick up.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Mar 2025 ==

The train you are booked from Rugby starts there, so there is no real risk of it already being overcrowded on arrival.

Ah right - that helps - thanks for the info. Maybe not so bad after all. Last weekend we were on Direct WMR Crewe to London on Saturday and London Euston to Crewe on Sunday and both heavily loaded. Luckily we boarded early at Crewe and London Euston so managed to get seats but in both cases it was standing room only for large parts of the journey.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

As @Haywain has already noted with respect to the Rugby-Crewe departure, each of the three Sunday trains that you're booked on, start at the stations that you're going to be boarding/changing at.

 

[parkender102]

As @Haywain has already noted with respect to the Rugby-Crewe departure, each of the three Sunday trains that you're booked on, start at the stations that you're going to be boarding/changing at.

Great Stuff

 

[richardderby]

engineering work this weekend, LNR services require a change at Rugby...everything, including Avanti routed via Northampton... I travelled up to Tamworth on Sunday, as the MML was closed, the 1245 from Euston left a lot behind on the platform at Euston, if only LNR had used 12 cars instead of 8, knowing the MML was closed all weekend..

 

[NorthWalian]

engineering work this weekend, LNR services require a change at Rugby...everything, including Avanti routed via Northampton... I travelled up to Tamworth on Sunday, as the MML was closed, the 1245 from Euston left a lot behind on the platform at Euston, if only LNR had used 12 cars instead of 8, knowing the MML was closed all weekend..

Will it still be there Tuesday?

 

[sonic2009]

if only LNR had used 12 cars instead of 8, knowing the MML was closed all weekend..

12 cars are only permitted to run as far as Northampton AFAIK. Unless something's changed?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Mar 2025 ==

Great Stuff

You should arrive into Platform 1 at Rugby, so you may need to make your way over to either Platform 2 or 6 depending on which platform the Crewe service runs from. It arrives into Rugby from Crewe at 1427 and then leaves again at 1441

Realtime Trains | 1U37 1441 Rugby to Crewe | 16/03/2025

Real-time train running information for 1U37 1441 departure from Rugby to Crewe on 16/03/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Given that the 1250 to Birmingham is likely to be an 8 car service, I can't remember where abouts in the 8 car formation will be best to exit straight out to the stairs to take you down to go underneath the platforms at Rugby from Platform 1, but then again everything can change on the day with stock and platforms!

 

[Kite159]

12 cars are only permitted to run as far as Northampton AFAIK. Unless something's changed

Changed a year or so ago, there are some booked 12 coach services on weekend London - Crewe services, just look for anything booked to use a platform other than 7 at Crewe.

 

[parkender102]

12 cars are only permitted to run as far as Northampton AFAIK. Unless something's changed?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Mar 2025 ==


You should arrive into Platform 1 at Rugby, so you may need to make your way over to either Platform 2 or 6 depending on which platform the Crewe service runs from. It arrives into Rugby from Crewe at 1427 and then leaves again at 1441



Given that the 1250 to Birmingham is likely to be an 8 car service, I can't remember where abouts in the 8 car formation will be best to exit straight out to the stairs to take you down to go underneath the platforms at Rugby from Platform 1, but then again everything can change on the day with stock and platforms!

Thanks - good advice regarding arriving and departing Platforms. Like you say it can always change on the day but armed with this makes it a bit easier. At least I'll have Rugby Station Layout imprinted in my head as it's not a station I'm used to.