Wolverhampton to Marsden via Manchester Metrolink

[neonison]

Apologies if this has been covered before but can someone clarify the advice given in 7.2?

Through ticketing is available from National Rail to Manchester Metrolink stations as an add-on to the fare to Manchester Stations. Where the National Rail station is within Greater Manchester, the destination will be a Metrolink zone (these are A-Q excluding I and O; a map of these zones is not publicly available). Where the National Rail station is outside of Greater Manchester, individual Metrolink station names are used. Tickets issued to Manchester CTLZ (for National Rail stations within Greater Manchester; no tickets to Manchester Stations are available) / to Metrolink City (for National Rail stations outside of Greater Manchester; normally this costs £1.40 more than a ticket to Manchester Stations and no Advance tickets are available) are valid for unlimited tram travel on the day of validity within the Manchester Metrolink city zone. Railcard discounts are not available to Metrolink destinations so Railcard holders are advised to consider separate National Rail and Metrolink tickets.

I want to travel from Wolverhampton to Marsden. National Rail give the preferred routing as "TRANSFER" between Piccadilly and Victoria. I'd rather not walk so how do I get a ticket which includes the Metrolink part? It is just too late to use the free shuttle bus.

 

[yorkie]

I want to travel from Wolverhampton to Marsden. National Rail give the preferred routing as "TRANSFER" between Piccadilly and Victoria. I'd rather not walk so how do I get a ticket which includes the Metrolink part? It is just too late to use the free shuttle bus.

A through fare from Wolverhampton to Marsden does not include the Metrolink.

If you buy that ticket, you will either have to pay separately for Metrolink, or use alternative means (it's about 15 minutes walk through the city centre)

If you can say what day/time you are travelling (and each way if it's a return) we can provide appropriate advice, as it may be possible to use an alternative combination of tickets to include the Metrolink which might be cheaper, particularly if it's a same-day return.

 

[Deerfold]

Apologies if this has been covered before but can someone clarify the advice given in 7.2?

I want to travel from Wolverhampton to Marsden. National Rail give the preferred routing as "TRANSFER" between Piccadilly and Victoria. I'd rather not walk so how do I get a ticket which includes the Metrolink part? It is just too late to use the free shuttle bus.

You can get tickets to a Metrolink destination, but you can't add Metrolink travel to the middle of a ticket.

You'll need to buy a ticket on the tram platform at £1.20 Adult single.

 

[Merseysider]

Only tickets between two Greater Manchester stations include a free transfer on the tram. You would be better off buying an additional single for the tram which would cost £1.20 after 0930, or if you hold a railcard, £1.15 for a single from Ardwick to Manchester CTLZ which also includes the tram.

Honestly, with the time spent on escalators, platforms and at the ticket machine, it's quicker to walk. It can be done in 12 minutes if you walk quickly and cut through the Arndale.

 

[northwichcat]

I don't know how the connections work but it might be worth considering

Leg 1: Wolverhampton to Manchester Piccadilly
Leg 2: Manchester Piccadilly to Stalybridge
Leg 3: Stalybridge to Marsden

To avoid the cross-Manchester transfer.

 

[neonison]

A through fare from Wolverhampton to Marsden does not include the Metrolink.

If you buy that ticket, you will either have to pay separately for Metrolink, or use alternative means (it's about 15 minutes walk through the city centre)

If you can say what day/time you are travelling (and each way if it's a return) we can provide appropriate advice, as it may be possible to use an alternative combination of tickets to include the Metrolink which might be cheaper, particularly if it's a same-day return.

Anytime single out changing at Stalybridge and Piccadilly but Off Peak on the way back arrives Piccadilly 18.59, one minute before the free shuttle ends. Departure is 19.57 off Victoria but I'd have difficulty walking that distance at the moment.

I don't know how the connections work but it might be worth considering

Leg 1: Wolverhampton to Manchester Piccadilly
Leg 2: Manchester Piccadilly to Stalybridge
Leg 3: Stalybridge to Marsden

To avoid the cross-Manchester transfer.

Using a Piccadilly - Stalybridge - Marsden routing on the return gets me back an hour later at 21.29; two-and-a-half hours after arriving at Piccadilly.

Would splitting at Manchester allow me to get a CTLZ ticket from Wolverhampton?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Honestly, with the time spent on escalators, platforms and at the ticket machine, it's quicker to walk. It can be done in 12 minutes if you walk quickly and cut through the Arndale.

Not with torn ligaments and a crutch, it isn't!

 

[lejog]

Would splitting at Manchester allow me to get a CTLZ ticket from Wolverhampton?

It appears so

http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=WVH&dest=MCZ


Although the Central Zone fares are sometimes more expensive than paying the tram fare.

 

[northwichcat]

Ignore.

 

[wellhouse]

Anytime single out changing at Stalybridge and Piccadilly but Off Peak on the way back arrives Piccadilly 18.59, one minute before the free shuttle ends. Departure is 19.57 off Victoria but I'd have difficulty walking that distance at the moment.



Using a Piccadilly - Stalybridge - Marsden routing on the return gets me back an hour later at 21.29; two-and-a-half hours after arriving at Piccadilly.

Would splitting at Manchester allow me to get a CTLZ ticket from Wolverhampton?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Not with torn ligaments and a crutch, it isn't!

If you are on crutches, beware the long flight of steps up from the eastbound platform at Marsden. You may prefer to continue to Slaithwaite, where there is a gentle slope from platform to street.

Westbound from Marsden is just a ramp to the platform.

 

[kieron]

Would a change at Huddersfield work for you? This would make your route Wolverhampton-Manchester Piccadilly-Huddersfield-Marsden.

 

[neonison]

Would a change at Huddersfield work for you? This would make your route Wolverhampton-Manchester Piccadilly-Huddersfield-Marsden.

That's been suggested previously. Extra fares apply doing it that way.

Thanks everyone for their replies, I'm going to see if, how and from where I can get a WVH-MAN CTLZ ticket.

 

[Haywain]

Although the connection times might not be valid for an Advance ticket, there is a service from Piccadilly at 19:11 to Stalybridge (from platform 13) which provides a comfortable connection into your preferred service on to Marsden. If your trains are on time you could do this and resort to paying for the tram if the train from Wolverhampton is delayed. If all goes well, this should be quite manageable.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

That's been suggested previously. Extra fares apply doing it that way.

Thanks everyone for their replies, I'm going to see if, how and from where I can get a WVH-MAN CTLZ ticket.

It would be a ticket to Metrolink City Zone, not Manchester Central Zone. Whilst this difference might not mean much to you, a clerk in Wolverhampton might consider the fare does not exist if they are not looking for the correct destination.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Using a Piccadilly - Stalybridge - Marsden routing on the return gets me back an hour later at 21.29; two-and-a-half hours after arriving at Piccadilly.

Would splitting at Manchester allow me to get a CTLZ ticket from Wolverhampton?

Tickets to Manchester CTLZ are only available to/from stations in Greater Manchester.

Tickets to/from stations outside Greater Manchester need to be to METROLINK CITY. This costs an additional £1.40 on the fare to MANCHESTER STATIONS. By comparison, a single Piccadilly-Victoria is 20p less than this, at £1.20.

I've not checked prices, so it may be more expensive than a through ticket +£1.20, but you might wish to consider splitting tickets:

Wolverhampton-Stockport
Stockport-Ashton Under Lyne (this includes free Metrolink)
Ashton-Marsden.

 

[neonison]

Wolverhampton-Stockport
Stockport-Ashton Under Lyne (this includes free Metrolink)
Ashton-Marsden.

That looks a great option if it includes free Metrolink but cheaper still is:

Stockport - Greenfield
Greenfield - Marsden

assuming that still includes the free Metrolink.


Incidentally is there any Railcard discount on the £1.40 add-on for METROLINK CITY?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....Incidentally is there any Railcard discount on the £1.40 add-on for METROLINK CITY?

No Railcard discount on through fares to a Metrolink destination.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Stockport - Greenfield

That includes the free Metrolink.

 

[neonison]

That includes the free Metrolink.

Thanks.

To be honest, I tend to drive to Huddersfield or Stalybridge but have noted before that splitting at Greenfield can be cheaper.

 

[northwichcat]

Thanks.

To be honest, I tend to drive to Huddersfield or Stalybridge but have noted before that splitting at Greenfield can be cheaper.

Fares for journeys completely within Greater Manchester or West Yorkshire get hefty subsides, which is why off-peak tickets for journeys completely within those areas now have more peak restrictions than ones outside.

 

[kieron]

That's been suggested previously. Extra fares apply doing it that way.

I didn't know it had been suggested previously. An "any permitted" ticket from Marsden to Wolverhampton would be valid on that route.

 

[neonison]

Thanks. I did once have an off peak single and was told that doubling back was not permitted, though the guard let it go 'on this occasion'.

 

[Starmill]

It's probably not that helpful at this stage, but you could also travel via Salford Crescent. This would involve a lift at Manchester Piccadilly and may at Manchester Victoria too, but level access at Salford Crescent.

 

[neonison]

It's probably not that helpful at this stage, but you could also travel via Salford Crescent. This would involve a lift at Manchester Piccadilly and may at Manchester Victoria too, but level access at Salford Crescent.

Thanks, I've got a SPT-GNF ticket which includes Metrolink CTLZ, I'm happy with that routing. Cheaper too despite the two splits!

 

[Howardh]

Don't forget the free bus between Picc and Vic which runs regularly throughout the day. Supposed to be disabled-friendly - anyone know who's used it?

 

[Ianno87]

Is there any reason why the OP coyld not avoid the Metrolink transfer entirely by travelling on a TPE from Piccadilly to Stalybridge, then changing there for the train to Marsden?

Or does the connection work out rubbish?

 

[Bungle965]

Don't forget the free bus between Picc and Vic which runs regularly throughout the day. Supposed to be disabled-friendly - anyone know who's used it?

If you are talking about the Metroshuttle, then the OP if he was choosing to use it would want the number 2 Metroshuttle which runs every 6 minutes thoughout the day. I am almost certain that the Optare Solo/Versa that they use are disabled friendly. Although they can get very busy throughout the day.
Sam

 

[neonison]

Yes, Metroshuttle is fine throughout the day but they stop at 19.00, 1 minute after my scheduled arrival in Piccadilly!

 

[kieron]

Thanks. I did once have an off peak single and was told that doubling back was not permitted, though the guard let it go 'on this occasion'.

The rules on when you are and are not allowed to double back through a station are quite technical, but there are more circumstances where it is forbidden than where it is allowed. Some people find it easier to think of it as being forbidden everywhere.

Huddersfield is part of a "routeing point" which Marsden is associated with (and which you can use for this journey), and Wolverhampton is a different "routeing point". You're not, as a rule, allowed to pass through any station twice on the way from Marsden to Huddersfield, and are not allowed to pass through any station twice on the way from Huddersfield to Wolverhampton. You are allowed to pass through a station on the way from Marsden to Huddersfield, and pass through the same station on the way from Huddersfield to Wolverhampton, because there is no rule to forbid this.

That's the reason why booking sites show this sort of thing as being allowed. I usually find it easier to show a screenshot to a member of staff than to explain this, though.

 

[neonison]

Is there any reason why the OP coyld not avoid the Metrolink transfer entirely by travelling on a TPE from Piccadilly to Stalybridge, then changing there for the train to Marsden?

Or does the connection work out rubbish?

Yes, that route works on the outward but one loses an hour on the return though one does get the chance to spend 50+ minutes in the Buffet Bar at Stalybridge.