Train back to London

[coco23]

Hi there,

Planning on taking the train back to London on the Monday and wanting to buy my ticket in advance to save one of the many lengthy queues I'll be joining that day. Will be going Castle Cary to London but it's giving me so many different options...Peak, Super Off Peak... which should I get? Also do they run extra trains to those currently advertised?

Thanks!

[tillyandthewall]

This site gives all the various restrictions on all the tickets.  There's also trains into Waterloo this year too, these have the Warminster/Salisbury restriction.

[coco23]

1 hour ago, tillyandthewall said:

This site gives all the various restrictions on all the tickets.  There's also trains into Waterloo this year too, these have the Warminster/Salisbury restriction.

Thanks! Will be going to Paddington as it's quicker - looks like there's only one train per hour? Do they run additional Glastonbury special services? Pretty sure they did last year...

[tillyandthewall]

Yes there's more - normally only 8 trains stop there but there's 16 on the Wednesday - source.

[johnmcga]

Hi there, I've just posted a similar query, but just wanted to pitch in that for the last few years, I've caught an early train back from Castle Cary and not had any problem travelling on a super off-peak ticket, even though it wasn't during the super off-peak period.

The station staff seem to prioritise keeping the queues down over enforcing ticket restrictions, which makes sense. It's not guaranteed, but I think you'll probably be ok with any ticket on the Monday.

Edited June 18, 2016 by johnmcga

[coco23]

4 hours ago, johnmcga said:

Hi there, I've just posted a similar query, but just wanted to pitch in that for the last few years, I've caught an early train back from Castle Cary and not had any problem travelling on a super off-peak ticket, even though it wasn't during the super off-peak period.

The station staff seem to prioritise keeping the queues down over enforcing ticket restrictions, which makes sense. It's not guaranteed, but I think you'll probably be ok with any ticket on the Monday.

Thanks! Went super off peak in the end, figured I wouldn't be arriving at Castle Cary much before 10am and that's best case scenario. Figured with the sheer volume of people FGW won't care what type of ticket you have as long as you have one!

[sime]

4 hours ago, coco23 said:

Thanks! Went super off peak in the end, figured I wouldn't be arriving at Castle Cary much before 10am and that's best case scenario. Figured with the sheer volume of people FGW won't care what type of ticket you have as long as you have one!

Have to say that although some people may have not had their ticket checked and enforced, I have witnessed several times people being told that their ticket is not valid, leaving them with no other option but to join another queue and buy a new ticket. Personally, I wouldn't risk it.

[Lucy92]

Just an FYI you won't avoid the queues there you'll stil have to queue with the masses just won't have to queue for a ticket. Make sure you fill a bottle of water up for the queue it's the one thing I was desperate for when I did the train last.