How is it travelling from Paddington during the evening peak?

[johnmcga]

Hi folks,

I've travelled to the festival by train for nearly a decade, but this year I've started a new job and it's been impossible to get Weds off work. Bah!

I work in central London, so I'm going to hotfoot it to Paddington at the end of the day and catch the first train I can to Castle Cary.

There's a train at around 5.30pm that I might be able to make, but it's slap bang in the middle of the evening peak. I could fork out for a peak ticket, but I'd prefer not to. Does anyone know if First Great Western (oh wait, it's GWR now, isn't it?) enforces peak restrictions on its Glastonbury trains at this time?

I imagine they probably do, but given they seem to disregard the peak rules at Castle Cary on the Monday morning then I'm hoping there's a chance they might not.

Thanks for any help!

[ejj]

If you can avoid going through a barrier at Paddington you will be ok, but sadly the barriers have got good recently at knowing if you have an off peak ticket and won't open. I've tried a few times (I commute to London a couple of times a week). One solution I've found is to try my luck with the  barrier man, saying I'll pay the upgrade fee to the conductor. It's worked once or twice, but there have been times I've either had to go back to the ticket office to upgrade my ticket or wait till 6.45pm  Good luck! 

[Levitz]

Live in London but travel to my Mum's in the West Country on that route quite a lot. I think peak restrictions are in force Monday to Friday unless it's a public holiday. Given it's to regulate the commuter traffic I'd think it would be even more relevant with additional numbers. Usually the first train after the 7pm is packed anyway (tends to ease at Reading as lots of people get off). 

Edit: as ejj has said, not all platforms are behind a ticket barrier so you might be OK with those. I think 2-5 and 10-16 might be inside barriers. Platform 1 has GWR intercity trains but I think, generally, 6-9 are usually Heathrow Express or commuter (stopping) trains.  

Edited June 18, 2016 by Levitz

[jimmillen]

Another London commuter here... 

Agree with @ejj on the barriers, you won't get onto any of the gated platforms for a peak train.

If you're not too bothered which train exactly you get, you could chance your luck - turn up, buy an offpeak then wait for an appropriate departure from platform 1 or 8/9 - those 3 aren't on ticket gates.  The fast trains do regularly depart from those 3 platforms so it could work out OK.

If you're desperate to get to the festival as fast as possible, though, you'll probably have to splash out for the peak ticket!

Don't envy you leaving at that time though - it's usually heaving with commuters, that plus Glastonbury-goers will make for seriously busy trains... 

[johnmcga]

Thanks everyone — really helpful. I used to be a Paddington regular but thankfully I don't have to commute that way any more!

I was hoping they might relax the peak restrictions specifically for Glastonbury services, but it seems this is unlikely. The chances of me actually making that train are probably slim anyway, so it's likely to be academic!

[marathonsteve]

Your ticket may well be checked on the train