Aberystwyth Uni - trains at Christmas

Original post by hibbe

Hey, I've heard that at the end of the first term getting trains to get home for Christmas out of Aber is a nightmare and people end up missing trains and getting other ones. I want to book my tickets in advance including my one from B'ham to home. Any advice, will getting on my train be that bad - I want to get on the 9.30am one?
Thanks x

Since there is only one platform, and only one train that can be 'in' at station at any one time, I think the chances of you getting on the wrong train is fairly limited.

If you book your tickets in advance, and have seat reservations then you will get that seat on the train leaving at whatever time you book for. If you find someone in your seat, simply ask them nicely to move to a unreserved seat.

As you suggest, the trains over the 15/16th weekend will be very busy with people going home, so space on the train will obviously be limited so don't plan to take home bags and bags of stuff, one rucksack of stuff will be fine. If everyone took home loads of bags each there wouldn't be any room for anyone!

Reply 2

I wouldn't even bother going home on the 14th, 15th or 16th of December. I mean, I got the 5:30pm train home a few weeks ago on a Friday and people couldn't even get to their reserved seats because the entire train was quite literally full. People were stood all the way down the middle isle all the way to Machynlleth where two basically empty carridges are added to the train.

That was on a normal Friday.
Now imagine a Friday where pretty much the entire university has broken up for Christmas and is trying to get home.

It may transpire that you will be able to go home a day or so or maybe even an entire week early. I have checked my lecture dates for this year and it turns out my last lecture is on the 5th December with my last seminar being the next day. Its worth finding out if you will be able to leave a day or so early because you will essentially miss all the fuss.

Also, I know this didn't happen last year but in my first year I also was able to finish early for Christmas and it turns out that the actual end of term co-incided with some pretty awful weather where some people had a lot of trouble leaving Aberystwyth with train delays and bad roads in an out due to snow etc.

Reply 3

Karanachan

Original post by hibbe

Hey, I've heard that at the end of the first term getting trains to get home for Christmas out of Aber is a nightmare and people end up missing trains and getting other ones. I want to book my tickets in advance including my one from B'ham to home. Any advice, will getting on my train be that bad - I want to get on the 9.30am one?
Thanks x

It will be absolutely packed. There is no getting around that really but it is definitely possible. Even though I am a third year, I only did this in my first year which is when the weather was really really terrible. It was a nightmare, we ended squashed in to two carriages like sardines and I know a lot of people on that train actually had tickets for previous trains but failed to get on.

I have to say, even though I know it will still be packed, I will be going on one of the 5:30am trains. :s-smilie:

Good luck!

Reply 4

Original post by Karanachan

I have to say, even though I know it will still be packed, I will be going on one of the 5:30am trains. :s-smilie:

Good luck!

Actually a thought there. The one at 5:15am every morning usually has 4 carriadges due to the last train to arrive in the evening staying in Aberystwyth overnight and joining up with the morning one.

I got it once and with about 6 others on the entire train we all had nearly a carridge to ourselves.

Reply 5

Karanachan

Original post by JordE

Actually a thought there. The one at 5:15am every morning usually has 4 carriadges due to the last train to arrive in the evening staying in Aberystwyth overnight and joining up with the morning one.

I got it once and with about 6 others on the entire train we all had nearly a carridge to ourselves.

Sweet!

Reply 6

Elevant

Does the whole train from here go to Birmingham, or does it get split up half way and I have to watch which carriage I get in?

Reply 7

Original post by Elevant

Does the whole train from here go to Birmingham, or does it get split up half way and I have to watch which carriage I get in?

The train from Aber goes all the way to Birmingham International, two extra carriages join the train at Machynlleth. You only have to be careful about which carriage your in (if you don't have seat reservations) if you are coming to Aber, not from Aber.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 8

sukysue

If you go to the http://http://www.aberexpress.co.uk/ SITE then there is a bus Aberystwyth students can prebook for their journey home and I think return too.Looks a lot quicker and cheaper . I am not the proprieter either just thought it may help someone.

Reply 9

Original post by sukysue

If you go to the http://http://www.aberexpress.co.uk/ SITE then there is a bus Aberystwyth students can prebook for their journey home and I think return too.Looks a lot quicker and cheaper . I am not the proprieter either just thought it may help someone.

A quick look at the site using going to Manchester as a example it seems to be more expensive and only 30 minutes shorter. A return ticket using two advance singles with a railcard (times depending) is £19.80 whereas the bus company you advertise is £29, this is with a quick search. I'm sure with a little longer looking it could be got cheaper. I'd rather save £10+ than save 30 minutes.

Then with the other fares, without knowing the exact fares, they look very expensive compared to the train.

Good idea, but the cost when worked out - not just taken from their own comparisons is a lot more expensive.

If you do want to go by bus, National Express travel to and from Aber. If you split your journeys and find the fun fares it should be decent prices.

After looking at all options, the train is probably the best way for travelling to and from Aber. Get your tickets cheaper by splitting your journeys, buying advance singles and make the most of being a student by having a 16-25 railcard.

Reply 10

Elevant

Might be a stupid question, but is it OK to eat on a train? I saw some people eating when I came here, but I don't know wether they were just jerks. I might want to eat my breakfast on the train vut I would feel very uncomfortable, if I didn't know it was not frowned upon.
We don't eat on public transport, ever. Unless you're a jerk. We even have signs :smile:

Reply 11

Original post by Elevant

Might be a stupid question, but is it OK to eat on a train? I saw some people eating when I came here, but I don't know wether they were just jerks. I might want to eat my breakfast on the train vut I would feel very uncomfortable, if I didn't know it was not frowned upon.
We don't eat on public transport, ever. Unless you're a jerk. We even have signs :smile:

It is fine to eat on the train. After all, they do sell food on the train itself :biggrin:

Reply 12

Original post by Elevant

Might be a stupid question, but is it OK to eat on a train? I saw some people eating when I came here, but I don't know wether they were just jerks. I might want to eat my breakfast on the train vut I would feel very uncomfortable, if I didn't know it was not frowned upon.
We don't eat on public transport, ever. Unless you're a jerk. We even have signs :smile:

As JordE has already said, it would be a little counter productive of the trains to sell and serve food & drink on board, while having a ban on consuming food & drink on board. It is perfectly legal/fine to eat and drink on public transport. :smile:

Back in April when I was on one of the first trains in the morning to London, I watched a women make her own fruit smoothie on board a train by chopping up lots of different fruit, blending it in a small blender then drinking it. It is the most bizarre thing I've ever seen, but it was viewed by passengers as 'normal' as she was just having a smoothie for breakfast.

Ok...extreme example, but hopefully you get the point I'm trying to make. Eat & drink as much or as little as you like on trains. The same can be said about public buses and the public transport. Taxis (being half public/private transport) can vary but usually the rules are no eating or drinking as they don't like mess to clean up, and would probably charge you if you do make mess.

Reply 13