Great Western Coffee Shop

 Any 4 days train travel in 8, plus 8 days bus including Traws Cambria X32 X40 X50 X94 AND T4.
Valid as far west as Fishguard as far east as Gloucesterincluding Lydney and Chepstow and has far north as Shrewsbury to include the HOW and the Marches line taking in Hereford Leominster and Ludlow.

Cost ^42 with a railcard. Cheaper than a walk up Bristol - Shrewsbury return via Newport (^45)

It is excellent value.  I bought one in the summer, but hadn't appreciated the validity on buses until I had paid for a return ticket on one.  >:(

Just to clear up one thing in your price comparison, you would need a ticket from Bristol to somewhere within the Rover area before continuing to Shrewsbury as Bristol is outside the area.

The only issue to warn about is that Arriva are closing the depot in Aberystwyth so what will happen to the Aberystwyth to Carmarthen/Cardiff service is still a mystery.

Anyway I have been thinking about buying such a ticket when I have the money and time to do so as It does offer some very good vallue

All these rover tickets are generally very good value, if you make multiple journeys in a short period of time.

E.g. the 3 in 7 Freedom of Severn & Solent costs ^45.00 whereas the cheapest Portsmouth to Cardiff return is ^50.50.  Of course there is a difference in validity periods, however if you want a weekend away or are taking day trip(s), then the rover is certainly much cheaper.

While on the subject of rovers - the Thames Rovers - 3 or 7 day versions - are particularly good value if you have a Network Card.  Indeed you almost pay for the card if you buy a 7 day one at a discounted rate.

There are many examples of the Rovers in the FGW area being cheaper than one point-to-point Off Peak (period) Return. Probably the case with other Rovers in other parts of Great Britain.

Which raises the issues around unbiased retailing. If someone pitches up at Swindon and asks for the cheapest fare to Penzance travelling out on the 0827, and returning after 0900 up to 7 days later; they'll no doubt be sold the Off Peak Return at ^86.00. However, the 3 in 7 Freedom of the South West Rover which covers those journey options, is only ^79.00.

I guess the majority of customers will ask for the cheapest return, in which case they will be sold that they've asked for.

That's why, thanks to knowledge gained on this forum, I have had a Freedom of the South West 8 in 15 continuously for the last four and a half months bar two weeks.  I haven't sat down to work out how much I have saved.  However it is not all about money - it means I can jump on or off almost any train in the area where I work which is very convenient.

Indeed. You get what you ask for.

So peeps. Ask for the cheapest flexible fare and see what happens. My guess, you'll still be sold the Off Peak Return.  ;)

X32 and X40 don't exist any more, and T4 is now TrawsCymru rather than TrawsCambria. I wonder if the ticket is accepted on the T2 (replacment for X32) and 40 (non-TrawsCambria replacement for X40). The through-ticketing arrangments which used to exist between X50 and X40 no longer exist between X50 and the new 40 route.

Thanks for that update. I have passed this information on to the Todays Railways Rover Ticket guide 2103 editor for amendment in the next issue.

Recently my brother and I met up at our parents' after travelling to Dorchester.He paid ^65.20 for an off peak return from Malvern Link. I paid ^69 for Severn & Solent rover 8/15 and spent the rest of the fortnight visiting everybody. I could have used it to Malvern Link, but I'd already seen him!

Unfortunately they may need to change it again come December, when I hope the 40 will become the TC1 as Arriva (who are responsible for removing the 'X' on the X40 and removing the route from the TrawsCambria network) are expected to give up running the service.