Great Western Coffee Shop

This post should actually be titled "the things we do for our kids"

My daughter and two friends will be going to see a 1 direction concert at wembley stadium on the above date. It is due to finish at 10:00 and we need get to get back to Reading

We do not want to drive and pay a fortune for parking so we are looking at using a group save to get from Reading to Paddington and then on via tube/overground to wembley.

Getting there isn't the problem it's getting back that worries me

Am I right in thinking we can travel back on a train that is after midnight (as long as it is before the service break) ?

Thanks

Travel after midnight will be fine as your ticket will be valid until 04:29.

But you do realise there is no all night service to Reading on Saturday nights/Sunday mornings?

The last direct train to Reading from Paddington is the 23:33. The 23:42, 00:30 and 01:00 all terminate at Twyford where it is a replacement bus to Reading. If you miss the 01:00 then your next train isn't until 07:29 on Sunday morning.

That ties up with what I saw on the NRE timetable last night - bus from Twyford after midnight. I think I'll pass on that!

Whose daft idea was this? I suppose I can only hope that Lost Direction split up before the 7th.

Maybe I should get my daughter adopted before the concert - then someone else can have the pleasure of delivering her to Wembley.

If you are going to Wembley then your best bet is National Express. They go to/from Wembley and promise the hold the coach at Wembley on the way back if the event overruns. More on the National Express site (http://www.nationalexpress.com/wherewego/events/wembley-stadium/one-direction.aspx).

A quick Google reveals One Direction are expected on stage at 20:00. The odds of their set lasting four hours are pretty slim, which is just as well because the last Bakerloo Line train leaves Wembley Central 00:02 for Paddington.

Are you accompanying the girls Bugsy?

If so, you have my sympathy.

Drive to High Wycombe and use Chiltern perhaps?

I think Wembley has a strict curfew policy  - a bit of Googling suggests that the curfew is at 23:00, the concert should finish by then. I'm tempted to head for one of the Metropolitan Line stations further out - along with everyone else that has the same idea.

No - we're not going to the concert with them, there are limits!

@bnm as wilf19 says we are not. Originally Mrs. BB was due to take two teenagers so when Mrs. Wilf19 suggested their teenager when instead of Mrs. BB. A deal was done- very quickly.

The last time I think I saw a concert in London the group was lead my a certain mr. Mercury

There's the finish time, folks.

A slightly longer walk to Wembley Central on the Bakerloo line will deliver you directly to Paddington well in time for the last direct to Reading - and possibly an earlier one.

The dreaded (1) d is almost upon us.

In order to reduce driving and parking costs I'm thinking of driving to Slough from Thatcham and catching the train into London from there. We will be arriving at Slough about 2pm and I am thinking of purchasing 2 children's and one adult travel cards which will need to cover the tube as far out as wembley

Can anyone tell me the cost of these tickets?

I know some suggested catching the met line but I don't know that part of the world in terms of car parks.

Thanks again everyone.

Wembley is in zone 4 I believe, so a one day travelcard would cover it

Thanks Chris - how can I find out the cost of these three tickets ? I can't locate the "travel card" option on the ticket engines

Dave

What comes up in the drop down list as you type 'london'?

If it's an all zones travelcard (I think that's the only day one now anyway), I believe "0035" as the destination will do it on WebTIS booking engines (e.g. FGW).

That shortcut does not seem to work now from the homepage, if you go straight to the mixing deck I think you'll be OK:
http://tickets.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/gw/en/JourneyPlanning/MixingDeck

Otherwise from the homepage it's:
London Zones 1-6

It's still worth considering parking at Wycombe and getting Chiltern to Wembley (as someone suggested earlier in this thread)...

Many thanks but part of my journey will now.be taking me into Central London

One Direction - Away from London:


Ok no. I can't listen to this song anymore... It is hurting my ears :(

Ticketwise for 2 Fangirls and 1 Poor Sod:

Travelcards work out more expensive than 3x Adult CDRs (Off Peak Day Returns) from Slough - Wembley Stadium

As long as the group remains together at all times. It's cheaper to do the Groupsave for 2 Fan Girls and 1 Poor Sod all as Adult Tickets. Children can travel on Adult Tickets but not the other way around for obvious reasons.

These tickets have the Maltese Cross so can be used on the Tube and Chiltern Services into London.

Total is ^24.15 (^8.05 Each)

Despite these being day returns, they can be used for late night return services even if this takes you into the next day mid journey. Say you start the return Journey at 23:52 and need to change in London. This is acceptable and allowed under the NRCoC :)

"....but part pf my journey will be taking me into Central London"

Hence the Travelcard suggestion

Ah I missed that. I think wires were crossed here :-X


If 1 Poor Sod is Mr BB who does not need to go to Wembley as the above implied; then Groupsave would not be valid and he'd be best purchasing 2x Child Travelcards and 1x Adult Travelcards at a total cost of ^26.00

(^13.00 Adult and 2x ^6.50 Children)

Groupsave offers a 20p saving on those anyway so it would be almost pointless.

Thanks to everyone who replied and offered advice,

Curiously I went down to Thatcham. Ticket office yesterday and explained my requirement to the FGW guy who gave me a price for 1 adult and 2 children from Sloygh to z1-6 of ^14.90 !

Not sure how he came to this figure but that will do nicely :)

Oh TT I've just seen this and nearly choaked on my morning cuppa !

I never had you down as a directioner :) will I get to see you at wembley tomorrow ?! I'll be the one exiting outside listening to pink Floyd on my mobile :)

And my daughter approves of your parody :)

Think it must be this:

FTC   -  OFF-PEAK FAM TC              GWR
00000 - +ANY PERMITTED   
Non-standard discounts apply
   1 Adult    @^    12.90  =  ^    12.90
   2 Children @^     1.00  =  ^     2.00
                              __________
                              ^    14.90

Standard Class Return

The "Family Travelcard" mentioned above does not appear to be available via any WebTIS sites (including FGW), nor does it appear to be mentioned on the FGW website at all as far as I can see.

A google search reveals this was mentioned on another forum back in Feb 2013, but due to it being presented as an option when no children were selected (i.e. an invalid ticket was offered). In correcting this I can only guess the baby was thrown out with the bathwater.

Chiltern mention their version of this ticket is only available via ticket offices (presumably due to the above).

However, I was able to successfully see it offered via a trainline powered website (SWT) from Slough and Aylesbury (to test Chiltern's assertion).

... and ATOC still maintain that their ticketing system is clear, easy to understand and 'fit for purpose'.   ::) :o >:(

According to FGW ticket office man (who was very helpful) it is possible to buy these from the TVM but it's not simple.

Me?? A Directioner??

(https://fbcdn-dragon-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t39.1997-6/p128x128/851557_641023289246616_2071860656_n.png)

The only directions I give are to switch it off and switch it back on again... If it doesn't work, try something else! ;D


Awesome! The devils child object (My sister) did not approve however :D

(I lifted the lyrics from a website and altered them in case anyone thinks I'm a closet boy band fan... NO I was only trying to improve the already worst song evaar!)

Just to wrap this up my total travel costs for the 1D concert were indeed ^14.90 for the tickets and ^4.10 for parking at Slough. I'm pleased with thus !

From reports of other people it would have been a lot quicker to catch the Met line from North of a Wembley than to go back to Paddington but it worked for us. Having the travel card allowed me the flexibility of going into Central London whilst the kids were screaming their heads off.

Thanks to everyone for they input into this.