Great Western Coffee Shop

Hi all, I'm hoping someone can give advice please...

I'm off to Cardiff to watch the rugby on the 4th Feb (Friday night) and after our accomodation for the night fell through, we are now looking at traveling back to Swindon by train after the game.

Does anyone have any experience of catching the train on a rugby day?  Is it to be avoided like the plague, or is it well organised and as long as we give ourselves plenty of time there should be no problem? 

I was thinking of the 23.15 off Cardiff, but being the last train, fear complete chaos.

Any thoughts?   War Stories?  Good news stories?

Thanks in advance

Things are slightly "organised" at Cardiff however I would not reccomend travelling by train if you are unable/unwilling to cope with overcrowding amongst a large number of drunken fans. I have been unluicky enough to have been caught a few times and the crush can be hard on some people however if you can cope with this it is fine. Get there early-ish though as they let people on on a first come first serve basis it seems and if teh train is full they will refuse entry to platform for any more people.

Boarding controls are in operation during such events. I don't even think reservations will let you bypass the queue. No ticket will Defo put you out the queue.

Reservations weren't made available anyway.

Thanks all for your responses.  I think we will give it a whirl and hope for the best.  We'll aim to head straight for the station at the end of the game (no post match supping) and see how it goes.  I'll report back on my experiences.

Out of interest with regards to tickets, do FGW restrict the number of tickets that can be bought, or do they just keep selling them with potentially 10,000 odd people trying to get on to trains?

They don't restrict the number of turn up and go tickets (anytime and off peaks) sold. 

Be warned i have heard that some staff are loking at going on strike on that day

Turns out some ATW staff are going on strike according to BBC news so expect these trains to be even busier so straight to station after game is a must if this happens as there will be thousands trying to get back to Newport

Newport bus will be busy then with all the fans

Yup.  RMT drivers will be on stop.  Again.  if the last one is anything to go by, that means no Valleys Line trains at all.

Yep, very few Valley services on an important day! Do the RMT wish for the public to use trains?
I can think of easier ways to commit suicide!!!

PS I'll be in work, but away from Cardiff.

Also on the news tonight, no more Friday night 6 Nations games for the forseeable future.

I have to say that I am glad about that. Much prefer to watch the games on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Thanks again everyone for your help and the heads-up about the strike.  Rather than risk not getting a train after the game and being stuck wondering the streets of Cardiff all night, we have decided to impose ourselves on a friend for the night and will head back in the morning. 

Annoyingly, I'd already bought our Friday night return tickets, but there we go...

Look out for me on tele (I'll be the one wearing a Red or White jersey)

If you make a genuine attempt to you the tickets on Friday, but decide not to travel due to overcrowding, I'd assume that the tickets would be valid teh following morning.

Not if a day return.

Thanks, but alas the tickets are off-peak day returns.  Although only ^17.50 each, that is at least a few pints before the match down the drain (or one whilst in the ground)

Thanks again, great suggestion