Do i Have to Change at Didcot?

eightf48544

Transport Scholar
Hero Member

Posts: 4574

Do i Have to Change at Didcot?

« on: October 14, 2013, 14:56:31 »

Coming back from Cardiff on the 18:30 Saturday 19th (advanced ticket) so seat reservation. I know it will be the old SWML^▸ so quite slow but the reservation is only to Didcot where iI should change for Taplow. Do I have to change at Didcot? Can I go to Reading where there is an off chance of getting the previous train to Taplow (2 minutes!!). Even if I miss it, it means I would catch the same train as from Didcot plus the chance of getting a pint in the Three Guineas.


	Logged

JayMac

Data Manager
Hero Member

Posts: 19245

Re: Do i Have to Change at Didcot?

« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2013, 19:23:08 »

I assume you have an Advance from Cardiff to Taplow with an itinerary that suggests a change onto a Thames Valley service at Didcot.

I don't see there being too much of an issue in staying aboard the HST^▸ as far as Reading and changing onto your unreserved local service there. Worth mentioning it to the Train Manager before Didcot just for peace of mind.

As your subsequent train is unreservable you are free to take an earlier/later service if you have to/want to. So you can make the 2 minute connection at Reading or have that pint in The Three Guineas


« Last Edit: October 14, 2013, 20:32:34 by bignosemac »	Logged

"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."

Southern Stag

Hero Member

Posts: 984

Re: Do i Have to Change at Didcot?

« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2013, 20:12:00 »

If you use the FGW^▸ booking engine to book your tickets, or any other 'mixing deck' based booking engine if you specify a journey avoiding one of the local stops between Didcot and Reading, such as Cholsey it will force a change at Reading. That won't work on Trainline based booking engines though.


	Logged

devon_metro

Hero Member

Posts: 5175

Re: Do i Have to Change at Didcot?

« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2013, 00:07:50 »

Quote from: Southern Stag on October 14, 2013, 20:12:00

Is there not a 'via' option on trainline based booking engines?


	Logged

eightf48544

Transport Scholar
Hero Member

Posts: 4574

Re: Do i Have to Change at Didcot?

« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2013, 08:10:49 »

Booked through Chiltern as being the least worse TOC^▸ . Didn't see the seat reservtion was only to Didcot.


	Logged

Southern Stag

Hero Member

Posts: 984

Re: Do i Have to Change at Didcot?

« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2013, 09:09:03 »

Quote from: devon_metro on October 15, 2013, 00:07:50

Quote from: Southern Stag on October 14, 2013, 20:12:00

Is there not a 'via' option on trainline based booking engines?

Yes, but trainline based booking engines take account of passing points whilst mixing deck ones don't. Specifying not via Cholsey on trainline booking engines will literally force you on a route avoiding Cholsey whereas mixing deck booking engines will just force you on a train which doesn't stop at Cholsey.


	Logged

Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

Pages: [1]

« previous next »