Thetownend.com

Going to go from Bicester North direct into Wembley Stadium station (sadly 1 change on a Sunday), got ticket prices from Chiltern Railways and from the Trainline, National Rail enquiries indicate that with six of us travelling together we could get a group saver discount, how do I go about getting this as both the Trainline and Chiltern Railways do not mention it, but NRE claim I will save almost £50, but couldn't sell me tickets!!  Those of you who travel regularly by rail may well have the answer for me, I hope!! :hmmm:

You need to add the Group Saver as a Railcard.

From Crewkerne to Waterloo I have booked my ticket and it only cost me £23 not bad at all. Yes still have to get accross London but I am pretty pleased considering thats pretty much 150 miles each way.

Swindon to Paddington with a travelcard is £18.20 each if bought as a Group Saver and split at Didcot.

You can use the First Great Westerns website to book the tickets. Like said before you just add the GroupSave as a railcard. Best to add GroupSave 3 twice so then you cover all six people. Although if you had 8 people going the total cost would be the same.

I'll be going via this route as well as i live in Bicester.

Getting down from the north west on a Sunday is going to be an expensive nightmare, unless I push the boat out for an overnighter!

Train->Chesterfield, supporters coach to Wembley. Simple.

Thanks Sam, that worked!!

Cheers, I live in Swindon!!  Always find this is the best way to get to Wembley, no hassle, straight there, although there will be one change on the way there (Princes Risborough).

If you go to london get a return to didcot & then a 1 day travel pass then the cost goes down & the travel allows unlimited travel on the train tube & bus in London. A group 4 makes it £17.75 each

And make sure the train you get on actually stops at Didcot!

Apart from the trains getting wrecked :) why isn't there specials laid on anymore. A special from Swindon would be ideal and I'm sure would be booked up quickly.?

Any recommendations on good places to park on the outskirts and then jump on the tube?

By the Ace cafe has street parking nearby. You're then 2 tube stops from Wembley

Depends how outskirts you are talking. Last time we parked at Hillingdon and got the Metropoliton line to Wembley Park (10 stations).

Dont mind if it a reasonable distance away, parked at Richmond a few years back but any tried and tested route will do.

It worked well for us. Got there fairly early. Parked up and a decent pub nearby. Lots of other Town fans did the same.

Yeah nice and easy and no changes on the return journey so that's a bonus.

Will be going to Wembley via train as I do with all London trips...the group saver is the best deal if you have a group of 4 and they do one for 3 people as well which costs a bit extra!

Can't wait for this...C.O.Y.R!!!

Am I right in thinking the Off Peak Return prices stay the same even if you purchase on the day?

Yep

Cheers. Means I don't have to rush to get them sorted now.

Re parking on the outskirts, I live in Croxley (20 mins from Wembley on the Met line). Plenty of little stations around there to park. Rickmansworth, Croxley, Harrow, Northwood etc

Sod driving. All day piss up on the train is the way to go.  :pint:

Despite living 20 mins from Wembley on the tube, I'm going to head to Paddington for 9ish and get on it in the Bishop whilst watching the Red Army role into town!

Are you sure? The Bishop opens at 10am on a Sunday... ;)

Yep, booked the 26th off work today

Be aware on the Group Savers First Great Western have a habit of taking them off sale. They did for our last visit to Wembley. I know they are not available on Saturday 25th February to London (England playing Wales at Rugby).

To make sure I've got my Group 4 train tickets today from Gloucester

As for extra trains or football specials, they stopped running those years ago so can't see it happening

Ah look, the glory hunter returns.

I though he'd be STFC gazzzzzzzzzzzza by now

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/groupsave_calendar.html

Looks ok at the moment. What if they add a restriction after you purchase tickets?

What time are folk looking to get into London by?

Not sure what you mean by Glory Hunter Haven't Missed a Game Home or away for 8 years (if my boss hadn't sent me to the states would have been longer.

Anyway yes it's not in the calendar yet but they could add it. I know someone who got one for the Millwall game the day after we won through; I went to the station 2 days later and they'd put a stop on them.

Hence I've booked early

What do you mean by this?  :hmmm:

Don't forget you get a 10% discount with your STFC season ticket from certain stations around Swindon.

When i went to wembley with my father in law we drove to Hillingdon and got the tube from there. you could also get the bus to oxford and then get the OxfordTube bus to london, I think it stops at hillingdon.

Quote from: jutty274 on Today at 14:31:41
If you go to london get a return to didcot & then a 1 day travel pass then the cost goes down & the travel allows unlimited travel on the train tube & bus in London. A group 4 makes it £17.75 each


Buy a return from Swindon to Didcot.
Also buy a 1 day travel pass. This gets you from Didcot to London, and allows unlimited travel on the trains, the tube, and buses in London.
If 4 of you buy together, you get a special rate, which works out at £17.75 per person

Hope that helps?

Beautiful. The only bit I'm confused about is how a travel pass allows transport from Didcot to London? I thought the day passes were only within London? Thanks

I spoke to FGW customer services who basically said once a ticket is issued it's valid. So if they later decide to not allow Group Savers on that day the original tickets should remain valid.

I'd like to see them try to chuck hundreds of people off the train or try and charge them all penalty fares anyway.

Not sure i understand where to get a travel pass from? First great western ? or who?

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/travelcards_oyster.html

When you buy a ticket to London, you can add the travelcard element to the ticket. Saves you buying once in London

Just got my tickets and in the space of 20 mins they went up £14 (standard fare for 2 people).

Booked my train tickets from Cheltenham this morning.
First train doesn't arrive at Paddington until 12:10, so what with the 2pm kick-off there won't be a lot of pub time available!

Our train arrives paddington 10.10, tickets are £79 now on standard, at 8pm they were £48

Have you bought advance singles? Off Peak Returns are the same price as when I checked earlier today.

Yes, there's only 2 of us and I couldn't find anything cheaper. So don't tell me if there is... :)

Off peak returns are generally a little more expensive than two singles but you're not tied down to specific times.

The outward is ok but the one back was a bit of a gamble but if we are too early then I'll see if we can get another train. I don't know if you can do that, my knowledge of trains is pretty poor.

How do you get to Bicester though?!

There were Football Specials on the way home after the play off finals. Best avoided, they confiscate booze!

Good idea to go get a set of group savers early.

Talking of trains, does anyone know the train route from Swindon to Hereford for the game in a couple of weeks. was hoping to meet up with some mates but wanted to get on more towards Bath. I know one goes through Bath, Bristol then change at Newport for Hereford but don't know if it comes through Swindon first?

nationalrail.co.uk

Thanks Si,  :-[ now know the train leaves from Portsmouth so doesn't go anywhere near Swindon.

Adver reporting that Group Save discount tickets are now suspended for 25th March - what a shower of shit we have running our railways.

Coach,its Coach!

Glad I bought mine yesterday!

I assume they'll be applying the same restrictions on the line(s) into London from the North too, so that Chesterfield fans suffer the same price hikes?

Doubt it, I have just booked my tickets Bicester North to Wembley Stadium, comes out at £14 each on a Group Saver ticket.  Got to drive to Bicester but the others coming with me live north of Bicester anyway so it makes sense.

My mate has got got some rooms at travelodge wembly the night before. Pm me and I can put you in touch.

Just looked on the First Great western Website, they've stopped them from Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Chippenham, Kemble and Stroud. Knew they would, they can make more money by making fans pay full price.

Bicester probably not affected as they probably don't realise Swindon fans might come from that direction

That looks to be about right Gazza if you go Swindon - Bicester North - Wembley, looking at network rail online they are operating groupsavers at the moment,I doubt that will last long tho.

I reckon Swindon>Maidenhead>Paddington looks a good bet.

EDIT: Though just looked at the times and cost and it shoots down my theory

What a bunch of cunts. How much is a group saver from Gloucester or Cheltenham per person? You could just get on at Swindon anyway as you would have to change there if you were coming from one of the above.

That's travelling short and it's not allowed. If caught you will be made to pay a penalty fare.

Oh right cheers Sam didn't realise that.

What is the best tube station? Wembley central is on the bakerloo direct from Paddington or Wembley Park is on the Metropolitan with a change at Baker Street.

Had a look on the trainline website, they've put a block on sales from Gloucester as well.

The annoying thing is they advertise Wembley as a Public Transport venue, then when there's an event on remove discount tickets from sale and come up with the excuse that it's due to overcrowding.

got nothing to do with overcrowding everything to do with cashing in

If you are taking kids get a friends and family railcard as you save money. Or do what i do and say you have a card when you book and save money ;)

Wembley Park everytime, although I would consider the Chiltern Railways service from Marlebone direct to Wembley Stadium.  It is a bit more convenient and well organised after the game.

Totally agree and it's out of order really. I wonder if they'll do the same when the Olympics are on.

Cheers, I've always driven but this time I fancy a drink  :pint: :pint: :pint:

One thing to watch out for those travelling on London Transport, some lines are occasionally shut for the whole weekend for engineering works, don't know whether anybody will be affected by this if LT decide to do major works on the lines.

It's no different from holiday companies charging extra during school holidays though is it ?

True but then again I expect that annoys parents, but train fares are more expensive at Peak times (before 9am weekdays) but passengers are aware of this in advance.

This is moving the goalposts due to a one off event; one minute they advertise a cheap fare, next minute it's gone.

Agree with Gazza on this one, be interesting to hear Bart's opinion!!  He does have an opinion I believe.  Incidentally, I notice there is already a block on cheap tickets from the Bristol area to Swindon when the Slave Traders come to Town.

 
You can actually do that with a normal anytime or off peak ticket including if they are in a group save. It's only a problem stopping short or starting short if it's an advanced ticket. 

The metropolitan line is shut through Wembley park that weekend but you can still use the Jubilee line to get there.

Anyone know of any coaches going from Chippenham ?

 Where did you get this info from according to the London Uderground official site they have no work planned on the Metropoltan line on the 25th march. I am planning to use this line from liverpool street

Very true! I was looking at the wrong date, sorry!

Megabus Outwards. Leaves at 9am Sainsburys Stratton and arrives at Victoria 11.
Megabus Returning. Leaves London Victoria at 8pm and returns back to Sainsburys at 10.
Quite a few of us on this. Only a fiver each way. Cheap as chips in light of FGW.

to the people that went from Hillindon, did you park at the underground or somewhere else?

I have done some checking on the Trainline website for you folks traveling from swindon Off peak return from Swindon to Paddington £41.50 However if you buy  off peak return from swindon to Didcot parkway its £9.00 then Didcot to Paddington is £22.50 making a total of £31.50 return, also from Didcot you can purchase an off peak return to paddington plus an off peak day london travelcard( valid on train,bus or underground) from Didcot for £26,50 ,so you so you can get from Swindon to Wembleyfor £35.50 return. Just make sure the train you use stops at didcot both ways

I knew those thieving bastards at FGW would hike up the ticket prices as soon as people started to book after we confirmed out place at Wembley. Car, Uxbridge town centre and walk through to the tube station straight on to Wembley Park with no changes. After the last trip to Wembley we were home just after 7pm.

Good job ill go from banbury then

I like train trips on footy days,but why anyone would go by train to this one seeing as the prices are shit,it is going to be rammed and police everywhere is beyond me.
Not into the coach trips on the whole but for this one it will be.

Got my train tickets through the post this morning £30 B'mth-Waterloo

your 2 extra seats have been sorted next to the toilet :wink:

I only ever travel to away games by train nowadays. I like it as I can do it how I want to. With coaches you have to go when and where is decided for you.

Just check there's no engineering works on the day Tans.  Bicester North through to Banbury has been served by buses for the past few weekends!

Good point ronnie, ill have a look

Mine too. £18 each with a group saver 8)

And because I'm me and I worry unnecessarily, I spoke to a nice lady at FGW HQ who confirmed my group saver will be valid on the day and I won't get turfed off the train.

Is that with tube paid too? good price even if it aint to be honest

That's with a travelcard, so overground or underground services in London.

I can't rustle up a group from here. Anyone got any idea how much a one day tube card costs?

Its a fiver for adults with kids free

That's a bargain, thanks arriba

It's £7.70 for zone 1-4 and wembley is zone 4.

My tickets arrived today, £14-10 each Bicester to Wembley Stadium.  Just a thought for people living south of Swindon, any thought of train from Bedwyn or Pewsey?

Weekends are a fiver unlimited travel. Think it's different on weekdays. Unless Boris has now scrapped it?

It hasn't been a fiver for a couple of years arriba. Goes up every January.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx

When added to a train ticket it's a fiver with kids free. Been to london a fair bit in the last 2 years and it was that

He's already got his train ticket though :)

hahaha
I expect you were right anyway.

Booked the train 3 days ago 08:26 going and 21:03 return for £27.50 (price this morning £38.00)

Don't think £7.70 is too bad either. Think I might get off at a few stops on the way and find a boozer

Waterloo-Jubilee Line-Wembley Park

Train into Waterloo, a few beers in The Firestation bar a few yards from Waterloo, Jubilee line into Wembley Park, walk up Wembley Way, thats the plan for me.  Did this before the play off final, sadly the pub was full of Millwall fans, dont think that will be a problem this time though.

Piece of piss for me

East Croydon > Victoria > Paddington > Loads of Beer in surrounding area > Baker Street > Wembley Park

Can anyone recommend some decent pubs on my route? Which stations etc?

Just head for Wembley and join the masses. Take your pick of pubs as they'll all be rammed

I have two spare group saver tickets for sale. £20.50 each, preferably sold as a pair.

Leaving Swindon on the 9.01am to Paddington, open return.

Service is excellent in Wembley stadium  :pint: :pint: :pint:

We have got the Green Man again havent we

And expensive...

Group savers are meant to travel together. Don't think you'll have a problem due to the trains being rammed but get a picky jobsworth conductor and you could be in trouble if not travelling together.

Exactly the reason why I want to stop at a few on route arriba, I'll be on my jack anyhow

Load up with cans en route then mingle in the pubs near the stadium. Was better than the football itself last time

If it's open return you don't have to leave at a set time do you?

Perhaps they're leaving at 9:01 and would need everyone to travel together

Ah right yeah, read that wrong.

But the beer is shit.

The lager tasted fine to me.  It was far better service than any of the surroubding (packed) boozers

I will have them if they are still going.

Sold!

Fantastic, PM sent.

Horrible taste from some of the taps. Like the stuff had been in the pipes for days and not cleaned out after use, in a word gopping and overpriced. I'll a few sherberts in Uxbridge and get the tube a little nearer the time.

Tasted fine to me.  I even sneaked another drink at 3.55pm.  Price was only just more than the pubs next door, so I was happy.

Have a good time in Unxbridge.

Tans, there's no service today between Leamington Spa and Bicester North.  All trains starting/finish at Bicester, keep your eye on it mate.

If anyone else has spare train tickets, let me know and I will have them too. I loves a bargain

Won't be a bargain if the inspector asks where the rest of your group are. Might be very costly.

I'm sure it won't be a problem to meet up at Swindon station and jump on the same carriage. I'm always up for a beer and a chin wag

Unless i've worked it out wrong, it's possible to group saver four for £26.35 each. Swindon-Didcot, Didcot-Reading, Reading-Ealing Broadway (with travelcard).

Still more expensive than it was originally, but just a shout for people still looking to train it

Got Megabus tickets sorted today £10 return.  Going to go down on Saturday and make a weekend of it  :pint: :pint: :pint:

From the discription on the NR website, you won't be able to get group saver discounts for the first two stages on your journey as it says :

All services from Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Chippenham, Kemble and Stroud arriving London Paddington and Travelcard area before 14:00.

Even though you're not going into Paddington...the train still is !!

Just got my train tickets, worked out at £18.20 each. You need to ask to go via Oxford. Although the Oxford to Paddington train runs through Didcot so you change at Didcot and get on the Oxford-Paddington train. They are group saver open ended tickets and include underground.

That's the slow one presumably that stops everywhere? Takes ages...

Just had a look myself on the Train Line Website (www.thetrainline.com)

Swindon - Didcot (4 people) - £39.60 (£9.90 each Off Peak Day Return, not Groupsave)
Didcot - Reading (4 people) - £22.40 (£5.60 each Off Peak Day Return, not Groupsave)
Reading - London with Travelcard - £43.40 (£10.85 each Off Peak Day Travelcard Groupsave)

The first two tickets are not Group Saver but the last from Reading with a travelcard is; and yes it's £26.35 each.

No reason why you can't do this just make sure the trains stop at Didcot and Reading (not a problem for the latter)

Leave Swindon at 8.26, arrive at Paddington at 10am. Extra 30 mins, but happy to sit on a train with a tinny or 2 then in the pub at Wembley before 11am. Will suit me fine.

Thats a good idea. You wont even need to change at Didcot if a ticket inspector doesnt check your ticket between Swindon and Didcot.

Fair enough, they've hurried it up a bit then, used to take nearly 40 mins extra just from Didcot to Paddington on its own

I see our two wonderful mp's have been on the case regarding First Great Western - and seems like they got told to mind their own business - or just plain old fuck off!!  Now they are asking us to write or e-mail to FGW asking for a rethink!!!  Perhaps said mp's would like to raise the matter in parliament with the Transport Secretary.

Link?

Reported in Adver tonight!

What about The Star?

For all the stick people use to give British Rail one thing is certain, in such instances they would be proactive.

Run a few extra services, increase capacity on existing trains, maybe run a football special; unfortunately these days ae long gone.

FGW like most of the companies just look for excuses not to do anything; and generally what they come up with is bullsh*t.

I recall a year or two coming back from football on the train from Swindon; my service had been replaced by a bus. I wrote to FGW to complain as my Service was advertised as a train; I had a pretty good idea what the problem was (my father use to work on the railway).

First response was to apologise about the conduct of the Bus Driver (had no problem with him that was not my complaint)

Second response blamed Engineering work (The engineering work that day was between Didcot and Reading, the train I was catching was shutting between Didcot and Cheltenham so was unaffected by Engineering work)

Third response admitted the train had broken down. Finally got the truth, knew this was the most likey scenario as when the coach arrived at Kemble there was a train in the station heading to Swindon.

I've just sent a complaint in via email as don't fancy getting a coach but don't wanna pay over the odds...would love it if town fans boycotted those money grabbing c@nts

Sounds like FGW have to earn as much as they can from train tickets to afford to pay the admin staff to reply to pointless fucking emails/letters from the likes of Jimbob and Gazza.

The train drivers dont want to do the overtime on a sunday.

The local MP's would be better off trying to get a special to run from Swindon.

Apparently our Club are meeting today with FGW to discuss having a special put on for the 25th.

Is it a singing train and can we all stand up?

I wrote to Nick Watkins about this, carriages B and C are for the vocal element of support....

on a serioujs note...hope it starts from chip..(or bath for bogus dave)

Carriage A is the quiet coach for the day trippers and Arkells regulars.

After the Play off final the Football Special services went to Swindon then Chippenham. So there is a good chance.

This train will be run by the salvation army, in other words, dry or teetotal if it gets legs.

They'll be singing "we are the salvation army" all the way there.

:D

Except in Coach A in standard, and Coach F in 1st class, where it is kindly requested that all noise, support and optimism are kept to a minimum.

Having seats on a special would probably be the best it gets, they may even throw in a carriage with a toilet !

Just researching now for tickets. Have found 4 from Banbury to Bicester (0905) (via bus) and then from Bicester to Princes Risborough, then to Wembley arriving at 1126. Return from Wembley to Banbury direct at 1744.

A groupsaver for 4 is £11 quid each.

My question is, do i have a seat reserved on the bus? or is it still a free for all to get a seat.

You won't have a seat reserved but you won't have a problem getting a seat. They'll have plenty of buses running and  always have extra buses on stand by in case there is a sudden increase in passengers.

I met some lads that bought a group saver ticket from Swindon to wembley on Friday afternoon. It's worth checking.

That is the same train we are on - both ways - Tans, see you there!!!

I aint booked em yet

I'm planning to drive the family as far as Kensington and use the free all day parking by the museums, then hop on the underground to Wembley. Can anyone point me in the right direction which station is best to get off and the best route from Kensington Station? Also does anyone know if we have been allocated pubs again? Quite enjoyed The Green Man last time.

There's a number of ways you could go, depending where you start. From South Kensington station I'd probably go for Picadilly Line to Green Park, Jubilee Line to Baker Street, then Metropolitan Line to Wembley Park.

From High Street Kensington it's a bit more complicated, especially if you want to avoid Paddington with all those 'orrible football fans! Maybe change to Central at Notting Hill Gate, then to Jubilee at Bond Street, and get on the Metropolitan Line at Baker Street.

Alternatively, you could just park somewhere further north in central for free and make the journey easier. Single yellow lines in Westminster are free all day on a Sunday, you just have to find somewhere to park.

Heard on Wilts radio earlier that the club has arranged with FGW to put on five extra trains from Swindon to Paddington. Would of thought the advertiser would of had something on their site about it by now though, anyone else hear this ?

It's in today's paper...

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/9547700.Extra_trains_laid_on_for_Wembley_trip/

Unless I'm very much mistaken, you mean the Jubilee and not the Met.

Cheers for that, I thought I heard them mention it on the radio but wasn't sure.

Three trains up to Paddington but only two back!!  And no special deals on the fares either - crap way to run a railway!!

Supply and demand. If it was too expensive use alternative transport and they would soon have to lower their prices.

so what's the best deal people have got for trains, looking to book 4 train tickets tomorrow...any ideas? (the normal saver route I use has been taken off!)

You can take the Jubilee line, but it goes the same way and stops 300 times more.

Battersea -  Queenstown road to Wembley? QTR overground to Waterloo and then Jubilee to Wembley Park? Any London people care to tell me how long that would take?

Gor blimey guvnor that'll take ya facing ages.....

Can anybody remember the special trains from the 70's and 80's? Those carriages with compartments for 8 people with sliding doors out of a Noel Coward film, 28mph maximum speed, pissing out the windows, bunking off work for the day, old bill at every station (Wrexham), losing your entrance money playing cards with some fuckin card sharks, proper smoking carriages (when hash was from Lebanon or Morroco not some brain curdling skunk), Heysel style herding when arriving at destination (Swansea, Reading,Aldershot), bricks through the windows on the way back (Portsmouth), train not even good enough for FGW after the wrecking spree had ensued on the return.....aaaah those were the days!!!!!

45mins to an hour

The TfL Journey Planner (http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk) is what you need.  Suggests a few alternative routes as well, but your route via Waterloo sounds the simplest.

I have been trying to get a cheaper deal on the train (3 of us going from Chip'nam station to Padders - 2 adults 1 concession) and the cheapest I can get is £116 return. When I went to the Wall game in 2010 I got four adult tickets for about £88.  ??? Am I using the Trainline website incorrectly?  :D

Cheers Reeves, Ardiles. I am planning on meeting my dad at Waterloo so that's probably the best idea then.

Yes,they are just greedy bastards.....get a coach with us and it will take you to the Stadium(Green Man) for half the price.

Seriously though i do not think you will get it much cheaper with the underground as well.

Think I'll drive leef  :(. Not too bothered about having a drink, I'll park in the West End (hopefully for free) and tube it - I drove right up to Wembley in 1990, and hated the traffic flow.

I got 2 tickets from Chippenham to London & it worked out about £38-40 each ticket. Make sure when you book you get a rtn to Didcot then get an off peak london travel pass, that is the cheapest way of doing it. FGW have stopped all of the group savers for that day. Beware that befor 9.50am all travel from Chippenham is by the bus.

http://www.ncp.co.uk/london.htm

Well being a Sunday you may well find a place a bit easier.
If not maybe worth thinking of a car park........and hopefully a bit cheaper also because of being a Sunday.

If you buy a Network Railcard at Didcot (£28) you can also get another 1/3 rd off the travelcard price and that includes yourself and three other adults.

http://www.railcard.co.uk/network

The only other problem is you have to apply in person at Didcot station to get the Railcard but you can do it all on the same day of travel.

It's unusual for you to be posting during the day mate, have you pulled a sickie?

Nah! I'm having a sly one on the companies computer while nobodys looking.

Same as mate, theres only 2 of us in today so i'm on lunch( started at 12 might go back about 2 )

Theres a fair few of us travelling into Waterloo meeting up for a beer either before or after the game I know our train gets in at 10.15 and STFCinBmth is arriving around the same time too.

Got a good deal for 2 of us travelling up from Yeovil on the train it only set us back £37 for the pair.

Getting the 8.10 from Basingstoke gets in to Waterloo at 9.09

Why are you getting such a late train? 2 o'clock kick off and all that..

Because its the first train from Yeovil to Waterloo, it leaves at 7.30 and I think 3 and a half hours to get accross London is ample IMO.

Well that told me

:D

I would have left earlier if it was possible, had the chance of a train from Taunton to Paddington (the first train of the day) but that didn't get into Paddington until 11.45! and they wanted £80 for the pleasure as well, so no other option TBH.

I'm coming in to Waterloo as well.  But being my wedding anniversary - and having my wife with me - will almost certainly mean we get a later train.

I've got Mrs B with me and I am "hosting" in one of the boxes. Means I can't get pissed and shouty.

Looking to get into Waterloo at 10.49 or Victoria at 11 - I have the joy of going either way   ;)

Does Mrs B know you go either way? :D

i'm leaving Swindon on the 8:30.

Which is scarily early for me!

I think 50% of all those going by train are leaving on that one. I am and everyone I've spoken to is doing the same.
Get there early for breakfast then in the pubs.

Has anyone recently purchased their tickets yet for the train and got a return to didcot and a
Southeast railcard usually cost around £19 if you get it in a group of four? I just wonder because this is what I have got on the last few London trips and am hoping to pop to the station tomorrow and get these?

its my little secret    :-*

It will feel even earlier as the clocks go forward by an hour that morning

I'll be rolling out of bed whenever I feel like it, then catching the tube 3 stops to Wembley and finding a pub.

It's a hard life.

...

Similar...

That's the one. St. John's Wood is literally minutes from Wembley...

I'm going on the train.

Thought I'd share that.

Excellent news!

You going from Boremuff mate?

The travel pass will cost you £26.50 no matter how many of you are going as they have stopped group savers.

Chuffed.

I'm stoked

Just don't go off the rails the night before

and get a good nights sleeper

Nah, I'm in a Group saver from Swindon with my lad, Sam and Fred.

09:29 train for me, after brekkie in town

 :pizza: :harshfunny: :harshfunny: :harshfunny: :harshfunny: :wotjump: :wotjump: COYR :harshfunny: :harshfunny: :harshfunny:  :insane:

8.26 for me.

Liquid brekkie on the train.

In the Mad Bishop for opening time and a proper brekkie.

See you all in the Bishop

8.30am train from Swindon (earliest one going) get up JJ Moons for 10.30ish, Green Man for 12...Happy Days! :pint:

9.01 train for me...

Snap! Gotta work out the underground route yet though.

It's not hard.  Trust me.

Bakerloo line from paddington direct to Wembley central

Paddington
Warwick Avenue
Maida Vale
Kilburn Park
Queen's Park
Kensal Green
Willesden Junction
Harlesden
Stonebridge Park
Wembley Central

I'm sure there will be someone about who you could follow!  ;)

Oh, I thought I had to get to Wembley Park. Easy then, cheers.

I'm wandering over to Marylebone and getting the overground to Wembley Stadium.  Nice n'easy  :)

Wembley Park is quicker to get to on the tube on the Met line if you wanted to walk Wembley Way straight off the tube, but Wembley on the Bakerloo gets you along the high street where the main pubs are...not that it matters as you'd walk the distance from Wembley park-Wembley high street in the time you'd save on the Met line, so take your pick.

8.30am car for me  :)

I went to the England v Saudi Arabia game just before France '98 and we parked our mini bus in a pub near to Harlesden tube station. Only 2 stops.

Anyone going on the Birmingham-Wembley Stadium Train? Im getting on at Bicester, not decided what time to get there yet?

Beer for breakfast.

Im on that, have to get a bus from banbury to bicester then straight to wembley.

Leaves banbury at 9

Just looked on the underground and the Bakerloo Line is down a stop before Wembley so its a bus from Stonebridge Park

Can any of you regular Tube travellers let me know if the London Travelcard zone 1-4 covers trains out of Marylebone to Wembley Stadium?

I know the distance is in zone 4 but I am sure I read somewhere that Chiltern trains don't allow you to use London travelcards on their services and you have to pay a penalty fare.

short distance to walk.

 For journeys wholly within the London Fare Zones area, Off Peak Day Travelcards can be used from 0930 on Mondays to Fridays and at any time on Saturdays and Sundays. A GroupSave Travelcard allows groups of 3 or 4 to travel for the price of 2!

http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/tickets-and-times/travelcards

Sounds good to me, cheers :)

Same here.

Just looked on Google maps just half a mile up

09.15 National Express from Derby to London Victoria on the Saturday for me... Boozy weekend! Hotel 2 stops from the stadium. Head to Wembley nice and early on the Sunday, greasy brekkie to shift the hangover, then get to work on the next one! Good times!

On the national express there's a jolly hostess
Selling crisps and tea
She'll provide you with drinks and theatrical winks
For a sky-high fee
Mini-skirts were in style when she danced down the aisle
Back in '63 (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
But it's hard to get by when your arse is the size
Of a small country

He Speaketh the truth.........even with the option to go upto oxford to gloat if you want it  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:
I am not sure I can be bothered switching trains though.........doubt any ticket inspectors will be able to squeeze through anyway tbh.  Even if they do I doubt they could do anything as assuming your not on the first train of the day it is quite legitimate to pick any train on the route.  Therefore anything going didcot - padders should be fair game.

I suspect they are just going to shove anyone and everyone onto the first train available at swindon anyway as I suspect the platforms are going to be so packed they will be worried about health and safety.  Just hope they don't push me on a train to Swansea :badmood:

why can't I find this train?

905 from banbury sonique.

Stops at leamington before banbhry

Replacement bus from Banbury to Bicester.

I'm catching it at Wycombe - if I can remember how to drive on a proper road !

I think this is also my plan.

Any one know of decent bars in Marlybone I'll be able to get some grub and a decent beer at 11 ish?

Likewise - used this method for the Playoff final. Seemed to work pretty seemlessly. Ticket was only on £6 return and takes about 25mins to go straight into Wembley Stadium station.

shit. might have to get this.

8.30 from Manchester Picadilly to Euston for me. Few beers in Laaandaan Town, then quick bus to Marylebone and the train that I was on last time with me, my dad and about 500 Millwall fans. Twas nice.

Could be wrong, but my best guess is that most Chesterfield fans will be arriving at St Pancras and then taking an overground train to Wembley Central from Euston...so will be less likely to use the Marylebone to Wembley Stadium route.  For that reason, I think I'll go via Marylebone as well.  Also means missing Paddington to Wembley Central on the Bakerloo line which will be rammed with our own fans.

I was thinking the same, either Marylebone or Waterloo around 10.30ish for me, a beer and a brekky would be nice.

I know the area around Waterloo fairly well, but cannot immediately think of anywhere that would be good for breakfast...unless you want to walk down to The Cut.  I'm not sure what time places down there would open on a Sunday, though.  I'd be more inclined to head for Marylebone myself.  Businesses up there will know there's a game on at Wembley generating lots of passing trade.

Marylebone it is then methinks, cheers Ardiles.

From looking at the TFL site it appears the Bakerloo line is shut for work this weekend, and the part of it which that includes covers Wembley Central...that's if i read it right of course. So anyone planning on tubing on that line i would suggest checking that out in case i've got it wrong, or right...

I'll be coming from St Pancras, and i hope Ardiles is right and that their fans go via Euston so the tube isn't rammed, although after sharing a crammed tube full of Millwall fans last time, sharing with Chesterfield fans really doesn't bother me....

That's a bit of a bastard as I wanted to go to Wembley central.

Edit... Trains terminate at Stonebridge park which is one stop away and a short walk. No problem unless you are unable to walk of course

National Rail suggests the quickest route from Chesterfield on the train is via Birmingham New Street which goes straight into Wembley.

Bakerloo line is indeed shut this weekend between Stonebridge Park and Harrow & Wealdstone covering Wembley Central.

I have just taken a look at the TfL Journey Planner (http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en), sticking my own travel details in to see whether there was a stand out recommended route for those arriving in London at Waterloo.  And the following message popped up:

TRAVELLING TO SEE SWINDON TOWN FC VS CHESTERFIELD FC AT WEMBLEY STADIUM ON SUNDAY 25 MARCH?

Engineering work is taking place on the Bakerloo line between Stonebridge Park and Harrow & Wealdstone, and on the London Overground network between Euston and Watford Junction. Swindon Town FC supporters arriving at Paddington travelling to the match at Wembley Stadium are advised to use eastbound Bakerloo, Hammersmith & City or Circle line services to Baker Street, and change there for Northbound Jubilee or Metropolitan line services to Wembley Park station.

Reported: 19/03/12 12:41 Last Updated: 19/03/12 12:44

Edit: All of which means, I would imagine, that everyone (ie ourselves and Chesterfield) is going to be funnelled through either Baker Street (underground) or Marylebone (overground).  I would allow plenty of time and be prepared for a squeeze.

For those travelling on the Chiltern line, some timetables changes for Sunday are here >

http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/sites/default/files/Sunday%2025%20March%20-%20Kidderminster%20-%20Birmingham%20-%20Stratford-upon-Avon%20-%20Banbury%20-%20London%20Marylebone%20line.pdf

All trains now seem to stop at Wembley, which I think is a sensible idea.

And Groupsave from Bicester - four for about forty quid is an even better one.

looks like there are 5 trains between 08.56 and 09.51 from Swindon. I'll be on one of the later ones and hope most people want to go early leaving some space on the later ones. will only be having a few pints pre match then hitting it hard after so in no rush to get there early.

Nice and easy for me, into London Bridge then Jubilee line up to Wembley Park.

still havn't got my coach tickets.Shady fuckers

Or get off at Stonebridge Park and walk to Wembley.

Sorry if this sounds really basic, but if I get to marylebone at 12, what time am I looking at getting to the ground?

9 minutes (or 2 hours if you go to the pub)

Ok Scrap that. Can get tickets from bath to paddington for £27. Downside being i've got to break up the journey into bath-didcot, didcot ealing, ealing paddington. And it means getting the coach (fucking coach) from bath at 7 in the morning.

Fairly confident i'll be able to stay on the train from swindon to paddington without having to change though. It will be rammed.