Train to Leeds vs Train to Manchester

[tizhimi 10]

They are going to start charging to reserve seats as well.

[Dark Moomin 10]

They are going to start charging to reserve seats as well.

 

national express already have done but still will have a season ticket so reservations don't count!

[tizhimi 10]

I think they are going to allow commuters to reserve seats however the excess will be very large when the new rail policy in 2011 - if it comes in

[BasilRathbon 10]

Yeah, I've seen the price difference, but I was prepared to pay the cost to Manchester originally.

 

I haven't seen the fast trains via barnsley - is that with a change?

 

jkust looked and they are the slow trains surely - taking an hour rather than 40 mins?

 

This is all so confusing!

 

"Fast" is a relative term!

 

The fastest are the cross country ones that take just over 40 minutes. However these are long distance trains between the West Country and Scotland and have a greater likelihood of being delayed. Some may have 8 coaches (2 x 4 coach units) but most tend to have just 4 or 5 and you'll struggle to get a seat.

 

The "Fast" ones via Barnsley do take an hour; they are fast insofar as that they call only at Meadowhall, Barnsley and Wakefield and are therefore faster than the stopper which take an hour and 20 minutes. Although these only have 2 coaches, they are quite comfortable and you're more likely to get a seat than on cross country.

[Dark Moomin 10]

"Fast" is a relative term!

 

The fastest are the cross country ones that take just over 40 minutes. However these are long distance trains between the West Country and Scotland and have a greater likelihood of being delayed. Some may have 8 coaches (2 x 4 coach units) but most tend to have just 4 or 5 and you'll struggle to get a seat.

 

The "Fast" ones via Barnsley do take an hour; they are fast insofar as that they call only at Meadowhall, Barnsley and Wakefield and are therefore faster than the stopper which take an hour and 20 minutes. Although these only have 2 coaches, they are quite comfortable and you're more likely to get a seat than on cross country.

 

Ah right - I hadn't seen any slower than the 1 hour. Thanks for the details about the different types of trains. I guess its mostly a case of suck it and see unfortunately! Unless there's anyone that regularly gets the 7:12 train from sheffield and knows that they can usually get a seat!!

 

Fortunately the job has flexi time so delays are less crucial in terms of ebing late in.

[Andy C 86]

Here's the morning timetable for Leeds (assuming you are working 9-5)

 

dep Sheffield 07:06 arr Leeds 08:25 : local service : Northern : 3 carriages

dep Sheffield 07:12 arr Leeds 07:52 : fast service : Crosscountry : 5 carriages

dep Sheffield 07:14 arr Leeds 08:30 : local service : Northern : 4 carriages

dep Sheffield 07:20 arr Leeds 08:21 : semi-fast service : Northern : 2 carriages

dep Sheffield 07:51 arr Leeds 08:49 : semi-fast service : Northern : 2 carriages

dep Sheffield 08:06 arr Leeds 09:25 : local service : Northern : 2 carriages

dep Sheffield 08:14 arr Leeds 09:25 : local service : Northern : 2 carriages

dep Sheffield 08:18 arr Leeds 09:19 : semi-fast service : Northern : 2 carriages

dep Sheffield 08:21 arr Leeds 09:02 : fast service : Crosscountry : 8 carriages

[Andy C 86]

Here's the morning timetable for Manchester Piccadilly (assuming you are working 9-5)

 

dep Sheffield 07:09 arr Manchester 08:02 : Transpennine Express : 3 carriages

dep Sheffield 07:12 arr Manchester 08:33 : Northern : 2 carriages

dep Sheffield 07:35 arr Manchester 08:36 : East Midlands Trains : 4 carriages

dep Sheffield 08:05 arr Manchester 09:02 : Transpennine Express : 3 carriages

[sophiec1979 10]

if you get a season ticket....does it affect the route and service you can use?

 

for example, most tickets for leeds say on them not valid on the doncaster route- but being as i only ever get the crosscountry service i dont have to worry about that.

 

 

x

[Andy C 86]

As far as reservation go, Northern operate a walk up service and don't do reservations, Cross Country have reservations but at peak times restrict them to longer distance passengers, East Midlands Trains have seat reservations but only for single and return tickets - not seasons - and First Transpennine Express, as far as I am aware, have seat reservations for all customers.

[Andy C 86]

Sheffield to Leeds have two different prices, the cheaper is route 'Not Doncaster', the more expensive is 'any permitted route'. The main reason for this difference is South and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executives subsidise the local services that run direct Sheffield to Leeds, the Doncaster route, which is run by National Express, does not benefit from this subsidy. That and it's a longer way round.

 

Sheffield to Manchester there are two routes the train can go - either via Stockport or Romiley, but tickets are valid both ways.

[Andy C 86]

To illustrate the differences, here are the weekly season ticket rates

 

Sheffield to Leeds via 'Not Doncaster' £47.90 Standard class, £76.60 First Class

Sheffield to Leeds via 'Any Permitted route' £48.70 Standard class, £82.80 First Class

Sheffield to Manchester via 'Any Permitted route' £73.30 Standard class, £110 First Class

 

Transpennine Express also appear to do an 'earlybird' season ticket for those that commute before the rush hour begins, this is £45.30 a week.

[Dark Moomin 10]

if you get a season ticket....does it affect the route and service you can use?

 

for example, most tickets for leeds say on them not valid on the doncaster route- but being as i only ever get the crosscountry service i dont have to worry about that.

 

 

x

 

its about a tenner cheaper a month to have one that is not through doncaster than one that is for all routes, according to the national rail website.

 

Thanks for all the times and carriages AndyC and all the other info.

 

Unless there is evidence that one route is significantly more unreliable than the other then Leeds is still cheaper and faster than manchester (by £100 a month and 20 minutes each way).

 

This thread has made me more uncertain that I want to commute at all though!