Ardrossan-Brodick Ferry

[philjo]

A couple of queries regarding the CalMac Ferry Ardrossan-Brodick - will probably be doing this in April.
I have travelled on this route (having arrived at Ardrossan by train), but it was 15 years ago. Can anyone say how long it takes to get from the train on to the ferry? I seem to remember it didn't take very long, but the boat left not long after you got on board.

The CalMac timetable says you have to be on board 10 minutes before sailing time but the official connecting train from Glasgow shown both in the Calmac timetable & NRE arrives at Ardrossan Harbour 6 minutes before sailing. (I probably can get the train an hour earlier from Glasgow to allow for delays)

The EC site will allow you to purchase through tickets to Brodick from Glasgow. Presumably this is only from Scottish Stations? (It didn't offer a through fare for my entire journey)
In practice I will probably split at Glasgow anyway to get cheaper EC or VT advance tickets to Glasgow. Probably using the 07:19 EC service from Stevenage direct to Glasgow before it ceases in the May timetable change (unless I decide to go up the night before on the sleeper). return via EC or VT.

Many thanks.

 

[CarterUSM]

A couple of queries regarding the CalMac Ferry Ardrossan-Brodick - will probably be doing this in April.
I have travelled on this route (having arrived at Ardrossan by train), but it was 15 years ago. Can anyone say how long it takes to get from the train on to the ferry? I seem to remember it didn't take very long, but the boat left not long after you got on board.

The CalMac timetable says you have to be on board 10 minutes before sailing time but the official connecting train from Glasgow shown both in the Calmac timetable & NRE arrives at Ardrossan Harbour 6 minutes before sailing. (I probably can get the train an hour earlier from Glasgow to allow for delays)

The EC site will allow you to purchase through tickets to Brodick from Glasgow. Presumably this is only from Scottish Stations? (It didn't offer a through fare for my entire journey)
In practice I will probably split at Glasgow anyway to get cheaper EC or VT advance tickets to Glasgow. Probably using the 07:19 EC service from Stevenage direct to Glasgow before it ceases in the May timetable change (unless I decide to go up the night before on the sleeper). return via EC or VT.

Many thanks.

Getting to the ferry takes literally 5 minutes, unless the train is delayed you will have no problem at all making it on board. Hope it is a nice day for it, Arran is exceptionally pretty.

 

[scotsman]

Getting to the ferry takes literally 5 minutes, unless the train is delayed you will have no problem at all making it on board. Hope it is a nice day for it, Arran is exceptionally pretty.

Get an earlier train, CalMac sometimes lift the vehicle ramp as soon as all vehicles have boarded and the gangway is retracted if it has passed the 10 min deadline and no more passengers are known to be on the way. That said, they often wait on trains - but never count on it - it ain't worth it and it's your fault if you miss it!