Great Value - Ride Cornwall Day Ranger

[mountainmike]

Sometimes it's good to be reminded of the bargains which are available but often not well advertised. I spent yesterday on Cornwall's branch lines (and the main line) for the mighty sum of £10. As I hadn't done any of the branches before I decided to try to do all of them in the day working west starting from Plymouth and the Gunnislake branch , visiting Looe , Newquay (both ways on the branch on a '125') , Falmouth and St Ives before ending up in Penzance and a sleeper back to London. Now I've seen what these lines and towns have to offer I will certainly try to spend longer in Cornwall on my next trip. Another bargain was my ticket down on Wednesday evening . £13 advance Paddington - Plymouth and I spent the entire journey in 1st enjoying a wonderful 3 course meal in the Pullman Restaurant Car. (Including soup !! - unlike on East Coast !!)

Thinking South Wales will be my next line bashing trip - any advice on day/longer rover tickets?
Many thanks.

 

[sonic2009]

where are you thinking in south wales? newport/cardiff to swansea, valley lines?

there is these tickets :

South Wales Flexi Pass £53 8 days bus travel and 4 days Train Travel

It covers the whole of south Wales and includes the Central Wales line to Shrewsbury and the Marches line to Hereford and Newport and as far east as Lydney. It is also valid on most main bus services within the area.

http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Wales Flexipass 2010 English.pdf

Valley Lines Day Explorer : £9.10

The "Valley Lines Day Explorer" allows unlimited travel on Arriva Trains Wales services over the Welsh valley lines to Maesteg, Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Coryton, Rhymney and Ebbw Vale as well as routes around Cardiff to Penarth, Cardiff Bay and Barry Island.

The ticket is also valid on all Stagecoach buses and Rhondda Buses operated by Thomas Coaches

 

[Bill Badger]

Sometimes it's good to be reminded of the bargains which are available but often not well advertised. I spent yesterday on Cornwall's branch lines (and the main line) for the mighty sum of £10. As I hadn't done any of the branches before I decided to try to do all of them in the day working west starting from Plymouth and the Gunnislake branch , visiting Looe , Newquay (both ways on the branch on a '125') , Falmouth and St Ives before ending up in Penzance and a sleeper back to London. Now I've seen what these lines and towns have to offer I will certainly try to spend longer in Cornwall on my next trip. Another bargain was my ticket down on Wednesday evening . £13 advance Paddington - Plymouth and I spent the entire journey in 1st enjoying a wonderful 3 course meal in the Pullman Restaurant Car. (Including soup !! - unlike on East Coast !!)

Thinking South Wales will be my next line bashing trip - any advice on day/longer rover tickets?
Many thanks.

This is indeed an excellent ticket and one I make use of on my annual holiday in Cornwall.

One thing I've not yet been able to get to the bottom of is whether the ticket is valid all day on buses or not. Under validity National Rail says it is

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pra3e4df0a040002005aaf3aa9d4ac43/details.html

... but First Great Western disagrees

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=44#RideCornwall

Anyone know the definitive answer?

Cheers

 

[First class]

This is indeed an excellent ticket and one I make use of on my annual holiday in Cornwall.

One thing I've not yet been able to get to the bottom of is whether the ticket is valid all day on buses or not. Under validity National Rail says it is

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pra3e4df0a040002005aaf3aa9d4ac43/details.html

... but First Great Western disagrees

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=44#RideCornwall

Anyone know the definitive answer?

Cheers

Valid as follows:

Area of Validity

All rail services and most buses in the county of Cornwall, including to/from Plymouth. Rail lines include Plymouth to Penzance, Plymouth to Gunnislake, Liskeard to Looe, Par to Newquay, Truro to Falmouth Docks, St Erth to St Ives (see map below).

When is my ticket valid?

RAIL - Available from 09.00 (Monday-Fridays) and all day Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, plus the following additional trains:

0815 Plymouth – Penzance

0854 Plymouth - Gunnislake

0833 Liskeard - Looe

Note: when train times change, Ride Cornwall becomes valid on the equivalent service.

Valid only on services of the following Train Operating Companies, within the area shown on the map below:

CrossCountry
First Great Western
BUS - Available from 09.00 (Monday-Fridays) and all day Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Available on all bus routes operated by First and Western Greyhound. Key destinations within the area of validity include Lands End, The Eden Project, Lizard Point, Perranporth, Boscastle and Bude. Use of buses to/from Plymouth is restricted to direct bus services to/from Cornwall only, for journeys originating or terminating in Cornwall.

Good for £10 really.

 

[mountainmike]

where are you thinking in south wales? newport/cardiff to swansea, valley lines?

there is these tickets :

South Wales Flexi Pass £53 8 days bus travel and 4 days Train Travel

It covers the whole of south Wales and includes the Central Wales line to Shrewsbury and the Marches line to Hereford and Newport and as far east as Lydney. It is also valid on most main bus services within the area.

http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Wales Flexipass 2010 English.pdf

Valley Lines Day Explorer : £9.10

The "Valley Lines Day Explorer" allows unlimited travel on Arriva Trains Wales services over the Welsh valley lines to Maesteg, Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Coryton, Rhymney and Ebbw Vale as well as routes around Cardiff to Penarth, Cardiff Bay and Barry Island.

The ticket is also valid on all Stagecoach buses and Rhondda Buses operated by Thomas Coaches

I reckon that the South Wales flexipass sounds best - I could base myself in Cardiff and do something different each day. Thanks for the info.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

This is indeed an excellent ticket and one I make use of on my annual holiday in Cornwall.

One thing I've not yet been able to get to the bottom of is whether the ticket is valid all day on buses or not. Under validity National Rail says it is

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pra3e4df0a040002005aaf3aa9d4ac43/details.html

... but First Great Western disagrees

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=44#RideCornwall

Anyone know the definitive answer?

Cheers

Well used it on the 17B from St Ives - Penzance at 8.20 last night after the trains went to pot after the derailment at Liskeard. No problems with that being acceptted then.

 

[scotsman]

Sorry, but as NRE says the ticket is valid all day (some FGW promotional literature agrees), then it should be valid all day as that is the definition that is most in favour of the customer

 

[First class]

Sorry, but as NRE says the ticket is valid all day (some FGW promotional literature agrees), then it should be valid all day as that is the definition that is most in favour of the customer

Where does NRE say it is valid all day?

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pra3e4df0a040002005aaf3aa9d4ac43/details.html

One days unlimited off peak rail travel and bus travel available any time in the designated Ranger area.

Ride Cornwall is valid for use on any rail or bus service after 09:00 Monday - Friday.
Ride Cornwall may be used at any time on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays.

TIME
On trains, this is valid for use after 09:00 Monday to Friday, plus the following additional trains:
08.20 Plymouth to Penzance
08.57 Plymouth to Gunnislake
08.41 Liskeard to Looe
Valid for use at any time on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays.
On buses, this is available at any time

 

[John @ home]

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pra3e4df0a040002005aaf3aa9d4ac43/details.html shows

On buses, this is available at any time

under the Validity tab.

 

[scotsman]

Where does NRE say it is valid all day?

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pra3e4df0a040002005aaf3aa9d4ac43/details.html

On buses, at any time

 

[Bill Badger]

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pra3e4df0a040002005aaf3aa9d4ac43/details.html shows



under the Validity tab.

I agree you could argue a case, but presumably the bus operators aren't covered by the CoC so given the validity tab of the NRE seems to be the only place where it says tickets are valid on buses at anytime, I'm not sure how far you could press your case, if a bus operator refused to accept or sell a ticket before 9am Mon-Fri

 

[ji459]

This is indeed an excellent ticket and one I make use of on my annual holiday in Cornwall.

One thing I've not yet been able to get to the bottom of is whether the ticket is valid all day on buses or not. Under validity National Rail says it is

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pra3e4df0a040002005aaf3aa9d4ac43/details.html

... but First Great Western disagrees

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=44#RideCornwall

Anyone know the definitive answer?

Cheers

A Ride Cornwall ticket certainly is valid on buses (the First Great Western page has the full list of operators and restrictions). I bought mine on a Western Greyhound bus last month.

 

[317 forever]

I bought a Ride Cornwall day ticket in 2009. As well as trains and normal bus routes, I was even able to use it on Western Greyhound's Park & Ride service in Truro.