RWC 2015 - Rugby World Cup 2015 Travel Plans

mossy464

Few of us going to be driving from Manchester to Cardiff for the France game. Google maps says around 3.5 hours. Want to be there to soak up the atmosphere in the fanzone well before the game so planning on leaving Manchester at 8am. Hopefully we'll be there by latest 1pm allowing for any delays.

shanagarry

kuang1 wrote: »

I am sucking up the delivery fee to a point. The tickets I've bought for friends I've not hesiated to build in their portion of the delivery fee as I convert what they owe me to euros.

A note on the £15 delivery fees btw: rang rwc ticketing hq last week inquiring about all the deliveries I had paid for versus how many deliveries it took to deliver all my tickets. They refunded the difference without hesitation. (Had to wait on hold for about 10 minutes first though)

Absolutely no way of knowing seat rows and numbers before purchase unfortunately. (I asked)

Cheers for that. I must get on to them about the delivery fees. I'm only paying £5 a pop, but still it all adds up and they did combine a lot of my delivery

I also need to check my tickets, just got a text from Royal Mail about the tickets still at the delivery office that they're going to send back :eek: They delivered about 5 lots of tickets in the space of a week so clearly I missed one, oops.

shanagarry

connundrum wrote: »

I've tickets for the 13:00 kickoff for the Sunday 18th Oct QF.

Presuming the game goes on till 15:00, faffing around till 16:00, back to the P&R (Cardiff west) for 17:00, I'm needing to be back in Stanstead for a 22:00 flight. I'm presuming (barring acts of God) that I'll be ok.

You should be fine given the contingency time you've allowed to get back to the car, but I wouldn't dawdle all the same given the distance you have to go. The motorways here are great when they work, but if there's an issue you can end up parked up for quite a while.

Stheno

This is great

https://twitter.com/ILovesTheDiff/status/646679502886731777

garbanzo

Anyone else on the 8:45am ferry out of Dublin this Saturday morning heading onward to London for Sunday's game v Romania?

Was on Hill 16 last Sunday for the Dubs, Wembley this Sunday. I think I'll look back at all of this very fondly when I'm in my dotage 😀

mossy464

mossy464 wrote: »

Few of us going to be driving from Manchester to Cardiff for the France game. Google maps says around 3.5 hours. Want to be there to soak up the atmosphere in the fanzone well before the game so planning on leaving Manchester at 8am. Hopefully we'll be there by latest 1pm allowing for any delays.

It's an awful drive

Best of luck

mossy464

Deleted User wrote: »

It's an awful drive

Best of luck

Lol. Thanks. Anything in particular that makes it awful. Should we be leaving earlier than 8am?

I want to be fully prepared so we get there in good time to soak up some atmosphere.

mossy464

mossy464 wrote: »

Lol. Thanks. Anything in particular that makes it awful. Should we be leaving earlier than 8am?

I want to be fully prepared so we get there in good time to soak up some atmosphere.

Are you taking the M6 down towards Cheltenham? Serious delays around Birmingham usually.

The other option is through Shrewsbury and Ludlow down the A roads. There'll be less traffic and issues but the going is slower (loads of 50m per hour stretches).

There's no decent way to drive it unfortunately. (one of the reasons I'm missing out!)

mossy464

Deleted User wrote: »

Are you taking the M6 down towards Cheltenham? Serious delays around Birmingham usually.

The other option is through Shrewsbury and Ludlow down the A roads. There'll be less traffic and issues but the going is slower (loads of 50m per hour stretches).

There's no decent way to drive it unfortunately. (one of the reasons I'm missing out!)

Yep, well had just looked at google maps and the route was down the M6 past Birmingham. I had noticed alright that there tends be delays on the motorway around Birmingham.

mossy464

mossy464 wrote: »

Yep, well had just looked at google maps and the route was down the M6 past Birmingham. I had noticed alright that there tends be delays on the motorway around Birmingham.

You can't really take advantage of the M6 Toll even.

I've been stuck for 60mins a couple of times near Birmingham, it can be an absolute bottleneck.

This doesn't make pretty reading!
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Manchester,+UK/Cardiff,+UK/@52.4816004,-3.7639228,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m18!4m17!1m5!1m1!1s0x487a4d4c5226f5db:0xd9be143804fe6baa!2m2!1d-2.2426305!2d53.4807593!1m5!1m1!1s0x486e02d434ec53f5:0x143406db6586670e!2m2!1d-3.17909!2d51.481581!2m3!6e1!7e2!8j1443270600!3e0

mossy464

Deleted User wrote: »

You can't take advantage of the M6 Toll even.

I've been stuck for 60mins a couple of times near Birmingham, it can be an absolute bottleneck.

This doesn't make pretty reading!
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Manchester,+UK/Cardiff,+UK/@52.4816004,-3.7639228,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m18!4m17!1m5!1m1!1s0x487a4d4c5226f5db:0xd9be143804fe6baa!2m2!1d-2.2426305!2d53.4807593!1m5!1m1!1s0x486e02d434ec53f5:0x143406db6586670e!2m2!1d-3.17909!2d51.481581!2m3!6e1!7e2!8j1443270600!3e0

Only thing is its a Sunday so hopefully traffic won't be too heavy around Birmingham.

Thanks for the advice.

mossy464

mossy464 wrote: »

Only thing is its a Sunday so hopefully traffic won't be too heavy around Birmingham.

Thanks for the advice.

Sunday of course! Here's suggested times for arriving in Cardiff by 12:30 on Sunday

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Manchester,+UK/Cardiff,+UK/@52.4816004,-3.7639228,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m18!4m17!1m5!1m1!1s0x487a4d4c5226f5db:0xd9be143804fe6baa!2m2!1d-2.2426305!2d53.4807593!1m5!1m1!1s0x486e02d434ec53f5:0x143406db6586670e!2m2!1d-3.17909!2d51.481581!2m3!6e1!7e2!8j1443357000!3e0

If I were you I'd budget for 4.5 hours and just get there and be there.

mossy464

Deleted User wrote: »

Sunday of course! Here's suggested times for arriving in Cardiff by 12:30 on Sunday

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Manchester,+UK/Cardiff,+UK/@52.4816004,-3.7639228,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m18!4m17!1m5!1m1!1s0x487a4d4c5226f5db:0xd9be143804fe6baa!2m2!1d-2.2426305!2d53.4807593!1m5!1m1!1s0x486e02d434ec53f5:0x143406db6586670e!2m2!1d-3.17909!2d51.481581!2m3!6e1!7e2!8j1443357000!3e0

If I were you I'd budget for 4.5 hours and just get there and be there.

Ah we'll manage anyway. I was expecting it to take 4 hours anyway. Not too bothered once we get there in good time.

sydneybound

Anyone hear expected crowds numbers for Sunday game? Tickets must have gone well.

SteelyDanJalapeno

Just back from NZ Namibia, got tickets from a tout for 20 quid cat d, all hope is not lost, poor atmosphere in the Olympic

sydneybound

TiltedBrain wrote: »

Just back from NZ Namibia, got tickets from a tout for 20 quid cat d, all hope is not lost, poor atmosphere in the Olympic

I was in the Olympic stadium for France V Romania the night before and the atmosphere was good. I was behind the posts on the side where there's a big gap from the pitch, cat D tickets. The park has a good fanszone and in general is an impressive place. Impressive stadium but the ref last night didn't help the match flow.

.ak

Yeah you could've put that game on anywhere in the world and the atmosphere would've been the same. It wasn't even due to the fact there was no contest, but there wasn't even a good flow of tries! So much stop-starting..

errlloyd

mossy464 wrote: »

Ah we'll manage anyway. I was expecting it to take 4 hours anyway. Not too bothered once we get there in good time.

Drove from b'mingham last Saturday down to the game. Joined the m6 somewhere near the airport I think. Anyway, we left the airport at 9am on the button, and didn't encounter any real traffic until we neared the Welsh border. We arrived at Cardiff city stadium (where we had booked parking) at around 12:20 I think. But we had stopped for a break on the way.

We probably should have booked the east car park though. It's nearer.

jmcgold

Can anyone who has been to a match at the Olympic Stadium tell me whether it is possible to access the Olympic Park from the pathway that runs along the river Lea?
I am doing a day trip to the Italy match and the flight times are tight. I had planned on heading to a tube station further south after the match, via the river pathway, rather than the Stratford station, which I'd imagine will be mobbed.

llcoolj14

jmcgold wrote: »

Can anyone who has been to a match at the Olympic Stadium tell me whether it is possible to access the Olympic Park from the pathway that runs along the river Lea?
I am doing a day trip to the Italy match and the flight times are tight. I had planned on heading to a tube station further south after the match, via the river pathway, rather than the Stratford station, which I'd imagine will be mobbed.

Yes, we did a recce of the area a few weeks ago for some official fan events. I have a photo of the maps and access points to the stadium which I cant upload here, PM me your email and I'll send it on

llcoolj14

techdiver wrote: »

Would there be any advantage to waiting around until the last train leaving Cardiff to let the crowds die down?

What was it like for the Canada game for anyone who did that?

Since the Sunday Quarter Final (fingers crossed we get to that one), is an early kick off, do people think the train situation will be better since there is an entire afternoon/evening to get people home.

I hate to think how bad the France game and the Saturday Quarter Final will be seeing as it is an 8pm kick off.

People (not aimed at you) need to get into their heads that there is no fixed train schedule around match events in Cardiff. The operate a herd like queuing system that can handle about 10K per hour all going well and hence the stories of people waiting 4+ hours to get home after Canada.

For that game, they put on an extra 20 trains than the normal schedule(about 8000 seats)Clearly with all the over crowding, this was woefully not enough. They scrambled an extra few trains as there was people left in Waterloo(stories some missed kick off). Thats pretty much their max capacity.

The rail track in the UK are very highly unionised, and they just wont budge re letting more trains or improving the system around any type of events (you get this same mess at things like Ascot year on year). On Sundays, its far worse, speed restriction due to works/less staff...and they dont change that for any event geenrally!

Despite their apologies etc etc, they didnt put any extra trains on for the Oz game the other night(in additional to the planned extra services pre Canada) and with 35+ plus expected to travel on the trains, were warning peoople to be prepaired to wait 3-4 hours as a result.

You can just go later for a train (ie,enjoy an hour or two, but be very careful. We did this for this years 6N, still waited for a few hours when we joined, but about 200 people behind us, staff stopped people joining for the night. Ive no idea how that cut-off was determined, we joined the que 2 hours after the last scheduled direct train, borded one about 2 hours after that (4 hours after the last official direct train)...ie, the schedule go's out the window!

Buses made it back to London in 3.5-4 hours last weekend. Much better options really as you can plan your times geenrally a bit better (those times were slowed due to accident too, so they may imporve in the future, but given all the French will be taking the same route/general much bigger matches France and the 1/4 final will be, expect all transport options to be slower for those games!

Its the one negative about games in Cardiff, very limited hotel options to stay over, and awful to get in and out of on the same day.

mossy464

errlloyd wrote: »

Drove from b'mingham last Saturday down to the game. Joined the m6 somewhere near the airport I think. Anyway, we left the airport at 9am on the button, and didn't encounter any real traffic until we neared the Welsh border. We arrived at Cardiff city stadium (where we had booked parking) at around 12:20 I think. But we had stopped for a break on the way.

We probably should have booked the east car park though. It's nearer.

Thanks. Good to know. We have the Cardiff East car park booked so hopefully that will shave some time off.

TheAlbert

Hi,
Would any of the posters who went to any of the two recent games in the Olympic Stadium mind sharing their experiences of travelling there and back, especially if you went via Stratford International to St Pancras. We are going to the Italy game and we have a flight from Gatwick at 21.30 that night. Thanks.

Mr Tickle

I noticed someone asked this a few pages back but there wasn't much of an answer. can someone tell me is the train situation in cardiff the same for people travelling west? I'm hoping to get a train to bridgend after the france game.

Podge_irl

Cardiff is a great stadium but everything else around matches there are a ****ing mess.

shanagarry

TheAlbert wrote: »

Hi,
Would any of the posters who went to any of the two recent games in the Olympic Stadium mind sharing their experiences of travelling there and back, especially if you went via Stratford International to St Pancras. We are going to the Italy game and we have a flight from Gatwick at 21.30 that night. Thanks.

Why are you going to St Pancreas? If you want to get the Thameslink I'd get it at Blackfriars instead. You're going to be very tight though. Really you have to be on the 19.22 from Blackfriars.

TheAlbert

shanagarry wrote: »

Why are you going to St Pancreas?

We are travelling with kids and we can get a direct train from St Pancras to Gatwick Airport, it removes the need to be on the tube.

shaz2004

heading over for france game, 4 of us ferry sat morning and staying in swansea,,, last part of plan is organise transport from swansea to cardiff match day return,, reading some of comments here the train option is a nightmare, have been looking up national express bus service, can pre book, bus station nearby, cheap 18 pounds return total for 4, 1 hr from swansea, good times,,, anybody use this service or does it sound too good to be true!!! am expecting delays,, cant seem to find any private bus transfers from swansea seen to be big irish crowd staying there,, any comments appreciated!!

xredmanlfcx

Mr Tickle wrote: »

I noticed someone asked this a few pages back but there wasn't much of an answer. can someone tell me is the train situation in cardiff the same for people travelling west? I'm hoping to get a train to bridgend after the france game.

The only queues I saw at the weekend were for Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol Parkway, London Paddington and another one I can't remember at the moment. They were all heading for England as far as I know. Not sure what the story was regarding trains to other parts of Wales, I presume there were some but saw no allocated queueing line.

We had a 2 hr wait for the train to Bristol Temple Meads on Saturday after the Ireland match. And this was even 2hr30 after FT as we were watching Japan beat SA (much to the delight of the travelling Irish!)

Unreal weekend, but train systems really are a farce. They could not cope at all. Didn't spoil it though as I said. We were in no rush. There are loads of trains to Cardiff beforehand, just allow enough time. Also, don't expect a seat!

Lucy8080

Mr Tickle wrote: »

I noticed someone asked this a few pages back but there wasn't much of an answer. can someone tell me is the train situation in cardiff the same for people travelling west? I'm hoping to get a train to bridgend after the france game.

Arriva trains wales have a twitter account which displays a map of Cardiff central and the queuing system for match days.

Most of the queues are for trains heading east. I'm guessing those heading west will have it easier as they are directed to a different platform.