Trains to Cardiff - way of making it cheaper

[Thames Valley Bluebird]

On the day a return Reading - Cardiff is £50ish

Try breaking the journey at Swindon - Return Reading - Swindon is £20, cheap day return Swindon - Cardiff is around £15. Not sure if the fares have gone up though for 2009, knowing first "great" western they probably have a bit. They'll sell you both legs at Reading ticket office and you can get the direct services to and from cardiff.

If you are really keen to make it cheaper again, get a cheap day return reading - didcot / didcot - swindon / swindon - cardiff. Get a bristol Temple Meads bound service as far as swindon (as they stop at didcot while the cardiff services do not), and then the direct swindon - cardiff service from there. I think that comes in at around £30 all together but it's more of a faff.

Thus endeth the lesson.

[Jerry St Clair]

If you are really keen to make it cheaper again, get a cheap day return reading - didcot / didcot - swindon / swindon - cardiff. Get a bristol Temple Meads bound service as far as swindon (as they stop at didcot while the cardiff services do not), and then the direct swindon - cardiff service from there. I think that comes in at around £30 all together but it's more of a faff.

Mate of mine did this commuting from Cheltenham to Ding. You can even get away with using a train that doesn't stop at Didcot, depending on how much your ticket inspector is up for a ruck. I'm told about 1 in 10 will argue the toss.

[Thames Valley Bluebird]

If you are really keen to make it cheaper again, get a cheap day return reading - didcot / didcot - swindon / swindon - cardiff. Get a bristol Temple Meads bound service as far as swindon (as they stop at didcot while the cardiff services do not), and then the direct swindon - cardiff service from there. I think that comes in at around £30 all together but it's more of a faff.

Mate of mine did this commuting from Cheltenham to Ding. You can even get away with using a train that doesn't stop at Didcot, depending on how much your ticket inspector is up for a ruck. I'm told about 1 in 10 will argue the toss.

The ticket inspectors are generally ok

There are one or two absolute bastards though who will kick people off for having the wrong time on their ticket or something. The trains are usually pretty quiet on a Saturday too (especially the ones back).

[weybridgewanderer]

same applies for swansea

reading to swansea return £64

reading to swindon return £21
SWindon to swansea return £22.30
total £43.30