Manchester-Cambridge

[peteby]

Hi
Anyone know the most convenient route by train?
!'m thinking about travelling on Sat / Sun 19/20 September to see the airshow at Duxford.
The trainline website is showing at least two changes and nearly four hours travel time.
Any suggestions gratefully received.

[Peter Pedant]

sounds about right when I did it

[EDDIE51]

Could be easier to get to London and back to Cambridge. The nearest station to Duxford is Whittlesford on the Cambridge Liverpool Street line. You can walk it from Whittlesford or there is transport on show days.

[dzug2]

There are two possible routes - via Sheffield/Peterborough (slow) or via London (fast for part of the journey) - choose whichever has the best combination of fares/times

And buy from a train company, not the trainline and avoid the latter's fees. The ticket prices should be the same

[EDDIE51]

^Actually a train to Whittlesford and then walking could be the best option.
the traffic jams are horrendous , 50,000 spectators . I live just 9 miles from Duxford and the queues are way past my place.

[Buenchico]

4 hours is about right for that journey. (Unless you go via London, you have to use 'cross country' lines, which tend to be far slower than routes into the capital).

The London route is more expensive when using normal off-peak 'walk-up' return fares (£101.60 as against £81.60) but there are currently 'Advance' single fares totalling £63.50 for the return journey via London on offer. (Remember that, if you use two Advance singles, you can go out on one route and back on another. You can also use a 'via London' Return ticket on a cross country service in one direction if that suits your travel plans).

For minimal changes though, simply change once at Ely (or at Peterborough - it makes no difference, you still use the same trains).

As Dzug2 indicates, you should NOT use any 'third party' website, such as the abysmal Trainline. They can't offer any tickets that aren't available here http://www.nationalrail.co.uk . Further, they often add on charges that you can avoid by going through the National Rail site and not infrequently manage to issue tickets that aren't actually valid for travel on any train. (I know. I used to run a railway station and encountered loads of problems with tickets incorrectly issued by the Trainline).

As has been indicated above, Whittlesford is the closest station to Duxford but there's no bus from there and, unless you pre-book, no taxi either. Given that a free shuttle bus service operates from Cambridge station on airshow days, I'd still recommend using Cambridge.

[peteby]

Many thanks for your replies.
Most helpful.

[EDDIE51]

Whittlesford is 20 to 30 min walk from Duxford airfield. On an 'airshow weekend' I know from personal experience it will take at least an hour from Cambridge by road. Against 15 mins on a normal day.