Is anyone else struggling to book affordable travel to the Magic Weekend? Were staying in Bristol this year and the trains are double the cost i would have expected to pay, and its not because we havent booked seats early enough, prices throughout the day are high.

I am more concerned about lack of hotels which have rooms in cardiff. Everything is bloody booked up, unless I can find a quality hotel for a good enough price not sure if I am gonna make the journey from london.

Seeing your post has given me an idea though. May just stay in Bristol instead.

I think it's normally about £9.60ish for an off-peak single from Cardiff to Bristol Temple Meads (you have to change at Parkway on a lot of routes), or £9.80ish for a return (yes, 20p more for a return

) if you pay on the day.

What sort of prices are you getting online?

Might be worth checking National Express coach prices, or even Megabus as I know they're putting new services on to and from Cardiff. They're normally pretty cheap booked in advance.

Beware that on the Sunday, the Severn Rail Tunnel is closed, so Bristol/Cardiff is 2 train journeys with a bus between Bristol Parkway and Newport in between the trains. Or some trains via Gloucester, probably only if you're travelling to/from Swindon and points east.

Journey times from Bristol about 1 1/2 hours using the bus diversion.

Last time I looked this wasn't shown on the National Rail site but you can see it on the First Great Western journey planner.

Trains prices are not released for the next week or so. which is why you are seeing full cost fares.

Sunday's going to be a nightmare for travel. Best stay at home and watch it on the telly.

Quins playing le cats on saturday nice trip there and back on saturday

Ooh, don't tempt me...

Yeah I may just end up doing the same if I dont do both days. Main reason is to watch Wigan vs Saints so may skip sunday.

Wow.. that makes good sense doesnt it.

It's a bit like me going to watch Leeds and booking accommodation in Hull.


Why dont you stay in Swansea or Neath?

Or Merthyr Tyfil or somewhere?


Barry McKenzie went camping on the Brecon Beacons last year with a few others and we stayed at Merthyr Tydfil as we worked our way down towards Cardiff and then back to London. Think the train from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff was about £6.50 or something and only took about an hour.. travelling through some of the nicest countryside I've seen in the UK

Why, did the sheep make you homesick?

There was a kiwi in our group.

I did wonder why he put his long jacket on before gazing out of the window

Oh yeah, it's collies you boys are into these days isn't it?

Labradors I think




Collies are a bit 'rough'


'Rough Collie'?

Get it?


ahhh never mind

By the way if anyone needs any train info, I can find out for you easy enough as i'm a rail worker and have the system to hand, just PM me.

Barry, that joke was border line awful.

Were you the severely overweight Tottenham Hotspur supporting rail 'worker' I saw standing around on the platform with a vending machine hot chocolate this morning at London Paddington shouting to another rail 'worker' about 20 metres away 'AHAHAHAA MATE WE DONE THEM FACKIN GERMAN B*STARDS LAST NIGHT INNIT' whilst an elderly gentleman struggled to get his equally elderly wheelchair bound companion off the 06:44 Reading to London Paddington service?

Bristol is closer to Cardiff than Swansea by train, so it wuld make perfect sense. Plus i would rather spend the day in Bristol than Swansea.

Cheers for your input tho.

Manchester Day Return on the Saturday, so I get to see the Saints-t'Pies match and doesn't cost a bomb!?!?

Bloody hate trying to get anywhere beyond Huddersfield on a train. I could go to Maga-chuffing-luf cheaper and quicker than some places in this country.

You could always have a look at Magic Bus?

4 tickets 1st class from london back standard £186 absolute bargain

Try living in Leigh and working ont' railways mate! Free rail travel-can't use it. Brilliant.

PM'd you Chorlton.