charlbury-london commute

Fri 11 Mar 2011, 17:29

You can use any of the rail ticket websites to book tickets (and seats) then use the Ticket On Departure (TOD) option to collect the tickets from the machine. Works for discounted (Railcard) fares too.

If you are commuting less than 5 days a week, buying tickets for each day makes sense and has the added bonus that you can make FREE seat reservations at the same time.

You can also use the ticket machine at Charlbury to collect tickets for totally unrelated journeys e.g. Banbury-Leeds for my student daughter.

Fri 11 Mar 2011, 08:41

So, if you find yourself in Glena's predicament - just ensure that you are cartrying sufficient cash for your ticket & buy on the train without penalty!

Thu 10 Mar 2011, 10:12

No, the machine doesn't accept cash at present. If all you have is cash, and the ticket office is closed, you can buy the full range of tickets on the train, including railcard discounts and off-peak fares.

Thu 10 Mar 2011, 09:58

Chris, do you know if the machine now accepts cash? I think there was a time when it didn't. It would be a bit unfortunate if someone arrived at the station, found that the machine wouldn't accept their money, and was then charged the full single fare!

Thu 10 Mar 2011, 09:45

I have confirmation that both the Off-peak & Off-Peak Day Return tickets ARE offered on the TVM at Charlbury.

Wed 9 Mar 2011, 09:37

Glena - a word of warning - that is no legal defence if an awkward Revenue Protection person asked for your ticket. You would undoubtedly be asked to pay for a full standard single to your destination & not be allowed any off-peak or railcard discount.

Mon 7 Mar 2011, 23:26

I'm sorry Chris, I know it's not what females are supposed to do (letting the side down) but if I was challenged (which I never have been)I would plead the Luddite amendment---I don't do machines !

Mon 7 Mar 2011, 08:47

I have asked FGW to correct the off-peak & off-peak day ticket situation on the ticket machine.

It might take a couple of weeks as I don't think updates are passed all that often.

You are meant to purchase before travelling wherever there is a facility to do so. You might fall foul of an obstreporous ticket collector if you don't - although I don't think the Penalty Fare scheme extends along the Cotswold Line.

Sun 6 Mar 2011, 14:33

Kat, you don't have to use the machine when the ticket office is closed. I tried it once or twice but either the screen was not clear enough or I wanted to put a reduction in or I just found it too confusing. I have necver had any problem with buying a ticket on the train.

Sat 5 Mar 2011, 09:55

Kat, I bought an off-peak return to London on the machine a couple of days agao, so it does exist. But the description of the particular fares is not great! Off peak & off-peak day return are rather too close as descriptors when you are in a hurry & the sun is glaring down on the screen.

Needing to add in a reduction for a railcard after picking the initial fare is the bit that I always find most confusing. I wonder how many people miss out on the potential reduction -- important as this takes 1/3rd off the total cost.

Sat 5 Mar 2011, 00:08

Further to Christine's comment about off-peak return vs. off-peak day return, am I right in thinking that the machine at Charlbury (which you have to use when the ticket office is closed) sells only the off-peak day return and the full-priced ticket? My husband got caught out on this yesterday -- he usually uses the train when the ticket office is open so has never fallen afoul of this, but the conductor seemed to suggest that it's not the first time he's heard of there being a problem with people ending up with the invalid ticket for afternoon peak times.

Sun 27 Feb 2011, 20:29

Isabel - I suggest you take a look at the Commuter Blog, highlighted in green on the home page, though people (myself included) are posting less than they once did when things were really dire and we wanted to let off steam (as it were).

My own experience is that the service is very variable. I get the 6.34 each morning, and I always check to on the mobile train tracker service what is going on before I leave home, even though I am only 7 mins walk from the station. It's worth doing that to save nearly an hour's wait for the next train. The 7.26 is more reliable.

Overall, I would say it is rare, even unknown, in my experience for me to have a week in which all ten trains I get (6.34 in, 17.22/17.50/18.22 back) leave on time from their departure station and arrive on time at their destination. The 17.22 from Paddington is often standing room only if you arrive less than 15 mins before departure, as there are so many reserved seats; the 17.50 is generally quieter. Many trains from Paddington run with one standard carriage short; some loos are quite often out of service, hot drinks are unavailable more often than one would expect from the buffet. Overall, things improved following a real crisis a couple of years ago; they seem to have been going downhill in the last year or so (the Cotswold line is a bit of a Cinderella service); but the doubling of the track holds out hope that things may improve.

If you are doing the commute on days other than Monday and Friday, you should be able to bear it. £5000+ is a lot to pay for a season ticket and the mediocre, even poor, service at times, but what makes it worthwhile is that living in Charlbury is so marvellous, it acts as a decompression chamber on its own.

Sat 26 Feb 2011, 11:48

Isabel, one of the good things about getting on a train at Charlbury (as opposed to Oxford) is that off-peak returns (not off-peak day-returns) are valid in the rush hour when coming back, as long as one is travelling beyond Oxford. So, in some ways, it's cheaper than going to & from Oxford.

What is not good is the parking at Charlbury station if you are travelling to London outside rush hour. It's generally full! And the bus to the station does not pick up in Charlbury outside peak hours. It also may not survive the cuts! But it looks as if car-parking might improve if the car-park expension can be funded.

Also bad is the long gap (sometimes 2 hours) in the middle of the day, & the early hour of the last train home at night. But, again, that might also change with the doubling of the track. Also, for very late evenings one can leave a car at Banbury or Bicester & travel on the Chiltern Line (to & from Marylebone).

Fri 25 Feb 2011, 19:19

thank you for the useful information! i work a strange week - Tuesday to Saturday - and my longest days are at the end of the week, when I work horrible hours and would stay overnight in London (Thursday and Friday nights) so perhaps i would avoid the busiest trains...As a child growing up in rural Scotland, I commuted to school by train, a two hour journey each way. for six long years. It was hell and I swore never to do it again as an adult, but if we do move to Charlbury i would only be commuting three days a week, which is a bit less daunting, and at more civilised times of day as i don't have the sort of job that requires being at a desk by 9am or even 10am. We love the area (my parents live in Stonesfield) and are very enthused by the idea.

and would stay in London overnight at the end of the week, so hopefully would

Fri 25 Feb 2011, 16:45

If that link doesn't work, try this: tinyurl.com/5ssfvaf

Fri 25 Feb 2011, 16:42

You could monitor the trains you would catch on the live departure/arrival board for Charlbury, and see what happens! tinyurl.com/63uqyld

Fri 25 Feb 2011, 15:44

I would also add that the 8.35am is the busiest train of the day, as its the first one off peak, so am not sure if you would get a seat until Oxford. However, you will always be able to get one on 7.26am. Although we sometimes moan, there are usually good reasons for most of the trains which are late - unless its something like the signal man overslept! This has been known! With the double track coming in June, this will mean that delays are less frequent. FGW are also hoping to increase the number of trains during the day, which will mean there will not be 2 hour gaps in the late morning and early afternoon. On another note, and I am sure you are already aware, Charlbury is a lovely place to live - a real community here. Wouldnt live anywhere else now.

Fri 25 Feb 2011, 11:31

Generally speaking, the trains are now more reliable than they used to be, but occasionally things can go wrong. We are told that, later this year, after work to reinstate double track has been completed, reliablilty should be improved.
If you will be commuting daily, then a season ticket may be your best option, but if paying for individual trips, the 0835 is much cheaper as Off Peak Returns are valid on it.
Seat availability varies from day to day. Mondays are busiest in the mornings, but in the evenings, the busiest days are towards the end of the week.

Cotswold Line Promotion Group - www.clpg.co.uk .

Thu 24 Feb 2011, 19:45

hello, we are considering moving from London to Charlbury and are wondering what the commute is like?
We would hugely appreciate any information from Charlbury commuters about the train service.
it appears that trains are pretty regular (if expensive!) but how reliable is the service? how frequently are there delays/cancellations? and just as importantly, do people boarding at charlbury usually get a seat?
we would generally be getting on the 7.26am or 8.35am service rather than the earlier trains... thank you!