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Old Jun 30, 2013, 11:43 am
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London - Bath, Stonehenge

Hi everyone,

I want to go out to Bath, Stonehenge in 2 weeks. I have accommodation in Bath for the night but was going to visit Stonehenge as well.

What do you think is the easiest way of doing this:

1. Option get a tour from London as they are a good price some of them which end up in Bath, from there i'll just make my own way back to London after staying the night.

2. Option getting train to Bath in the morning then getting a tour from Bath to Stonehenge in the afternoon, staying the night and catching the train back to London the next day.
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Old Jun 30, 2013, 3:48 pm
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Either of these would work. Bath to Salisbury is a shorter drive than London to Salisbury, so if you're short of time I'd go with that option.

Last edited by Reason077; Jun 30, 2013 at 3:54 pm
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Old Jul 5, 2013, 7:02 am
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Thanks for the advice.

I bought tickets on the train going out of Waterloo to Bath and returning the next day fo 12£ each way.
On the way I might stop off at Salisbury, from there catch a bus to Stonehenge and cathedrial.
Then go to Bath from there.

Q. Can you hop back onto the train at Salisbury without buying a ticket or is there ticket gates there and can you store luggage at the station.
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Old Jul 5, 2013, 7:06 am
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It depends on your type of ticket. For £12, I suspect it is an Advance fare, which means that you can only use a specific train in each direction.

(BTW, you are aware that Waterloo to Bath is the slower, regional route? It's not bad, but does take a while...)
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Old Jul 5, 2013, 12:55 pm
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Originally Posted by stut
It depends on your type of ticket. For £12, I suspect it is an Advance fare, which means that you can only use a specific train in each direction.

(BTW, you are aware that Waterloo to Bath is the slower, regional route? It's not bad, but does take a while...)
It is an Advanced fare.

Yes I am aware, the train ride takes 2 h 20 m where Paddington - Bath only takes 1 h 45 m but the prices for those tickets were about 25-30 pound each way.

Can I hop on another specific train that was 12 pound too and would there be ticket inspectors from Salisbury to Bath.
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Old Jul 5, 2013, 1:13 pm
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These trains all have guards on board, so yes, your ticket would be inspected. I don't know the layout of Salisbury station, I'm afraid, so can't comment on whether or not it is a closed station.
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Old Jul 7, 2013, 1:01 am
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Can I hop on another specific train that was 12 pound too and would there be ticket inspectors from Salisbury to Bath.
No. The 'advance' ticket type is only valid on the day/time printed on the ticket. Get on any other train and you are regarded as having no ticket at all.
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Old Jul 7, 2013, 2:04 am
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You can't stop short on an advance ticket either - it is only valid for the full journey.
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Old Jul 7, 2013, 6:31 am
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Originally Posted by jedikiah
You can't stop short on an advance ticket either - it is only valid for the full journey.
They must make Salisbury more expensive to get off as it was cheaper to go to Bath then Salibury.
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Old Jul 7, 2013, 8:53 am
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Exactly there are no advances to Salisbury & that is why you aren't allowed to get off at Salisbury with that ticket.

There are very few through South West Trains from Waterloo to Bath; 3 or 4 at a guess without checking. The main service between Salisbury and Bath is First Great Western.

Not sure what is best to advise to to do now; if you hadn't bought any tickets I would have suggested the flexibility of the super-off peak return fare from London to Bath; this costs £53.50, but you can stop as much as you want on both legs (although the outward has to be completed on the day of the ticket - the return within a month). This is valid on the services from London Waterloo as early as 08:15, and back from Bath on either route after 10:00.

You could get a refund on the Waterloo->Salisbury advance (only £2 as there is a £10 admin fee) and then buy a Super Off Peak Single at £30.50, which is also valid to break the journey with, and use the other ticket to come back from Bath.
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Old Jul 9, 2013, 2:04 pm
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Well I didn't actually buy my tickets from first great weastern as they were stil expensive from there. Megabus was cheaper.
I will check to see what price I can get from bath to salisbury returnand go from there.
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Old Jul 10, 2013, 8:30 am
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Don't think you mentioned you'd bought Megabus tickets before - they certainly can't be used short.
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Old Jul 12, 2013, 7:44 pm
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The Journey

Hi Everyone,

I did the first part of the journey today.

I spoke to the ticket inspector and was told that I am aloud to cut short an Advance Ticket, so i decided to get off at Salisbury.

Went to Stonehenge, Old Salisbury and the Church. Spent most of the day there.

When it was time to buy another ticket from Salisbury to Bath, i just flashed my previous reservation and they let me through the gate!!
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Old Jul 13, 2013, 7:57 pm
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Spent the night in Bath visiting the Roman Baths (better to do it in the evening as its not as busy from tourists), the Circus and the Cresent.

Had a look at the town bridge also in the morning before I made my way back to the train station for my trip back to London.

All in all a good side trip to do..its better to do it on your own then to go with a tour as you have more free time.
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