How's the best way to travel to Away games Rail or Road? Well, for many there is no option, exiles are not going to travel miles to Southend to pick up a coach, and let's be honest if you can go by car that's probably the best option, although perhaps not for the driver if he fancies a drink. So let's just compare the merits (and disadvantages) of Rail or Coach travel.
RAIL
To the non rail traveller you might naively think that you look at the times choose what suits you best and buy your tickets. Where have you been, buying train tickets is a science which needs planning, monitoring and frankly 'Rail Travel' should be introduced as an 'A' level subject!
In twelve weeks time we have Stockport away, ideal less than two hours from London, no changes and a plentiful amount of trains and all for only £16 return from London (two £8 singles). (TLG would recommend clicking directly to www.virgintrains.co.uk as their are no hidden charges added.)
This is wonderful, this is how it should be, but you've got to get your tickets soon to get these prices. The range of fares are set at a first come first served basis, after the £8.00 fare are sold for a particular train then they will go up to £11 then £13 then £44 then £45 then £61.30 then £64 then £115. Return fares (as opposed to two singles) are at the moment £62.30 or £230 but cheaper returns could possibly be brought in. These are all second class single fares, first class range from £32.50 to £180 (one way) or £360 return.
So you can pay anything from £16 to £360 for the same journey on the same trains this is why I drone on about booking early. The match is also early January, bad weather the possibility of postponement, it is a bit of a gamble. Of course trains can be delayed, but at least you haven't got to worry about connections.
The rewards can be massive, go when you want, get their when you want and eat and drink what you like get up and walk around on the train, on a good day this can be a great way to travel. On a bad day, it could be a real mission to get from the ground to the station such as Yeovil and Bristol Rovers, very tight connections such as Carlisle, cancelled trains such as Carlisle. (meaning you could get stranded), no trains back that night such as Scunthorpe or Cheltenham, or intimidating such as Millwall. The biggest terror of course are the hated words 'Rail Replacement Buses' but we won't go there.
To the dedicated Rail traveller every journey is an adventure, and for them the only way to travel.
COACH
Basically turn up at your pick up point, be whisked off to the ground, watch the match walk usually no more than thirty yards and be chauffeured home. The pick up points however may not always be on your doorstep, I have in the past had to travel as much as 12 miles to be picked up which isn't always easy early morning or late night. Once on board little to worry about but not a lot of freedom, if stuck in traffic it can be very frustrating and if the Video being shown isn't your cup of tea, tough you will watch it. On a good trip you will be at the ground at 1.00 with time for food and drink, away from the ground in minutes for an effortless journey home, but things don't always go according to plan.
The 'Shrimpers on Line' coach to Bristol Rovers was a good example of good and bad travel. An early start was greeted with news of major road problems on the M4 so it was decided to go via the M3, and after passing Dartford they were caught in very congested traffic, but the mood was relaxed they had six hours to get to the match. The traffic was just as congested as they passed Stonehenge through the middle of Bath and arrived in Bristol about 2.45 but not to the ground till 3.20.
The mood on the coach was by this time unbelievable, considering the journey had been six hours with only a 20 minute break, everyone was laughing, joking and singing. The organiser with his infectious style involving everyone and making them feel like they belong, became a tour guide with chants of 'Power to the Stones' at Stonehenge, and as we passed into Somerset the whole coach sang songs about "Somerset and Cider". The coach got snarled up in Bristol having to stop at every red light and arrived at the ground 20 minutes late and already two nil down. An hour long snarl up of traffic getting out of Bristol didn't dampen their spirits, after a 12 hour journey you would have thought we had won promotion not lost 4-2.
For the dedicated Coach traveller, this is the relaxed way to travel and the only way to travel.
The bottom line is that Rail or Coach is a personal choice, who you go with and the attitude that you go with is more important than how you go. The important thing is the day out, games are won and lost and you have to live with it, but we are Southend United fans and know how to have a good day out.
(Keep up to date with all the away travel news and best pubs to have a drink at the 'Day Return' and 'The Pub Crawl' sections on TLG or for the latest news of how much to get there by train, boat or plane, or even coaches, DoDtS's away travel section is at: www.shrimperzone.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=24