[Closed] what would you do? Train strike quandary

I'd go to Otley for the day instead.

If you have through tickets from Harrogate then I'd risk it, but if your tickets are separate - Harrogate to Leeds return on one ticket and Leeds to London on another then I'd not.

They are through tickets - but what difference would that make? If the train doesn't appear when it is meant to then we'll still be stranded. (The train I booked isn't running, we need to get another slightly earlier one).

I’d go to Otley for the day instead.

Trains don't run to Otley 😛

IME, the trains run pretty well on strike days between Leeds and Harrogate (I commute) as there are less services and staff etc and northern actually have to do some planning for who is going to run what. Combined with a less busy network too, it all seems to work.

That being said, it’s about £30 in a prebooked taxi, which would take care of any unforeseen issues..

Yeah I do the commute too 🙂

Just checked and I can park at the station car park for £30 too so a taxi or drive across might be the way to go (driving across makes our return journey more straight forward as we'd get the train back to Harrogate but then would still need to pick up our kids from the grand parents then drive home).

I’d drive to Leeds and park.

If your rail network is as efficient as these pile of crap franchise pillocks down on the Sth Coast, then parking in Leeds is the best option.. or taxi.

YMMV

I can park at the station car park for £30

I'd expect overnight digs as well for that much!

Can't speak for travelling outbound on a strike day, but after I arrived back at York and the last Leeds train had already left the staff booked me a taxi straight away.

Don't forget that if the connecting train you meant to catch is delayed or cancelled, you can travel on a later LNER service. Would take a photo of the station arrivals / departures board in that case though.

With a through ticket you are fine if the first one cocks up and there is no way that first class on a saturday is going to be full on any leeds to london train, so they will honour you a firat class ticket later in the day.

My experience of northern trains in train strike days has been good. If youvare worried download the trainline app and monitor how the trains out of leeds are running, you'll soon see if there are problems.

so they will honour you a firat class ticket later in the day.

However if we get a later train we may end up missing the matinee performance of Les Mis which we have tickets to see at 2.30pm. Bugger.

Is the bus to Leeds not an option? Though likely to be a fair chunk of the cost of a taxi with two of you if my pound a bloody mile experience of Harrogate bus fares is anything to go by.

Taxi.

Just make sure you're humming  'Do you Hear the People Sing?' as you go past the RMT picket line.

One answer - if you miss a connection because of (their) delays then your 'valid on booked service only' ticket becomes valid on another one. Leeds to KX, must be plenty of trains even on a strike day.

Second answer - if you've already spent out on Les Mis and a FC rail fare each, don't scrimp at the last.

Drive to Woodlesford and park at the station for free. It's only 1 stop, 10 minutes, into Leeds from there.

Or drive to a different station not on the Harrogate line and park for the day.

They are through tickets – but what difference would that make?

What withersea and theotherjonv said.

No use if you miss the show though.

Holiday Inn Express on Kirkstall Road, or Ibis thing at Quarry Hill, for the night before; scrounge a lift or get a bus/train/taxi into town on the Friday night.

Some shandies & maybe a gig or two in town too, then maybe you’ll think “wtf am I going to London for?”

Should I be worried that something may happen to the Harrogate to Leeds train then we completely miss our next train

Well, duh. It's a train. Of course it will be late.

Loads of free parking at Morley station for the weekend. A train every half hour into Leeds and takes 10 minutes.

Or drive to Kirkstall, loads of on street parking for free and Uber into town in about 10 minutes for a fiver.

Loads of free parking at Morley station for the weekend. A train every half hour into Leeds and takes 10 minutes.

that is ALWAYS late... and will be affected by strikes, as its a northern service

Dont go to london

Fly.

Walk. Best get a move on though.

Holiday Inn Express on Kirkstall Road, or Ibis thing at Quarry Hill, for the night before; scrounge a lift or get a bus/train/taxi into town on the Friday night.

That would be a nice idea but for the fact we don't have childcare arrangements for Friday night.

Does your train from Leeds to London stop at Wakefield? If you drive the little extra and join your train there, parking at the station is a fiver for the day on a weekend.

RM.

Good shout from roger on the wakefield option. Just remember to get off at wakefield on the way bacl to collect your car.

What kind of train ticket have you bought?  Some tickets are pretty restrictive on which trains you can use and (perhaps more importantly) where you can embark/disembark.  You might not be able to get on anywhere else is what I'm trying to say 🙂

Yeah that's a good shout - it does stop at Westgate.

Strictly you should not get on at Wakefield with a dedicated ticket - however since the stations are so close together my experience is that rule will not be enforced, especially on a strike day you will be fine I’m sure...

Strictly you should not get on at Wakefield with a dedicated ticket – however since the stations are so close together my experience is that rule will not be enforced, especially on a strike day you will be fine I’m sure…

As long as I’m getting on the right train, just further down the line (nearer the destination) I’ve never had a problem getting on at a different stop