Coach travel for away games

Is the coach travel worth it for long away days ? And is it convenient?
Or would you say its better to drive for longer away day trips ?

 

I love the long journey on the coach. Plenty of folk to talk to, good drink, have a sing song and will work out cheaper for the travel than the money you would use for petrol/diesel

 

Depends which coach you're going on. Club coaches are more expensive than the others and stop off en route at the services, but not on the way back.

They tend to get you there very early though, 3 hours at Reading last season.

 

Better to go in a car. Set off when you want, set off back when you want etc. Can stop off where you want. You're your own person.

 

Really depends what you are after. If you want to go for a good drink then pub coach's. If I'm not planning on drinking I just drive as it's a lot more convenient. If it's London I'd generally try and go on the train but at the moment that's not really a option due to strikes.

 

I drive all week for work so really enjoy courthouse coaches sit back lively banter and good sing song C,O,Y,R.

 

I believe we're setting off for Wimbledon sometime on Wednesday. 07:30, was it?

 

Leaving it a bit tight I reckon. It'll mean only 15 minutes in the services

 

This reminds me of when we went to Walsall on a club coach during the 2001/02 relegation season. We stopped at the services on the way back and the driver asked some lads at the back not to bring any "smelly food" on the coach this time, as they had done so on the way down. They completely ignored him and brought said "smelly food" onto the coach. He walked off in a strop for an hour and a half!

 

Personally, I'd rather not for longer journeys. Coaches rides can get a little tiresome. That said some lovely people on the official coaches.

 

Depends entirely what you want as others have said.

Benefits of coach travel:
You don't need to plan anything, just turn up when they tell you and jobs a good un.
You can drink.
It can be quite lovely, rowdy (if that's your thing) and tribal making the match more of a full day event.
It can work out cheaper than driving alone.

Benefits of driving
You can set off when you want and aren't being dictated to by other people.
It's usually much quicker journey. For example the coach back from Wembley for jpt took 1.5 hours longer than the car back for the play offs (or other way round I can't remember)
You don't have to listen to a coach load of people singing, shouting, getting pissed or generally acting like kids (if that's not your thing)
If there are few of you in a car it can be cheaper than the coach per person (if there's only 1 of you it rarely is).

It all comes down to what you personally want. I hate coaches myself. Went on a club coach down to Wembley back in the odejayi days and it was horrible. Being shouted at and herded around like cattle by those running the coach. There wasn't much rowdiness as I recall and the actual journey was fairly smooth but it took forever. I remember some friends went in a car and we left 2 hours before they did only for them to phone me from inside Wembley a good hour before we got there. Return journey we were sat in the coach carpark for 45 minutes waiting for one couple to get back on the coach.
Since then I've been with two different pubs and both times the coaches have been full of drunks before we had even got out of Barnsley. By the time we got to the ground they were just screaming and shouting constantly. No idea how they got into the ground tbh. Journey back again took an age as we were waiting for people to finally get back to the coach and then again waiting at services as they'd disappeared off to God knows where.

But it's all down to the individual person. I know loads who swear by coaches and wouldn't go away in a car if they were paid to.

 

Always preferred train for away trips , but hardly been away this season with the ongoing train strikes

 

We mix it up. Drive to most but jump on the bus if it works out cheaper or parking is a mare.

At Fulham, QPR and Villa we hired someone's drive for a few hours.

 

Spoke to a mate at the weekend who is going to Gillingham via a p*ss up in Ostend. As you do.

I realised that I must have taken a wrong turn in life.

 

Generally drive get 3 more in the car split the cost and we can do as we please. Odd game we stay over and make a weekend of it. In a pickle for Pompey away we want to stay over but nobody fancies driving 4.5 hours back on the Sunday after a skin full Saturday. Trains are working out £130 at the moment I can fly from Leeds Bradford to Southampton for £80 absolute madness the cost of train fares these day don’t know how some people afford the trains to London... etc on match day which normally work out at £100 including match day ticket.

Dodge the coaches take an age to get there and we like to get in a few pubs before hand. Wembley 2008 ours was one of the last coaches to leave and the driver wouldn’t let us get out when we were close to Wembley because he tight know where we were parking. Finally got to the ground half hour before kick off so it was straight to our seats and straight back to the coach after the game as our coach was one of the ones near the front exit. A long day out and didn’t have any time to meet friend before and after the game I vowed never to use the club coaches again. I realise they are good for families but not for a group of lads looking for a day out.

 

Boring fart

 

i go on train to most aways inc london 1s,ive got a railcard where 2 adults travel together getting a third off the fare,book 12 weeks in advance usually can get it for £15.20 each way re pompey i booked from sheff managed to get it for 45,i dont mind coach to near 1s but always train for longer 1s

 

Check the trains for Pompey.

Wouldnt surprise me if South Western are on strike.

 

Check the trains for Pompey.

Wouldnt surprise me if South Western are on strike.

 

will do mate,thanks 4 that