Travel Quandary. Need Advice.

Martynb_

Hi,


I'm due to start college and need to travel from Wigan to Manchester. However, the college is in Northenden in the South of Manchester and I am unemployed. I believe this is going to cost me a small fortune, but the college said that they would fund £6 of the journey.


Stagecoach run a bus from Wigan to Manchester and from Manchester to Northenden. The trouble is that there will be a chance that I will not be able to get to college for 9am by taking the bus.


No train runs to Northenden from Manchester.


A train runs to East Didsbury and then I would have to get off and walk all the way to Northenden - something which I dread doing because I have suffer from excessive sweating and it is worse in the morning if I have to walk any length of distance.


If I get a stagecoach daysaver will that allow me to travel anywhere within Manchester?


If I get a return ticket from Wigan to Manchester, will I be able to use that ticket to get another train from Manchester to East Didsbury?


My concern here is both cost and time. A train is quicker but it looks to be more expensive. A bus takes longer, and there's a chance the bus from Wigan to Manchester doesn't start until 8.30.


Just my luck! You'd think I get a college course nearer to where I live but they've just axed the course!

cookie365

Where exactly in Northenden is the college? If it's the one just off Princess Parkway before you get to Wythenshawe Park then that's a long walk from East Didsbury.

How about getting the train to Deansgate, walking across to the tram station at Castlefield, from there to Withington, and then walk or bus the rest of the way along Princess Parkway?

No idea how long that'll take or how much it'll cost though.

cookie365

Or if you still want to get the train to East Didsbury the 370 bus looks like it goes to Northenden. 194 too.

cookie365

Oh, and I just remembered - the airport extension to the tram network is ahead of schedule and looks like it might open later this year. It passes to the West of Northenden.

So you could maybe change from train to tram at Deansgate, get off at Northern Moor and walk the rest.

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/futuremetrolink/Pages/airport-line.aspx

Martynb_

cookie365 wrote: »

Where exactly in Northenden is the college? If it's the one just off Princess Parkway before you get to Wythenshawe Park then that's a long walk from East Didsbury.

How about getting the train to Deansgate, walking across to the tram station at Castlefield, from there to Withington, and then walk or bus the rest of the way along Princess Parkway?

No idea how long that'll take or how much it'll cost though.

And pay for all the extra stuff? The college won't even help me with train fares! Just found that out today.

Martynb_

cookie365 wrote: »

Oh, and I just remembered - the airport extension to the tram network is ahead of schedule and looks like it might open later this year. It passes to the West of Northenden.

So you could maybe change from train to tram at Deansgate, get off at Northern Moor and walk the rest.

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/futuremetrolink/Pages/airport-line.aspx

No good to me. The course ends in December.

Martynb_

cookie365 wrote: »

Or if you still want to get the train to East Didsbury the 370 bus looks like it goes to Northenden. 194 too.

I paid £4.00 today to get to East Didsbury and even then I had to get a bus to get to the college. I already paid £5 for a bus ticket to Manchester.

tonymc

Have you checked the range of System One tickets available within Greater Manchester? Not sure if you are a full-time student (or Young Person under 21) as these tickets attract a discount.

The website is http://www.systemonetravelcards.co.uk/travelcards/one-day

Maybe worth using the bus only, as you would be travelling against the rush hour traffic going from Manchester to Northenden, and again in the evening.

cookie365

I think you need to decide the value to you of this course.

cookie365

So how are you getting on with the commute?