by Clyde1998 »
29 May 2023 18:47
RG30 Had a bit of time to kill Saturday morning so took the train to Green Park before walking it to the stadium and back. Walk took 14 minutes at a reasonable pace. It wasn't particularly well sign posted but once you come out of the station follow the road and get onto the foot path next to it and it's straight on that past a few of the lakes etc, nice and scenic in the sun. As you get towards the stadium you'll walk up some stairs and it brings you by the car park (E1 specifically).
Next to the station is a Tesco Express with cash machine as well as a coffee shop which I missed. Saw a few others using it for the women's match but will certainly be a nice alternative.
It'll certainly take pressure off the roads. I'm sure it will be very helpful for those coming from Basingstoke.
Just doing a quick check on Google Maps, the fastest service (including transfers) I could find on a Saturday (prior to 14:30) from various places are (time in brackets is fastest driving time from station to station):
- 7 mins - Reading (11 mins)
- 18 mins - Basingstoke (24 mins)
- 25 mins - Wokingham (21 mins)
- 35 mins - Newbury (28 mins)
- 40 mins - Paddington (61 mins)
- 40 mins - Oxford (52 mins)
- 43 mins - Maidenhead (23 mins)
- 48 mins - Slough (30 mins)
- 52 mins - Farnborough (31 mins)
- 56 mins - Southampton Central (70 mins)
- 57 mins - Swindon (47 mins)
- 63 mins - Andover - (48 mins)
- 95 mins - Bristol Temple Meads (79 mins)
- 97 mins - Portsmouth & Southsea (74 mins)
- 106 mins - Coventry (102 mins)
- 129 mins - Birmingham New Street (123 mins)
- 253 mins - Newcastle (302 mins)
Green = 10%+ faster;
Red = 10%+ slower
It'll probably be used fairly regularly by those from the direct north or south (and London), but still typically faster to drive from the east and west. My figures don't take into account traffic, less helpful transfers, nor parking - so some places may be faster by train in practice.