But we're all Mancs right?

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Why Always Ste

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MCFC are delighted to announce a new travel experience designed especially for the Club’s loyal supporters living in the south of England.

Source: http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Club-news/2016/January/City-in-the-City-Express/1453800753

So a chartered train which for a midweek game the itinerary looks like this:

- 3.30pm - Train departs London Euston
- 5.30pm - Train arrives at Manchester Piccadilly
- 7.45pm – Kick-off
- 10.15pm – Train departs Manchester Piccadilly
- 12.15am – Train arrives at London Euston

Sounds pretty decent if you can afford it.
Hopefully Virgin will change their departure times for when we play down in London.
Catching that 9pm train last saturday from Euston was a ballache
 
Gremlin said:
You might be pushing it to get back to Piccadilly by 10.15. Yet more reasons for people to leave early...
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Indeed, most games end around 9.40ish so you'll have to get a shift on.

This would have been a godsend for me if I now didn't have a job that makes midweek games virtually impossible. I've spent the last 10 years blagging afternoons off and late starts to watch this type of thing. Sacking my season ticket off would have been the logical thing to do but since when has logic had anything to do with following City?

A train holds roughly 500 people and I would imagine that's more than enough for our London support. Happy to outline my City supporting credentials if the Manc police are on the case...
 
pace89 said:
A train holds roughly 500 people and I would imagine that's more than enough for our London support. ...
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500 you say?
packed-train-pakistan.jpg
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
Does that 100 quid ''match day package'' include the train fare?
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93:20 - £100 + VAT
Level 2 Premium Seat, matchday programme and access to the 93:20 sports bar.
All prices include standard return train travel from London to Manchester. Fans that already have a general admission or hospitality ticket for the game can also purchase a standard ticket on this exclusive chartered train for just £50 + VAT.

It is of course £120 in all.
 
MillionMilesAway said:
93:20 - £100 + VAT
Level 2 Premium Seat, matchday programme and access to the 93:20 sports bar.
All prices include standard return train travel from London to Manchester. Fans that already have a general admission or hospitality ticket for the game can also purchase a standard ticket on this exclusive chartered train for just £50 + VAT.

It is of course £120 in all.
Click to expand...

Its a pretty good deal price wise but I cant see the demand being high enough to fill a train. I know we have a lot of fans in London and the South East but I wouldn't have thought it was that many. Getting back at 12.15am you then have to get back to where you live which can be difficult at that time of night with our shite train service in this country.
 
You'd be surprised - I get the train from London for every home game and there are a lot of Blues on there. I have been waiting for Virgin to set up a late night train for night matches for ages as driving all the way from London up the M6
 
A very handy service for those of us living in London, but unless there are hordes of tourists out there that I'm not aware of, this train'll be a one car affair of the type you get going from Inverness to Lerwick. I'd estimate the London Branch of the OSC, plus those travelling independently, total no more than 100 - 150 or so (and that includes those getting on at Milton Keynes) for 3pm ko's on a Saturday, never mind midweekers. I can't imagine the price will be that attractive either, with the cheapest return being £60. Still, a welcome initiative for yours truly, even if it does only leave about 10 minutes to get the last tube.....
 
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... and then back again is a nightmare and means you get home at 02;00. Agree that getting back from Euston will be a problem (although not for me as I live close enough to cab it). Thing is they should make this open to those who already have a ticket (like me) rather than having to fork out for one of the hospitality packages.
 
siathers said:
... and then back again is a nightmare and means you get home at 02;00. Agree that getting back from Euston will be a problem (although not for me as I live close enough to cab it). Thing is they should make this open to those who already have a ticket (like me) rather than having to fork out for one of the hospitality packages.
Click to expand...

All prices include standard return train travel from London to Manchester. Fans that already have a general admission or hospitality ticket for the game can also purchase a standard ticket on this exclusive chartered train for just £50 + VAT
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
Its a pretty good deal price wise but I cant see the demand being high enough to fill a train. I know we have a lot of fans in London and the South East but I wouldn't have thought it was that many. Getting back at 12.15am you then have to get back to where you live which can be difficult at that time of night with our shite train service in this country.
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The demand might be there if it stopped on route at Milton Keynes, lots of us go there to pick up a Manchester train.

I can't see the demand at those prices, and not everyone wants a corporate view, I know I don't.

I don't understand why Virgin just don't put on a 10:15 train on match nights (same for united), there would be plenty of people to get it, even if it gets you into London late, its better than driving back on our motorways.
 
cleavers said:
The demand might be there if it stopped on route at Milton Keynes, lots of us go there to pick up a Manchester train.

I can't see the demand at those prices, and not everyone wants a corporate view, I know I don't.

I don't understand why Virgin just don't put on a 10:15 train on match nights (same for united), there would be plenty of people to get it, even if it gets you into London late, its better than driving back on our motorways.
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Yup. If it was £40 I'd be inclined to give it a try, but £50+VAT (which is £60) is prohibitive. I wouldn't pay that on a Saturday and similarly I won't pay it on a Wednesday
 
Exeter Blue I am here said:
I'd estimate the London Branch of the OSC, plus those travelling independently, total no more than 100 - 150 or so (and that includes those getting on at Milton Keynes) for 3pm ko's on a Saturday, never mind midweekers.
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Its probably more than that, as people spread over a number of trains at a weekend each way, quite a lot get on at MK, and I guess others at Watford ? I've only been using the train this season, but I was surprised how many got on at MK, I've talked to people from as far away as Cambridge who do drive to MK.

Exeter Blue I am here said:
Yup. If it was £40 I'd be inclined to give it a try, but £50+VAT (which is £60) is prohibitive. I wouldn't pay that on a Saturday and similarly I won't pay it on a Wednesday
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Same.
 
cleavers said:
Its probably more than that, as people spread over a number of trains at a weekend each way, quite a lot get on at MK, and I guess others at Watford ? I've only been using the train this season, but I was surprised how many got on at MK, I've talked to people from as far away as Cambridge who do drive to MK.

Same.
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Yeh, I suppose there's 4 or 5 key trains that City fans tend to use, but I do know (being a member) that until the recent sponsorship deal, Virgin Trains had been an ever increasing pain in the arse for the London Branch of the OSC to deal with, to the point that their inflexibility over group ticket prices virtually destroyed the OSC's travelling support. We used to routinely take 50 or 60, but this season we've been down to less than half that amount, because Virgin priced us out of the market.
It would be a big help if, for instance, Virgin let us claim the season card holder's 25% discount they offer on other trains, but until they do then the new charter service is unlikely to see my oversized arse on one of its seats. Looking at the small print though, I suspect regular punters like me and you aren't who this service is really being aimed at......
 
Exeter Blue I am here said:
Looking at the small print though, I suspect regular punters like me and you aren't who this service is really being aimed at......
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Maybe not now, but when its considerably under subscribed, they might. Why don't you all book independently now, and use the City discount and get your 25% off ?

(Tip - don't use the via Warrington option....quite a few of us on it a couple of weeks ago, and the train to Warrington was delayed, so we ended late for connection, I ran between the 2 stations (all taxis gone when I got off the platform), luckily the connection from Carlisle was also delayed, but I won't be doing that again.)
 
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