Group Rail Travel

Supporters who travel with the Charlton Athletic Rail Travel Group regularly to away games outside Greater London can usually take advantage of discounted return rail fares thanks to special group deals negotiated independently by Charlton supporter Syd Cheeswright.

For the game against Exeter City on Saturday, September 4th, the train leaves Paddington at 11.35, arriving Exeter St Davids at 13.53, in time to catch the local train at 14.18 for the six-minute journey to Exeter St James' Park station that is just across the road from the football ground of the same name.

The return train from Exeter St James Park station departs at 17.18, giving supporters plenty of time to catch the 18.02 main line train from St Davids, arriving 20.39 at Paddington.

The adult discounted rail fare for regular supporters will be between £35.50 and £47 return depending upon the actual number of adult passengers who must travel together on both the above outward (11.35) and return (18.02) trains. Accompanied U16s, one per adult, will be able to travel for £1 return. The latest date for booking discounted rail fare tickets is 9.30pm on Monday, August 30th.

St James' Park ground is a 1.2m walk east from Exeter St Davids station along a not very straightforward route. As the fare from Paddington to both Exeter St Davids and to Exeter St James' Park stations is the same, the local train is definitely the better option.

The standard class super off-peak day return fare from Paddington to Exeter is £64.70, or £42.70 with a senior railcard.

For the game against Tranmere Rovers on Saturday, September 18th, the good news is that there are no engineering works that weekend between Euston and Liverpool Lime Street. The not so good news is that the number of discounted rail fare return tickets available is very limited, over half of which have already been sold. Preference will now therefore be given, for the remainder of the cheap tickets, to supporters who travelled regularly last season with the Rail Travel Group. The adult discounted rail fare from Euston, via Liverpool, through to Birkenhead is £39 return, half price for U16s. The latest date for booking is 9.30pm on Monday, September 6th.

Our train leaves Euston at 11.07, arriving Liverpool Lime Street at 13.15. The return train from Liverpool departs at 18.48, arriving 21.15 at Euston. In between there is a Merseyrail (underground) return journey from Lime Street to either Birkenhead Central or to Rock Ferry. The Merseyrail trains on the Wirral Line run every 15 minutes. The journey time to Birkenhead Central is nine minutes (four stations) and 14 minutes (six stations) to Rock Ferry.

Prenton Park is one and quarter miles south from Birkenhead Central station and a one-mile walk west from Rock Ferry station. The former, while a longer walk, has an advantage that there are frequent buses (including route 83 and 83A) from the nearby Birkenhead bus station to, or near, the football ground.

The standard class off-peak day return fare from Euston through to Rock Ferry is £66.10, or £43.65 with a senior railcard. The same fare applies to the alternative, but slightly longer, route via Crewe and Chester. For example, the 10.40 departure from Euston arrives 13.59 at Rock Ferry. The return at 17.29 arrives 21.18 at Euston. Change trains at Crewe and Chester in both directions.

Group rail travel will not function for the away game against Brentford on October 2nd 2010. The ground is 0.35 miles east of Brentford railway station. Walk south-east from the station along (A3002) Boston Manor Road, take the second left into (B452) Windmill Road and then first right into Clifden Road. The away supporters western entrance (Brook Road stand) is at the end of Clifden Road.

Brentford station is served by South West Trains from Waterloo, trains stopping 10 minutes later outward at Clapham Junction. The faster route trains depart Waterloo at 13.07 and then at 22, 37 and 52 minutes past each hour. The journey time is 30 minutes from Waterloo. Return trains depart Brentford at 17.24 and 17.39, thereafter every 15 minutes. The journey time is 32 minutes to Waterloo. The off-peak adult return fare is £6.70 return.

South Ealing Station, direct on the London Underground Piccadilly line, is 0.9 miles from the ground. Alternatively, change at Acton Town from the District Line. The journey time by either route is about 28 minutes from Central London. From South Ealing Station, walk south along (B455) Ealing Road to the eastern end of Griffin Park.

Another alternative includes bus route 65 that passes the ground from Kingston and/or Express Route X26, which operates every half hour from Croydon to Kingston. Tramlink operates from Beckenham or Elmers End, changing at East Croydon station, to Wimbledon. Buses 57 and 131 then go from Wimbledon station to Kingston.

For the game against Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, October 9th, the fast train leaves Paddington at 10.06, arriving 13.11 at Plymouth. The return train from Plymouth departs at 17.54, arriving 21.32 at Paddington.

The adult discounted rail fare for regular supporters will be between £39.50 and £52 return, depending upon the actual number of adult passengers who must travel together on both the above outward (10.06) and return (17.54) trains. Accompanied U16s, one per adult, will be able to travel for £1 return. The latest date for booking discounted rail fare tickets is 9.30pm on Monday, September 27th.

Home Park is 1.2 miles north from Plymouth station. Buses go north along (A386) Alma Road, after departing from the opposite side of Saltash Road to the entrance/exit of the station. Get off the bus just before the junction with Wolseley Road and Outland Road, cross Alma Road and walk initially east into, and through, Central Park. The ground is then towards the north-east through the car park. Alternatively, there is a shorter route by walking north through Central Park from Central Park Avenue that is to the right at its junction, north of the railway line, with Stuart Road.

The standard class super off-peak day return fare from Paddington to Plymouth is £71.70, or £47.35 with a senior railcard.

Similar to our earlier fixture with Tranmere Rovers, the good news for the game against Carlisle United on Saturday, October 23rd, is that there are no engineering works that weekend between Euston and Carlisle. The not so good news is that the number of discounted rail fare return tickets available is very limited and, therefore, preference will be given to those supporters who travelled regularly last season with the Rail Travel Group.

Our train leaves Euston at 10.30, arriving Carlisle at 13.46. The return train from Carlisle departs at 18.52, arriving 22.45 at Euston. The adult discounted rail fare from Euston to Carlisle is £43 return, half price for U16s. The latest date for booking is 9.30 pm on Monday, October 11th.

Brunton Park is 0.9 miles east of Carlisle railway station. Turn right from the front of the station into (A6) Botchergate and then left into (one-way opposite) Tait Street which leads into Aglionby Street. At the end, take the right fork into Warwick Road towards the ground 0.4 miles along on the left-hand side.

Tickets have not been purchased (in advance by Syd) for the 17.52 departure from Carlisle because the discounted fare for this earlier train would have been £6.50 dearer.

The standard class off-peak day return fare from Euston to Carlisle is £92, or £60.70 with a senior railcard.

• Fans wanting to purchase specific discounted group rail tickets should call Syd on 020-8688 3916 between 7pm and 9.30pm on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday or Friday evenings (except when there is a Charlton evening game), not later than the closing date specified above. No late train ticket bookings or payments will be accepted.