Preston to Cheltenham on public transport

[DontCallMeBaby]

Ought to be straightforward on the train - Preston to Birmingham, Birmingham to Cheltenham. But the first leg is Avanti West Coast and they’re clearly a total shitshow.

So what other options are there? One seems to be Megabus to Birmingham, and then the train. It’ll take longer but DD isn’t too bothered (she’s aiming to come home from university on the 22nd).

National Express isn’t a goer as the one Preston to Birmingham coach leaves at 3.15am!

Is there anything I’m missing? And for anyone with experience of Avanti recently, should she hold out for them to release tickets for that weekend? Or give it up as a bad job and go straight for coach + train (or something else)?

It’ll be her first big journey by herself and it would be great if it weren’t a horrible experience 😩

Preston to Manchester, Manchester to Cheltenham on Northern? ,

DD and her BF travelled to and from Preston via London, afaik that's Avanti and I assumed through b'ham though I could be wrong - didn't have any trouble.

They travelled off peak and had booked seats.

@greenmoney thanks, that’s a good call. Slightly annoyingly there’s a single direct Mcr to Chelt train … leaving at 0906! No way she’d make that so it’ll be two changes.

@ErrolTheDragon that’s somewhat reassuring! If the tickets ever actually appear I think it’s worth a try.