Travel from London to Alton Towers

I second this, but just means you wouldn't get reserved seats for the return journey.

 

Maybe it depends on the website but last time I bought railway tickets (through Loco2, now Raileurope) I was able to pick my favorite return train and reserve seats on that.

 

Ah that's not open return then. Open return means you don't book a particular train and can get any train (within your ticket restrictions) on your return day, which is more flexible. You won't have reserved seats though like I said.

 

Speedy is right, you can choose a specific train on an open return, it means you can catch any train but you will have a reserved seat on your specific one only. If you miss that train you can still use the ticket on another service.

 

The UK train ticketing system is almost impossible for the locals to understand, never mind visitors.

Are there not any reliable coach excursions from London to Alton Towers, so the travel is sorted end to end?
Google turns up tours like these:
https://www.darshantravels.co.uk/tours/alton-towers-amusement-park/
http://angeltours.co.uk/tour_detail/12

Angel Tours claims to be running a tour on 29th Dec... which makes me suspicious, as why would there be demand for the Walleyworld experience of visiting a closed park, and the other one looks too vague as well.

National holidays certainly are parked at AT regularly, so these definately exist. I think they tend to package trips with a hotel night though:
https://nationalholidays.com/family-trips/alton-towers

 

cough cough trainsplit.com

 

Most coach trips from London to Towers are of the type that made my first visit hardly worth it in peak season: There and back in a day, don't get on park until around mid-day and have to leave at 4 (back in the 90's when the park was open late evenings in summer).

 

Agreed; I don't like coach trips like that. Bit pointless tbh.

 

You spent more time travelling than actually being on park? I wouldn't have even bothered.

 

Yup!

It was the 90's. It made sense at the time.

 

I suppose the trains weren't really worth it then? Like a bus from Uttox was badly connected (if it even existed)

 

Well, [deep breath]...
My mate was in the ECC, and got a good deal on group rates. We ended up with a full coach load of school buddies who had only really ever been to Chessington or Thorpe [I was considered well traveled park-wise because I had been to Margate! The guy who booked this had been to Florida and Portaventura, so was the coaster-count king of our lot and the chap who made me what I am today. But that's another story...] ... And we were all eagre to see this new "Oblivion" contraption that my mate had seen a grainy black and white construction photo of in First Drop and waved around excitedly at us all.
Besides, we all wanted a distraction from GCSE revision.

Of course, it never occurred to us that it while WE had broken up early for exams, it was still peak school trip season.

So the trip itself was great, as it was one of the last times that extended friend circle were all together socially. So many memories. My first ride on Nemesis! and to be fair, a coach load of 16 year olds, with no adult to keep them in check other than the driver.... who YOU are paying this time.... Well, needless to say, the time on the coach seemed to fly by.

But just to be clear on this: Do NOT attempt to travel to Alton Towers from London by bus / coach! Only a fool would do that!

 

@DiogoJ42 That's actually a great story! I guess it's who you go to parks with to have a great time more than the rides themselves.

I've done a coach up to Towers. Well actually I went to Stoke and got a cab all the way there, got there about 1PM. Thankfully I had a RAP (which was much more relaxed at the time) and was staying over.

 

I never really thought about it before, but yes, I suppose it COULD be used as evidence that good company can make an otherwise infuriating day still be a memorable one!

 

Only done Towers once from London, car with mates around the same time as Diogo.
Even by car, Towers is awful for a day trip.
Ended up as the best part of four hours drive each way, and a two hour queue for Corky.
Towers from London in a day?
Better by teleportation or helicopter!