Foster Wheeler Park & Ride - opinions?

[cp]

I used to work close to the stadium and so could park in the office car park, but have now moved. It was good while it lasted!

Looking at the alternatives using the Foster Wheeler Park & Ride may be the best for my location.

Does anyone know if it works okay - specifically:

- Are the queues long to get on the bus at FW?
- How about at the end of the game, is it a long queue to get back?
- Does the bus have to wait the 45 minutes after the game like cars do?

many thanks.

[Forbury Lion]

Foster Wheeler buses go straight away, normally two double deckers that go back and forth - If you rush down the hill (Away end) and get on the first bus you may find yourself back at your car before the barriers lift in the car park for cars.

Foster Wheeler isn't somewhere I would want to park and leave my car unattended, You may want to consider the urban buses and park in a local street or pub car park for free and catch one of those - £4 return if you pick one nearby, downside is they run one bus to the game and one bus back.

[cheeryoleary]

Foster wheeler is great. You can park your motor and walk to the ground. It's downhill for most of the way.
Find yourself a used bus ticket on the way to the ground and flash it to the driver for a free trip back to FW.

You aint seen me, right?

[West Stand Man]

Foster Wheeler isn't somewhere I would want to park and leave my car unattended

Why is that? It might help if we knew what the problem was up there. I thought that FW had security guards etc on site, but would be very interested to know if there is a known problem in that area.

[Warfield Royal]

The bus route from Foster Wheeler to the Madstad is Whitley Wood Lane then past HP/Compaq/Digital which can be gridlocked with cars trying to park. If the traffic is really bad then the buses can get stuck in the queues and this can also delay the buses getting back to Foster Wheeler for the next pick up.

[fridays child]

have used the P&R many times.

Only time I had to get off and walk was Chelsea a couple of years ago, and even then it was because the k**b of a driver took the wrong turning.
Even so I'd try to be there at least an hour before KO

After the game get down the hill quick, it's quite a wait if you miss the first buses.

Remember to have the right change as well

[Gordons Cumming]

Used it all last season and had no problems at all.

Get there at about 13.45pm and get first bus back at end of game and am home by 5.20pm in Lower Earley.

Sorted.

£2.50 fare which will probably go up to £3.00 on Saturday.

[Bowman's Quiver]

I would highly recommend it now that I've got to grips with the pitfalls.

It's no good turning up with half an hour to spare before kick-off for starters. You might get lucky but we were about 8-0 against Norwich last season before our bus finally turned up to pick up.

Also, don't cut it fine at the other end. Against Southampton I had the temerity to go for a drink before wandering back for the bus, the last one of which had gone.......despite a timetable that clearly stated I was 15 minutes early for the last departure. Reading buses, to their credit, refunded me the cost of a taxi (even if I did get a free lift from a mate!!!) but I got some strange looks from people when as I took photos of the timetable at 10.30 at night.

I have to say that generally I think it's a great way of get in and out of hte Madejski. The moral of the story is leave plenty of time (over an hour) catching the bus in; and don't overly hang about after the end of the game.

[Warfield Royal]

Do the buses before the match follow a timetable or do they go when they are full?

Once I arrive and park my car, how long might I have to wait for a bus to set off from Foster Wheeler?

[midlandadie]

well worth parking there ! easy to get to and away from!if you park there at 2pm on wards your best walking cause the traffic is murder to the ground! plus buses are so busy on the way back they dont check for tickets sometimes free journey back to the car!

[Gordons Cumming]

Do the buses before the match follow a timetable or do they go when they are full?

They go when they're fullish

Once I arrive and park my car, how long might I have to wait for a bus to set off from Foster Wheeler?

Depends when you arrive. Before 2.00pm is best. About 15 mins

[Warfield Royal]

Do the buses before the match follow a timetable or do they go when they are full?

They go when they're fullish

Once I arrive and park my car, how long might I have to wait for a bus to set off from Foster Wheeler?

Depends when you arrive. Before 2.00pm is best. About 15 mins

I might start using FW if as rumoured the HP car park closes later in the season.

Where do the buses from the MadStad depart after the match?

[Gordons Cumming]

Do the buses before the match follow a timetable or do they go when they are full?

They go when they're fullish

Once I arrive and park my car, how long might I have to wait for a bus to set off from Foster Wheeler?

Depends when you arrive. Before 2.00pm is best. About 15 mins

I might start using FW if as rumoured the HP car park closes later in the season.

Where do the buses from the MadStad depart after the match?

Just past the roundabout at the bottom of the hill on the left hand side.
If there is no bus there at first, just wait and a queue will form eventually and the buses will arrive.

[Royal Lady]

I've just read in the EP that RFC have stopped subsidising Reading Buses family ticket to the Mad Stad for this season - I think there might be a few more people taking this park and ride malarkey.

[West Stand Man]

Still no hint from Forbury Lion on why he thinks the FW car park is a dodgy place to leave your car. Come on, be helpful and let us know the inside info!

[Royal Lady]

He doesn't leave his car there. I know that much. That's because he doesn't have a car though.

[West Stand Man]

He doesn't leave his car there. I know that much. That's because he doesn't have a car though.

If I didn't have a car I wouldn't leave it there either!

[Royal Lady]

He doesn't leave his car there. I know that much. That's because he doesn't have a car though.

If I didn't have a car I wouldn't leave it there either!

good point. There must be something wrong with not leaving a car you haven't got there - I'd ask Forbes.

[STAR Liaison]

I've just read in the EP that RFC have stopped subsidising Reading Buses family ticket to the Mad Stad for this season - I think there might be a few more people taking this park and ride malarkey.

I haven't heard this change from the club but what I was told is that the club has stopped subsidising ALL tickets on the buses to the Mad Stad. Before Reading Buses were contractors and RFC actually set the fares and so picked up the shortfall if ticket prices did not cover the hire of the buses, but this season Reading Buses are running them as part of their operation.

[Royal Lady]

Well according to EP it's going to cost £8 now to the Mad Stad (return) and Reading Buses are putting the blame squarely on RFC's shoulders.