is it worth is to get a rail pass for mostly local travel?

Hey Folks!

In August I will flying into Heathrow and traveling to Bristol to spend 10 days looking for jobs and places to live in the general area.

I really don't know to where I will be traveling yet - but I assume it will be in a 50 mile radius of Bristol (ie. Cardiff, Bath, around Somerset).

Will a rail pass be useful or will I be taking buses mostly?  Will it be better to hire a car for specific travel days?

For $265, I can get a 4 day flexpass, $395 for 8 days.   I'm having trouble finding out how much individual trips cost.

Thanks,
Holly

 I'm having trouble finding out how much individual trips cost.

I can't help you with info about travel around the Bristol area since I don't spend much time down there, but the National Rail Journey planner is useful for figuring out train times and fares.   

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/en/pj/jp

I would say don't bother with the rail pass - it's £130 for 4 days and nearly £200 for 8 days, but a round trip day ticket from Bristol to Cardiff is as cheap as £8.90 and a round trip day ticket to Bath is from £6. Even a trip all the way down to Exeter is only £21 return. So if you can get the cheaper tickets (www.thetrainline.com is good for booking in advance), if you do say 4 day trips, you'd only be looking at a cost of maybe £80 (at an estimated average of £20 per trip, allowing for changes in ticket prices)

I agree with Ksand24. Just be aware that the buses in Bristol and Bath are moving away from giving change. Make sure you have the exact amounts on hand or you'll get ripped off! Very annoying!

Thanks guys!

I'm going to bookmark both those links.

Yea, looks like I'd have to work really hard to burn up the cost of those passes over the days allowed.

I agree with Ksand24. Just be aware that the buses in Bristol and Bath are moving away from giving change. Make sure you have the exact amounts on hand or you'll get ripped off! Very annoying!

Yeah, I had to pay with a tenner a few months ago (ticket was £6 or so) and the bus driver was not happy. He took my £10 and then made me wait until he had change... but then everyone was paying with notes and I'm thinking 'He's not going to have any change to give me at this rate'. I think I did manage to get the change eventually (about 45 minutes later), but I've also been given a 'change' ticket (don't know what the official name for it is) before - it says they owe you money and you're supposed to exchange it for cash on your next bus ride or put it towards your next fare.

A friend of mine had real trouble using a 'change ticket' - the driver gave her the ticket and told her she could use it on another bus/another day. She tried to do that the next day, getting on the same bus, with the same driver and he refused to take it (despite giving it to her the day before)!!

Yeah, I had to pay with a tenner a few months ago (ticket was £6 or so) and the bus driver was not happy. He took my £10 and then made me wait until he had change... but then everyone was paying with notes and I'm thinking 'He's not going to have any change to give me at this rate'. I think I did manage to get the change eventually (about 45 minutes later), but I've also been given a 'change' ticket (don't know what the official name for it is) before - it says they owe you money and you're supposed to exchange it for cash on your next bus ride or put it towards your next fare.

A friend of mine had real trouble using a 'change ticket' - the driver gave her the ticket and told her she could use it on another bus/another day. She tried to do that the next day, getting on the same bus, with the same driver and he refused to take it (despite giving it to her the day before)!!

One of my kids had that happen to them.  The problem is that fares have gone up so it's a lot of change to expect someone to have and old people get free bus travel so they're not getting the change from them. 

/highjack over.