Train timetables
Train timetables show you what time trains arrive at and depart from each station. You can use train timetables to work out how long your journey will take and when you will arrive at your destination.
When planning a journey with stops and changes you may need to work forwards from your departure time or backwards from your arrival time.
You will need to be familiar with both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock before you start.
Here are sections from two train timetables.
Cardiff to London
London to Cardiff
Siân lives in Cardiff and has a job interview in Reading at 15:45. She wants to arrive ten minutes before the interview starts and believes it will take her 25 minutes to walk to the office. Calculate the latest time she can depart Cardiff Central train station.
To calculate the departure time, work backwards from the interview time.
- Interview start time – 15:45
- Arrive at interview (ten minutes earlier) - 15:35
- Depart train station (25 minutes earlier) – 15:10
- Trains arrive at Reading at 13:31, 14:31, 15:31 and 16:31
- She will need to arrive at 14:31
- The train arriving at Reading at 14:31 departs from Cardiff at 12:55
Question
Stuart arrives at Aberdare at 12:15. He travels on the next train to Pontypridd where he meets a friend for one hour.
He then catches the next train to Cardiff Central for a meeting. An hour and a half later he returns to Cardiff Central and takes the next train to Manchester.
When does he arrive in Manchester?
To calculate the arrival time, work from 12.15 when he arrives at Aberdare station.
- Depart Aberdare on the 12:22 train
- Arrive in Pontypridd at 12:52
- Ready to leave Pontypridd one hour later at 13:52
- Depart Pontypridd on the 14:22 train and arrive in Cardiff at 14:54
- Ready to leave Cardiff an hour and a half later at 16:24 and catch the 16:50 train
- The 16:50 train arrives in Manchester at 20:15
