Great Western Coffee Shop

...and back 21 days later

Ok guys you have always come up with the goods for me so here goes :)

We are looking at the transport costs for taking a break abroad in July/ kaugust this year and we are considering getting the train from Thatcham to gatwick and then coming back 21 days later.

We haven't yet decided if we will travel out on a Thursday or Saturday late July but based on current rules what would be the cheapest way of doing this?

The party will consist of 3 (possibly 4) over 18s and one 13 year old

We need to be at the airport for 830 am on the way out.

Any suggestions ?

Thanks

Dave

FGW used to offer a Gatwick Flyaway ticket which offered very good value travel for up to 4 adults. It's still referenced on National Rail, but I can't find any reference to it on firstgreatwestern.co.uk so you may need to ask whether it still exists.

Though, the train times seem to suggest that you would have to leave Thatcham at around 6am, (maybe a bit later if you are willing to arrive at 0831). For peace of mind I would probably overnight at Gatwick and leave your car at the hotel - they all offer deals whereby if you stay one night you get the car parking relatively cheaply (though may be more for 21 days).  Or take the train the night before and pay for one night's stay.  Maybe that's the cautious side of me, but what happens if you wake up and the line's closed for some reason? Or worse you start your journey and then the delay emerges. You haven't much margin for error with an 0830 arrival required.

Thanks JohnR - I spent two years travelling on the north downs line to Reigate and thankfully the only time the service was unreliable was in the leaf season

However your thoughts echoed mine about the line being closed etcThe first tine we did the Florida run we found a cheap hotel in horley and stayed there the night before and like you say they looked after the car.

Thanks again for your thoughts

I'd go for the overnight option. There are a few B&Bs in the Horley area who do excellent deals for an overnight stay and private off road parking for the duration of your holiday, or an overnight stay with airport transfer if you take the train to Horley the night before.

Sadly, like John R I'd be reluctant to travel to the airport by train on the morning of your flight.

Thanks BNM - so that's two votes for not using rail on the day !

I have a single experience to tell.  August 1996.  The newsgroups alt.good.morning had been meeting at St Briavells Castle in South Wales for a week, with the last supper on Tuesday night.   I had been there over the weekend, but returned home to Nythe (in Swindon) on Sunday, and was giving a three day course on the GL graphic in Theale for Silicon Graphics on Monday through Wednesday.

A phone call on Monday evening, from the pub in St Briavells to my home.  A young lady (well - 18 months younger than me) who was a member of the group, and who I had spent time with during the meeting (and the week before on a pre-meetup) was concerned about how she could catch her 10:45 LGW to MIA flight on Wednesday after the last supper on Tuesday, using public transport. BNM would have loved the challenge!

After my course finished on the Tuesday, I drove to St Briavell's, ate supper too, drove the lady back to my flat in Nythe, and next morning on to Reading where I took her onto the platform and (here is my point) onto the train just in time as the doors closed.

I understand that on this occasion the train was on time to Gatwick and the flight made.   I've just double checked this - Lisa's now my wife  ;) and remembers that fortnight well

That is a lovely story Graham - thanks for sharing. I loved how the last paragraph brings the cautionary tale to a logical conclusion :)