Different route to avoid using the tube

[whole diary]

[James158]

Hi

Please could somebody help with a different route enquiry.

Me and my mum has advance tickets from Bristol Temple Meads to Eastbourne in August and we wondered if we could change at Reading and take the train to Gatwick Airport and then to Brighton. This would then avoid us using the tube as I will be carrying a heavy suitcase up flights of steps and I didn't enjoy doing that at all last year.

Or, is the advance ticket only valid for using the tube. It shouldn't be as the train coming back is via the above route for the same price. All it says on the ticket is ''only valid for routes passing through Slough''. It is a shame that the 12:39 to Brighton didn't have a cheap ticket available as that journey would have been a lot quicker and easier.

Thanks for your help.

[JayMac]

With Advance tickets you have to stick to the itinerary as booked. I suspect you don't have seat reservations out of London Victoria down to Brighton/Eastbourne(?), but you will still need to travel as far as Paddington.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Agreed: if you have purchased advance tickets, you have to keep to the particular train journey for which those tickets were booked.  Not necessarily the same seats - but the same train journey.

[grahame]

If you've booked what's descibed as "Advance Single" tickets, then:

VALIDITY

You must travel on the date, time and trains specified. You may not start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station except to change to/from connecting trains as shown on the ticket(s) or other valid travel itinerary.

But if you've booked "Off Peak Single" tickets in advance then:

VALIDITY

Your journey must be on off-peak trains on the date specified. Off-peak times vary by route - our journey planner only shows off-peak tickets on trains for which they are valid.

In other words ... with the second type of ticket, even though it says "Routes via Slough" you are allowed to get off at Reading and cut your journey on that ticket short there. You could then buy a separate new ticket onward from Reading.   I'm not sure if you would be allowed to resume the previous ticket's use at Redhill, or have to use fresh tickets all the way from Reading to Eastbourne.

With the first type of ticket, you must use it on the specified train all the way to Paddington.  Technically, even if one of you was taken ill in Reading and you had to be taken from the station to hospital by ambulance, you would have to buy fresh full rate singles from Bristol. You could even be penalty fared as you tried to leave the station / change trains going off your original ticket.

In general, "Advance Single" tickets are very limited indeed in changes that can be made to your journey, and you should only book them if you are certain of your journey times, joining and leaving points, or if you are prepared to take the risk of loosing all or most of your money if you get it wrong, or if circumstances outside the control of an ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here) member conspire to have you miss your train.

[James158]

With Advance tickets you have to stick to the itinerary as booked. I suspect you don't have seat reservations out of London Victoria down to Brighton/Eastbourne(?), but you will still need to travel as far as Paddington.

No, we don't have seats reserved from London Victoria to Eastbourne. But it shouldn't be too busy, so I am sure we will get a table. We will go to Paddington and take the tube to Victoria.

Thanks for your help.

[eightf48544]

Even if you went Reading Gatwick you'd probably still have to carry your suitecase up and down stairs.


You can do Padd - Victoria by escalator Bakerloo Oxford Circus cross tunnel (level) onto  Victoria line to Victoria then up escalator. It's quite often quicker than dragging round the Circle. Although I think there are still steps up from LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) ticket office to concourse at Victoria, unlike Padd where there are escalators down to the LUL ticket office. So it can be done with probably with only one flight of stairs.

[grahame]

... This would then avoid us using the tube as I will be carrying a heavy suitcase up flights of steps and I didn't enjoy doing that at all last year ...

Taxi - Paddington to Victoria?   Not all that expensive if you compare it with two walkup fares on the tube - 10.80 (est) v 8.00 on the tube.

http://www.worldtaximeter.com/london/paddington+station/Victoria+Station
http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Travel/Transport/London/Underground.htm

[eightf48544]

But won't their tickets include the Tube if tehy are through tickets?

[grahame]

But won't their tickets include the Tube if tehy are through tickets?

Good point.   Still - on the cost of a holiday, with loads of chattels being taken along, they might feel that a tenner is a small extra price to pay for a journey that's less tiring and stressful.    I know that when I work in London, I use the taxi from Paddington if I'm carrying dragging more than about 25kgs.

[Mookiemoo]

... This would then avoid us using the tube as I will be carrying a heavy suitcase up flights of steps and I didn't enjoy doing that at all last year ...

Taxi - Paddington to Victoria?   Not all that expensive if you compare it with two walkup fares on the tube - 10.80 (est) v 8.00 on the tube.

http://www.worldtaximeter.com/london/paddington+station/Victoria+Station
http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Travel/Transport/London/Underground.htm

Having done Paddington to Victoria (well to a hotel right by there) I can tell you its a lot more than 10.80

Came more to something like 15.00

[johoare]

I know I've said this before on a different thread... But get the 36 or 436 bus from outside Paddington all the way to Victoria.. No steps at all, apart from the one to get onto the bus  .. If I remember rightly bus tickets are ^2 each... Much more pleasant than the tube and much cheaper than a cab..

[inspector_blakey]

Yes, you're absolutely right - GBP2.00 single fare, must be bought from the machines at the stop using exact change before you board the bus.

Not included in the cost of a through rail ticket but may well be far less stressful than the underground esp with luggage (and I don't see any issue with regards to routeing or availability of the advance ticket, as long as you're at Victoria in good time for your booked train which you must catch).

Out of Paddington up the ramp to Praed Street, turn left then wait at the first bus stop on the mainline station side of the road to catch a 436 which runs every few minutes.

[JayMac]

More visually pleasing as well. Down Edgware Road to Marble Arch, then Park Lane, Apsley House, Hyde Park Corner, skirt the western side of Brenda's gaff, then onto Victoria.

[johoare]

..and is generally quicker than the tube too.. I do that journey every day and only a handful of times (state opening of Parliament for example) is the bus slow as it gets stuck in traffic.. I'd recommend it every time

[James158]

But won't their tickets include the Tube if tehy are through tickets?

Yes, our tickets include using the tube.