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Through tickets to the Isle of Wight

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IrishDave

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I'm planning a day trip to the Isle of Wight at some point. Does a ticket from, say, Brighton to Shanklin include travel on a ferry crossing? If so, which ferry?

I've noticed that tickets from some SWT stations (e.g. Havant, Waterloo) to Shanklin have separately-priced tickets for Wightlink vs. Hovertravel, but something like Brighton-Shanklin just has "Any Permitted", so does that allow travel on either Wightlink or Hovertravel?

Thanks in advance.
 
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Michael.Y

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I'm planning a day trip to the Isle of Wight at some point. Does a ticket from, say, Brighton to Shanklin include travel on a ferry crossing? If so, which ferry?

I've noticed that tickets from some SWT stations (e.g. Havant, Waterloo) to Shanklin have separately-priced tickets for Wightlink vs. Hovertravel, but something like Brighton-Shanklin just has "Any Permitted", so does that allow travel on either Wightlink or Hovertravel?

Thanks in advance.

Wightlink serves Ryde Pier Head and Portsmouth Harbour stations with its FastCat service.

It would appear that the Hovertravel route require a bus ride from Portsmouth & Southsea station to the Hover terminal, and then a walk from Ryde beach to Ryde Esplanade station. However you only save £3 on the price of a single ticket (Havant > Shanklin) as far as I can see.

Besides, you wouldn't want to miss out on a ride on the pier?
 

transportphoto

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CyrusWuff

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Unless otherwise stated in the "Route" field, through tickets to Island Line stations are only valid on Wightlink from Portsmouth to Ryde. For the other routes, you need to buy to the relevant terminal on the island (Cowes East for Red Funnel ferries, Cowes West for Red Jet, Ryde Hoverport or Yarmouth IOW) and then buy a separate ticket for Island Line
 

IrishDave

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Unless otherwise stated in the "Route" field, through tickets to Island Line stations are only valid on Wightlink from Portsmouth to Ryde. For the other routes, you need to buy to the relevant terminal on the island (Cowes East for Red Funnel ferries, Cowes West for Red Jet, Ryde Hoverport or Yarmouth IOW) and then buy a separate ticket for Island Line

Thank you, that's exactly what I was looking for. Can I take it, then, that there is no ticket that would allow travel outwards by WightLink and return by Hovertravel?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
One possibility if you're visiting the IoW on a day when the steam railway is operating is to get a ticket from whereever you are in the UK to Ryde Pier Head and then on the train from Ryde Pier Head towards Shanklin get from the guard an Island Liner ticket

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/promotions.aspx#166427

Ooh, thanks for that, I'll look into that as I missed out on the steam railway last time I was there. :)
 

James Wake

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Do make sure the steam railway is in operation that day that you want to visit, you could also ask the guard for the Island Liner before it leaves Ryde Pier Head, if there is time available. They may just say they'll come to you on the way.
 

ainsworth74

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Are there any tickets, once on the island, that include bus and rail?
 

TEW

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You can buy through tickets for the bus link to Ventnor, but that appears to be it. There's no combined rover type ticket available. Fares do appear to be available for Portsmouth Station-Ventnor Bus, which would allow travel by train, ferry, train then bus, rather unusual for one ticket.
 
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Blindtraveler

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Thanks for all these tips and tricks guys, v relevant as planning my own trip. Incidentally the inclusive rail and ferry ticket via Portsmouth, is this only valid on SWT services to and from Portsmouth Harbour or can the journey to portsmouth be made on Southern or FGW?
 

bnm

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For the other routes, you need to buy to the relevant terminal on the island (Cowes East for Red Funnel ferries, Cowes West for Red Jet, Ryde Hoverport or Yarmouth IOW) and then buy a separate ticket for Island Line

Some origin stations in the south and south east have through fares to Island Line stations routed ANY PERM+HOVRTVL allowing rail travel to Portsmouth Stations, transfer to Southsea Hoverport by bus, hovercraft, and then onward rail travel from Ryde Esplanade.

Nearly always cheaper than ANY PERM+WIGHTLK.
 
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Starmill

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Does it work in the same fashion for Advances? I have a Manchester Stations to Shanklin 'VTWC& CONNECTNS' ticke coming up soon. Just the train to Portsmouth Harbour and then Wightlink to Ryde Pier Head?
 

CyrusWuff

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Some origin stations in the south and south east have through fares to Island Line stations routed ANY PERM+HOVRTVL allowing rail travel to Portsmouth Stations, transfer to Southsea Hoverport by bus, hovercraft, and then onward rail travel from Ryde Esplanade.

Indeed. Hence why I said "unless otherwise stated in the "Route" field". ;)
 

ainsworth74

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No plusbus, and nothing on Southern Vectis' website that indicates any sort of hookup with Island Line.

You can buy through tickets for the bus link to Ventnor, but that appears to be it. There's no combined rover type ticket available. Fares do appear to be available for Portsmouth Station-Ventnor Bus, which would allow travel by train, ferry, train then bus, rather unusual for one ticket.

That's what I suspected but thanks for checking :)

Thanks for all these tips and tricks guys, v relevant as planning my own trip. Incidentally the inclusive rail and ferry ticket via Portsmouth, is this only valid on SWT services to and from Portsmouth Harbour or can the journey to portsmouth be made on Southern or FGW?

As far as I'm aware the ticket to Portsmouth is not TOC restricted so you can use any TOC to get there (or coming back).

Does it work in the same fashion for Advances? I have a Manchester Stations to Shanklin 'VTWC& CONNECTNS' ticke coming up soon. Just the train to Portsmouth Harbour and then Wightlink to Ryde Pier Head?

Yes the same as the walk up tickets it's only valid on Wightlink to Ryde (I do not believe there are any APs which permit travel on the Hovercraft but happy to be corrected).
 

TEW

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Yes the same as the walk up tickets it's only valid on Wightlink to Ryde (I do not believe there are any APs which permit travel on the Hovercraft but happy to be corrected).
London Terminals to stations in the Isle of Wight excluding Ryde stations shows Advance fares routed ADVANCE+HOVRTVL. Finding them quite easily online by specifying an itinerary avoiding Portsmouth Harbour.
 
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Andyh82

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Wightlink accept Tesco Clubcard boost vouchers if that is any use. SWT also sell Megatrain fares on the Portsmouth mainline route.

As Megatrain also accept Tesco Clubcard vouchers, my recent trip from Waterloo to Ryde was almost free as a result.

I went brave enough for the hovercraft, the fast cat ferry was rough enough in this great British Summer for my liking.
 

fandroid

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I have never tried to look it up, but are there any tickets available for through travel to Fishbourne IOW? That's served by the car ferry from Portsmouth which goes from just the other side of Gunwharf Quays from Portsmouth Harbour station. Not likely to be an extremely popular route, but good if you are headed to Wootton on the island.
 

cav1975

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I have never tried to look it up, but are there any tickets available for through travel to Fishbourne IOW? That's served by the car ferry from Portsmouth which goes from just the other side of Gunwharf Quays from Portsmouth Harbour station. Not likely to be an extremely popular route, but good if you are headed to Wootton on the island.

In long ago BR days tickets to Ryde were commonly accepted at Fishbourne, but I don't know the current position.

Fishbourne is quite a long way from the nearest bus stop.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Are there any tickets, once on the island, that include bus and rail?

Wightlink do a range of "Combination Tickets" at their ticket office adjacent to the catamaran boarding point at Portsmouth Harbour, so It can be worth booking rail tickets to Portsmouth & buying the Combination ticket there.

http://www.wightlink.co.uk/go/tickets-prices/foot-passengers/

Alternatively both Southern Vectis and Island Line Trains do independent day rover tickets £10 & £5.80 respectively for a full price adult.

Best bet from Portsmouth Harbour to do both bus & train networks (excluding the steam railway) looks like a Wightlink "Island Express" ticket (Ferry + Electric Trains) and a bus rover bought from the bus driver. There is a similar Wightlink ticket that includes both railways.

Hovertravel do a similar set of tickets from their office at Southsea, but they don't include the bus between Portsmouth Station(s) & Southsea Hoverport so if you want to travel via the hovercraft it is probably best to book to Ryde Hoverport & then a rover ticket locally on the Island.
 

fandroid

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In long ago BR days tickets to Ryde were commonly accepted at Fishbourne, but I don't know the current position.

Those were probably in the days when BR owned the ferries!

Having said that, I know for certain that Red Funnel accept through tickets to West Cowes(Redjet) on the car ferries that go to East Cowes (but not the other way round!). Wightlink might be happy to do the same for Fishbourne with through tickets to Ryde.
 
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