Late trains from London to Norwich

[Ophidian]

Hi all, first time poster here

I have to get from London New Cross area to Norwich on an upcoming Friday night. I can set off from New Cross at 22:00.
Google maps tells me to go Overground from New Cross Gate to Canada Water, then Jubilee line to Stratford and pick up the Norwich train from there. I like this as it allows for a further train an hour later in the event of a problem.
Is anyone able to comment on the feasibility of this route or point out any pitfalls? I heard Stratford is a bit of an odd layout, but I've only been there once years ago for a replacement bus service!

Thanks in advance

 

[robbeech]

Stratford needs a bit of work to get around but if you’ve got a sensible amount of time you should be fine. Most of the northbound Norwich trains go from the same platform. If you’d prefer Liverpool Street you could stay on the overground to Whitechapel and get a Hammersmith and city line westbound to Liverpool Street although they’re not the most frequent service. At least at Liverpool Street you’d have a better chance of a seat if you don’t have one booked.

 

[Ophidian]

Ta for the warning. G Maps has arrival at Stratford at 22:30, train to Norwich departs at 22:38. Hopefully that's enough!

I'm not sure I can make anything but the last train from Liverpool St and I'd prefer to keep one in reserve. Also the tickets are cheapy cheap so I'd probably go 1st class for the extra fiver and take care of seating that way

 

[Bald Rick]

Or Overgrpund to Shoreditch, and a 10 minute walk down Bishopsgate to Liverpool St. That would be the quickest way.

 

[Kite159]

Ta for the warning. G Maps has arrival at Stratford at 22:30, train to Norwich departs at 22:38. Hopefully that's enough!

I'm not sure I can make anything but the last train from Liverpool St and I'd prefer to keep one in reserve. Also the tickets are cheapy cheap so I'd probably go 1st class for the extra fiver and take care of seating that way

Bare in mind G Maps suggests it takes 7 minutes to get from the Overground platforms to the Jubilee platforms at Canada Water, depending if you are taking luggage you could probably do it in 2 minutes

 

[30907]

Bare in mind G Maps suggests it takes 7 minutes to get from the Overground platforms to the Jubilee platforms at Canada Water, depending if you are taking luggage you could probably do it in 2 minutes

TfL planner says 2204 New Cross Gate, 2227 Stratford JL. Provided you make that train, you should have no problem. If the JL is misbehaving, go via Whitechapel and Mile End (cross platform, and shorter walk at Stratford).

 

[306024]

Usually no problem getting a seat at Stratford on either the 22.30 or 23.30 Liverpool St to Norwich, but Stratford can be grim waiting for a Norwich train if it is raining, no canopy on platform 10.

And for an extra fiver definitely go first class, standard class is a bit cramped but first is quite spacious. I too would go to Shoreditch and walk to Liverpool St, unless avoiding zone 1 is a requirement.

 

[Ophidian]

Thanks for the comments all, its been very helpful.

Liverpool St, and Bishopgate, are much more familiar but I'm not convinced that I can make the 22:30 having accommodated the walk from Shoreditch. If the Overground definitely gets from New Cross Gate to Shoreditch in under 20 mins then great but that seems too tight to me

 

[tsr]

I would personally go with the Jubilee Line option as a first choice option. Those timings could be rather tight in peak hours (I did something very similar myself recently with a similarly-timed TfL Rail departure), but although Friday nights are obviously prone to being quite busy, I'd say that's the better option.

 

[Ophidian]

I believe so too, but the different opinions here have been very useful nonetheless

 

[robbeech]

You mentioned an upcoming Friday night so unless it was Friday just gone and his now becomes irrelevant I believe that GA tend to be fairly relaxed about advanced tickets on the last couple of trains of the evening so you wouldn't have a problem f you missed the first one even if was not the fault of the railway.

 

[306024]

An advance ticket is valid on the 21.30, 22.30 or 23.30 Liverpool St to Norwich, but that was only confirmed by staff in Norwich travel centre, can’t find it in writing anywhere, but then haven’t looked too hard either. You don’t get a seat reservation, but the flexibility is more valuable I’d guess.

 

[NeilWatson]

That appears to no longer be the case.

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/tic...tickets/advance-purchase-terms-and-conditions

* Your ticket is only valid for travel on that nominated service and cannot be used on any other train. If you travel on any other train then you will be treated as if you have no ticket and will be required to buy a full price ticket for your journey (this will be the full Anytime, Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak single fare appropriate to the train that you are travelling on and not the difference between this and your Advance ticket). The only exceptions to this condition are if you are delayed when travelling as set out below.

 

[306024]

That is indeed what the website says (obviously!). This cropped up recently on here which is why I asked, as it had been custom and practice for years. It does seem to be a well kept secret. It is unusual to get such flexibility, but does take any conflict out of the equation for conductors working the late night trains.

To be a bit clearer, you had to have been booked on one of those three trains in the first place, no good turning up with an advance for say the 20.00 departure.

 

[Ophidian]

I still haven't had to make the trip! I had viewed the 23:30 service as a last ditch that I was likely to pay for. If they were good enough to accept the ticket then of course that'd be great. Thank you to all once again for the advice and comments