Advance tickets including hovercraft

[sprunt]

I've just bought a London Waterloo to Ryde Hoverport ticket, using the bus from Portsmouth & Southsea to Southsea Hoverport. On my return journey, how strict is the restriction of which hovercraft and bus I use? Is it strictly timed, or is it like an "and connections" reservation where I'm likely to get away with catching the previous hovercraft on the return journey - if I'm allowed, I'd like to be a bit early on that stage to reduce the possibility of missing my booked train if there's any delay on the hovercraft/bus. (Yes, I know if there is a delay I'm allowed to catch the next train, but I'd rather be on time than claiming delay repay.)

 

[yorkie]

If arriving at your final destination is crucial to you (ie. you would rather depart earlier than the contracted time than be delayed and claim Delay Repay compensation) then my advice in future is to use a site that allows you to specify additional interchange time (e.g. Trainsplit does this, or a booking office or telesales should also be able to do it if you prefer not to book online) and obtain an itinerary that suits you.

Ask the staff if you can get on earlier hovercraft and they may say yes

 

[A Challenge]

Is there a timed reservation for the hovercraft?

 

[alistairlees]

As far as I recall there is no checking of times. The people on the hovercraft are very interested in checking whether you have a correctly routed ticket however.

Then again, assuming you are on an Advance ticket, it may be that they do check this. That said, I don’t think you get a timed reservation for that leg at all.

 

[sprunt]

Thanks for the replies.

I bought the tickets by phone* and I haven't picked them up yet, so I don't currently have any kind of itinerary in writing. When I searched for the tickets on the web though, it did give times for both the hovercraft and the bus.


*For some reason although the itinerary and ticket prices showed up when I searched online, I couldn't check out and had to buy them over the phone.

 

[Belperpete]

For some reason although the itinerary and ticket prices showed up when I searched online, I couldn't check out and had to buy them over the phone.

I found the same thing when I did a search for a journey from my local station to Ryde Hoverport. NRE comes up with itineraries and a fare, but when I try and book it, none of the TOCs will sell it. Trainsplit will sell tickets, but only split tickets (at little or no saving), and I would rather have a through ticket.

 

[alistairlees]

I found the same thing when I did a search for a journey from my local station to Ryde Hoverport. NRE comes up with itineraries and a fare, but when I try and book it, none of the TOCs will sell it. Trainsplit will sell tickets, but only split tickets (at little or no saving), and I would rather have a through ticket.

I think this might be a routeing guide problem. It might work if you try Ryde Esplanade, although that might just route you via the ferry instead.

 

[yorkie]

I found the same thing when I did a search for a journey from my local station to Ryde Hoverport. NRE comes up with itineraries and a fare, but when I try and book it, none of the TOCs will sell it. Trainsplit will sell tickets, but only split tickets (at little or no saving), and I would rather have a through ticket.

if you can get an itinerary on Trainsplit but you want a more expensive through fare, you can obtain the fare at www.trainscanbecheaper.info

If Trainsplit is offering a combination of fares at a higher price than the through fare, then this probably won't work, as it would indicate there is no valid* through fare

(* 'Valid' as per the electronic data, that is!)

 

[E759]

I've just bought a London Waterloo to Ryde Hoverport ticket, using the bus from Portsmouth & Southsea to Southsea Hoverport. On my return journey, how strict is the restriction of which hovercraft and bus I use? Is it strictly timed, or is it like an "and connections" reservation where I'm likely to get away with catching the previous hovercraft on the return journey - if I'm allowed, I'd like to be a bit early on that stage to reduce the possibility of missing my booked train if there's any delay on the hovercraft/bus. (Yes, I know if there is a delay I'm allowed to catch the next train, but I'd rather be on time than claiming delay repay.)

From the Hovertravel FAQ:

Yes, return tickets are flexible. We will ask you for a return time but this is only a guideline time for us. However, if you wish to travel at peak times on Monday to Friday pre-booking is advisable, especially if your onward travel is time specific.

Day returns can be used on any return crossing on the same day which have available space if it is not your booked time. Period returns are valid up to 90 days after the outward journey on any crossing which has available space.

https://www.hovertravel.co.uk/faqs/

Don't forget to have a Plan B in case the Hovercraft isn't running; again from the FAQ:

On average less than 2% of our total crossings are cancelled. Our operation is quite weather dependant due to the nature of the craft. High winds and swells in the Solent may stop operation of our service for safety reasons.