Ashford Kent - London Terminals season

[Mintona]

Assuming a high speed season, is it valid via a change at Stratford Intl and into Liverpool Street? I can't find a conclusive answer.

 

[jobbers]

Yes it is - there is a whole thread about this under "HS1 Commuting". I've been doing it for the last week and works like a dream. Saves me 5 minutes as opposed to going into StP and no tube fare cost.

 

[Failed Unit]

Yes it is - there is a whole thread about this under "HS1 Commuting". I've been doing it for the last week and works like a dream. Saves me 5 minutes as opposed to going into StP and no tube fare cost.

How do you get between the 2 stations, is the bus any good (if that is what it is)? I would have thought that it would have been quicker to use Cannon Street on the classic line then train - bus - train.

 

[Mintona]

There are 10 buses which just go between Stratford Intl and Stratford Regional.

Jobbers, if you don't mind me asking, do you have an Ashford - London Terminals or Ashford - London Zones 1-6?

 

[dan_atki]

He has a Folkestone to London Terminals I believe: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28313 (towards the end of the thread).

My response was confirmed as correct by a train manager a few days later as mentioned in: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28492.

 

[jobbers]

Yep - actually Folkestone to London Terminals. Folkestone to Stratford is 42 minutes then I have 30 minutes bus/train/walk from Liverpool Street to my office making 72 minutes in all. The quickest realistic commuter journey journey via classic to/from Cannon Street AT THE MOMENT is the 17.44 to Folkestone which involves a 6 minute walk to Cannon Street (15 if you want to guarantee a seat.) and a change at Ashford which is 104 minutes in all.
This is the only "commuter time" train with this stopping pattern, so all others (either up or down) will be longer. Obviously next week when the times change and this service becomes an all station stopper (as opposed to Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Ashford) this journey will take longer.
Guess it depends where you travel to at the London end, but this knocks 5 minutes off going into StP then tubing it to Moorgate and walking to/from there, with no extra cost.

 

[Mintona]

Ok thank you. I had been told different things by different people but I spoke with revenue staff at Stratford Regional today and they told me it was valid also; I have heard other things but I do not wish to say any more.