Brussels to Wolverhampton - Eurostar plus....

[Wolfie]

Some help greatly appreciated - I suspect at least some of the info is on here somewhere but I couldn't find it with the search tool.

I have to be in Brussels for work on the morning of 27 Nov 12. I want to be in Wolverhampton (three guesses why - the clue is in my user name!) by 1945 on the evening of the same day. I already have arrangements in place to get back to London after my Wolverhampton commitment (group travel). I have to book Eurostar tickets (London to Brussels return) through my work travel agents.

Looking at the Eurostar website the following train combo meets my requirements:
1456 Brussels arriving 1603 St Pancras then 1723 Euston arriving 1911 Wolverhampton

As a through ticket this shows on the Eurostar website as costing £85.30, with a ticket Brussels to London using the same Eurostar costing £61.00.

For comparision NRE is showing tickets on the same Virgin service as costing £83.00.

Questions:

1 Can I buy "London CIV" (I believe this is the correct term) to add on to only one part of my Eurostar journey ie the Brussels to London bit?

2 Am I correct in thinking that such a ticket would offer me additional security in the event of a Eurostar delay?

3 If so where can I buy the ticket? Through Eurostar phone bookings or any NR station (sensibly I would likely use Euston)?

4 What would the ticket cost, would it be £24.30 (calculated by subtraction using the two Eurostar ticket figures above)?

I know that I can get a Chiltern service (non-CIV) at 1707 Marylebone to Smethwick Galton Bridge then an ATW service Smethwick to Wolverhampton but that does not get me in until 1942 which is a bit too late as I have a 10 min walk on arrival.....

Happy to listen to any alternatives, ta in advance for your help.

 

[Oscar]

Some help greatly appreciated - I suspect at least some of the info is on here somewhere but I couldn't find it with the search tool.

I have to be in Brussels for work on the morning of 27 Nov 12. I want to be in Wolverhampton (three guesses why - the clue is in my user name!) by 1945 on the evening of the same day. I already have arrangements in place to get back to London after my Wolverhampton commitment (group travel). I have to book Eurostar tickets (London to Brussels return) through my work travel agents.

Looking at the Eurostar website the following train combo meets my requirements:
1456 Brussels arriving 1603 St Pancras then 1723 Euston arriving 1911 Wolverhampton

As a through ticket this shows on the Eurostar website as costing £85.30, with a ticket Brussels to London using the same Eurostar costing £61.00.

For comparision NRE is showing tickets on the same Virgin service as costing £83.00.

Questions:

1 Can I buy "London CIV" (I believe this is the correct term) to add on to only one part of my Eurostar journey ie the Brussels to London bit?

There are two types of London CIV tickets: London Eurostar and London International fares. London Estar (CIV) tickets can be bought from www.eurostar.com in combination with a Eurostar ticket or separately (from Eurostar Domestic Sales: 01233 617913). Already holding a Eurostar ticket is a prerequisite to booking from Eurostar Domestic Sales.
London Intl (CIV) fares are also available from station ticket offices and from Raileasy. Both International and Eurostar CIV tickets ensure that you can catch the next train if delayed on one leg but the prices for the two are not always the same.
You can view London Eurostar and London International fares at www.brfares.com
Remember that Eurostar returns are cheaper than two singles (this ticket is only £54.50 as part of a return) and that a London-Spezial from Aachen to London single or an Any Dutch Station - London single may be cheaper than a Brussels-London single. I appreciate that this is not possible in your instance though if you have to use work travel agents. Edit: A London-Spezial from Aachen is 69 Euros, around £55.60 plus any bank charges, so you don't save a lot. An Any Dutch Station to London single for £54 would be a better bet if you needed a single.

2 Am I correct in thinking that such a ticket would offer me additional security in the event of a Eurostar delay?

Yes.

3 If so where can I buy the ticket? Through Eurostar phone bookings or any NR station (sensibly I would likely use Euston)?

Already answered.

4 What would the ticket cost, would it be £24.30 (calculated by subtraction using the two Eurostar ticket figures above)?

I know that I can get a Chiltern service (non-CIV) at 1707 Marylebone to Smethwick Galton Bridge then an ATW service Smethwick to Wolverhampton but that does not get me in until 1942 which is a bit too late as I have a 10 min walk on arrival.....

Happy to listen to any alternatives, ta in advance for your help.

You've been offered a Euro High Saver Single
Specific Restrictions for this Journey

Restriction Code: EA

Valid MONDDAYS-FRIDAYS (by any
train on other "Off-Peak"
days)

SOUTHBOUND TRAVEL
Not valid on any trains timed
to arrive at London Euston
before 0940

NORTHBOUND TRAVEL
Not valid on any train timed
to depart London Euston before
0915

This restriction is lifted all
day from Thursday 24th Dec
2009 until Friday 1st Jan 2010
inclusive.


London Estar CIV - Wolverhampton fares

The ticket from London International (CIV) is the same price in this case and you can buy this at any station upon showing your Eurostar ticket. It is a walk-up ticket. Getting through to Eurostar Domestic Sales can sometimes take some patience.

 

[Wolfie]

There are two types of London CIV tickets: London Eurostar and London International fares. London Estar (CIV) tickets can be bought from www.eurostar.com in combination with a Eurostar ticket or separately (from Eurostar Domestic Sales: 01233 617913). Already holding a Eurostar ticket is a prerequisite to booking from Eurostar Domestic Sales.
London Intl (CIV) fares are also available from station ticket offices and from Raileasy. Both International and Eurostar CIV tickets ensure that you can catch the next train if delayed on one lay but the prices are not always the same.
You can view London Eurostar and London International fares at www.brfares.com
Remember that Eurostar returns are cheaper than singles and that a London-Spezial from Aachen or an Any Dutch Station may be cheaper for your journey than Brussels-London.

Yes.

Already answered.



You've been offered a Euro High Saver Single
Specific Restrictions for this Journey

Restriction Code: EA

Valid MONDDAYS-FRIDAYS (by any
train on other "Off-Peak"
days)

SOUTHBOUND TRAVEL
Not valid on any trains timed
to arrive at London Euston
before 0940

NORTHBOUND TRAVEL
Not valid on any train timed
to depart London Euston before
0915

This restriction is lifted all
day from Thursday 24th Dec
2009 until Friday 1st Jan 2010
inclusive.


London Estar CIV - Wolverhampton fares

Many thanks for the extremely prompt and full answer, appreciated!

 

[Wolfie]

Hum, well I normally find Charing Cross ticket office helpful, but today...."We do not sell Eurostar tickets and we are Charing Cross not London International!" :cry: Thankfully I had saved Oscar's words of wisdom as a text document and printed it off...

On following the steps effectively listed.....well, guess what, I am now the proud possessor of a £24.30 EURO HIGH SVR S!

As I said to the guy in the ticket office when I left "you now know how to do something you didn't before"! Oscar, Send your training bill to Southeastern!:

Two further questions:
a Do I need to retain the Eurostar ticket to show with my EURO HIGH SVR S if ticeket inspected on a Virgin service or is it only necessary to show at purchase?
b The EURO HIGH SVR S ticket has a two month validity, should I for some reason not travel on Tue 27 Nov 12 (some domestics may prevent this) can I use it later? Perhaps even if I do not have a Eurostar ticket for the date I actually use it?

Ta again.

 

[Oscar]

a. Yes, you need to retain the Eurostar ticket to show with your EURO HIGH SVR S - your National Rail ticket is not valid without the Eurostar ticket. As , My experience of East Coast (being a regular traveller between York and the Continent) has been that I have never in reality been asked to show the Eurostar ticket in this situation however and I would be surprised if you are asked to produce it.
b. Break of journey between the Eurostar leg and a CIV National Rail ticket leg is not permitted - the onward journey must take place at the latest the following day. I doubt however that this rule would be enforced.