Cheapest ticket combination advice - Bristol to London with break in journey

[hatt55]

I'm hoping to get some advice on the cheapest way to get from Bristol Temple Meads to London including an overnight break of journey at Reading. I thought I was fairly clued up on this and have read through the advice on the forum but still seem to be tieing myself up in knots!

I am travelling from Temple Meads to Paddington to get an early Eurostar (I've not included the Paddington - St Pancras bit for simplicity, unless this will make a difference ?). The outward journey can be on specific trains, but has to have an overnight break in Reading as it isn't possible to get from Bristol to London early enough for the Eurostar. This is likely to be the 1700 BRI - Reading, and then the 0354 Reading - Paddington.

On the way back, incase there are any delays etc., I do not want to book a specific train but am happy to leave Paddington after 1900 as I believe this puts me in the Off Peak bracket.

Using a variety of ticket combinations, I get to roughly £50 (inc. railcard) for each combination. I had assumed that an Off Peak Return from BRI - Paddington would be more expensive, but it looks like it could actually be cheaper - about £40. I seem to be able to use this on any train leaving Paddington from 1915 onwards, which would be fine. But, that would include the overnight break in journey on the outward leg, and this is the part I'm unsure about. It would be much easier (and cheaper!) if I could just buy the one ticket.

Could anyone advise on the best way to approach this?

Edit - Here's a clearer (proposed) itinerary, all midweek:

Outbound
1700 BRI to Reading
0354 Reading to London Paddington
Underground to St Pancras for the Eurostar

Inbound
1900 onwards London Paddington to BRI
(No specific train, happy to wait for cheaper tickets to kick in)

 

[yorkie]

Have you tried Trainsplit

Can you post your intended itinerary in easy to read format?

By the way the code for brisiol temple meads is BRI

 

[A Challenge]

What time is the Eurostar departure?

 

[hatt55]

Have you tried Trainsplit

Can you post your intended itinerary in easy to read format?

By the way the code for brisiol temple meads is BRI

Have edited my original thread to (hopefully) make ti clearer. I didn't try Trainsplit, just on the basis that I thought it wouldn't really account for the various combinations I could do - partly a return, partly an Advance Single, partly a walk up single. I'll have a look.

BRI - sorted! The BRI is also the Bristol Royal Infirmary so I don't associate it with Temple Meads

What time is the Eurostar departure?

It's 0716, so although leaving Reading at 0354 is very cautious I don't think its workable to go from Bristol on the day. I know people in Reading, so it isn't too much bother beyond making the ticketing more complicated.

 

[yorkie]

I'd get the Super Off Peak Return; break of journey at Reading should be fine given the times you specify.

Some websites will let you get an itinerary with an extended wait in Reading; you do not have to get the exact trains on the itinerary but you can use it as evidence of validity.

Screenshot shows an itinerary for random date with extended wait at Reading (the unknown Railcard discount isn't added and I just searched for a single)

Have edited my original thread to (hopefully) make ti clearer. I didn't try Trainsplit, just on the basis that I thought it wouldn't really account for the various combinations I could do - partly a return, partly an Advance Single, partly a walk up single. I'll have a look.

I'd just go for the Super Off Peak Return in your circumstances. If you wanted a later train from Reading, say 7am, then my advice would be very different!

BRI - sorted! The BRI is also the Bristol Royal Infirmary so I don't associate it with Temple Meads

No worries; a number of us work with the codes so much we have many of them memorised

Also if it was me, I'd consider getting the SSR issued to Finsbury Park, but the caveat is that I am unsure if LU would accept the ticket,as you'd be departing Paddington after 0429.

I'd argue it's still valid because you should be able to resume your journey on day 2 but LU staff might not accept that. (If anything that would make me want to try it even more as a test, but then that's me!)

The extra cost to Zone U12 London (as opposed to PAD) is £3.95, while to FBK it's only £2.95, which is cheaper than additional separate PAYG fares on London Underground.

 

[extendedpaul]

If the stop at Reading is not through choice and carries a cost you might consider Bristol to Heathrow by National Express. Coaches depart at 02.25 and 03.25. Two hour journey time.

The 02.25 coach arrives Heathrow at 04.30, The 03.25 coach at 05.25. Tube runs frequently from 05.10 and takes an hour direct to Kings Cross St Pancras.

There's also a Megabus from Bristol at 02.00 to Victoria arriving 05.00.

 

[James H]

FBK

FPK

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[hatt55]

Thanks all, this is really useful and I appreciate the rapid response! It'll make things much easier if I can just get a Bristol - London return.

If the stop at Reading is not through choice and carries a cost you might consider Bristol to Heathrow by National Express. Coaches depart at 02.25 and 03.25. Two hour journey time.

The 02.25 coach arrives Heathrow at 04.30, The 03.25 coach at 05.25. Tube runs frequently from 05.10 and takes an hour direct to Kings Cross St Pancras.

There's also a Megabus from Bristol at 02.00 to Victoria arriving 05.00.

I had considered the coach, especially given that it's cheaper and I'm already planning to leave Reading on the 0354 which will still involve an early start. But staying in Reading isn't an issue, so there won't be an additional cost associated with accommodation or anything. I would certainly be more inclined to get the coach if that option wasn't available to me. I prefer train travel as well

 

[hatt55]

Thanks again for your advice on here.

I happened to be at the station yesterday, so with a few minutes to spare I thought I would ask a member of GWR staff whether my proposed use of the ticket was ok. Its seems like its a slightly unusual way to do, and I must admit that at the back of my mind I have a slight concern about this being queried on the Reading - Paddington section of my journey in the early hours of the morning. I thought I would test the water...

The response that I got (admittedly not from the ticket office counter but from the customer helpdesk) was that I could only do this with an Advance (i.e. more expensive) ticket, as that gives you 3 days validity on the outward leg. Apparently my Off Peak ticket would need to be used on the same day, and there is no Off Peak travel window from Reading to London in the morning. I decided not to get into a discussion about it, but it does suggest that the same situation could play out by someone checking my ticket when I'm on the train and perhaps not knowing the regulations inside-outside.

So my follow up question is, if the person on the train queries this, what should I cite to prove that the journey is allowed? I've had a look at brfares but it is a little confusing. I *think* I would be purchasing:

SUPER OFFPEAK R [XC]
So, restriction code XC and I would be on a train departing Reading before 0429 - ok
And the outward portion is valid for 2 days, with my journey recommencing on the second day - ok

Is that correct?

 

[Haywain]

The response that I got...

Was complete hogwash, and is best ignored.

And the outward portion is valid for 2 days, with my journey recommencing on the second day

Is that correct?

No, it isn't. The outward portion is valid for one day but an overnight break of journey is permitted and the journey can then be continued on the second day. However, you appear to be resuming the journey on what is still considered to be day one (ie: before 04:29), so the overnight break of journey is not relevant.

 

[hatt55]

Was complete hogwash, and is best ignored.

I was very confident with the answer that I'd got on here, so absolutely happy to ignore this (although I didn't quite feel in a position to quote the RailUK Forum in order to correct them last night!). But, I was curious to know whether it might cause me any issues on the day and what explanation I might need if it was challenged by the conductor.

No, it isn't. The outward portion is valid for one day but an overnight break of journey is permitted and the journey can then be continued on the second day. However, you appear to be resuming the journey on what is still considered to be day one (ie: before 04:29), so the overnight break of journey is not relevant.

Perfect, thank you. I may have misused the terminology when I referred to it as a break of journey. So, yes, I will resume travelling before 0429, although I won't actually get into London until after that time (would the second day come into play then?).

 

[Haywain]

I won't actually get into London until after that time (would the second day come into play then?).

No, because you are not resuming travel on the second day and that is only relevant when you do.