Hove to Kent - cheapest option?

[jamesthegill]

Hello all,

My wife and I are travelling to Kent this weekend from Hove and I'm looking to get the cheapest possible fare. We're also going to the open day in Old Oak Common on the way (one of us is more excited about this than she is!) and will probably stop off at a pub or two in Zone 1 on the way through. The plan is to arrive at Faversham, however our destination is accessible from Faversham or Canterbury so it's not too much trouble to change our plans. On Sunday we will return directly from Kent to Hove.

We've got a valid Network Card, and aren't against using Contactless to get around London. We'd prefer flexibility as our plans aren't set in stone. What do you recommend, please?

Itinerary:
~9am Saturday Hove to Old Oak Common
Lunchtime Saturday Old Oak Common to Z1 pub
Saturday evening London Z1 to Faversham/Canterbury

Afternoon/evening Sunday Faversham/Canterbury to Hove.

 

[Romilly]

For £66, you could get two discounted Hove-Faversham offpeak returns.

This would be valid for e.g. Hove-Clapham Junction-London Victoria-Faversham on the Saturday, and e.g. Faversham-Canterbury East-walk-Canterbury West-Ashford (Kent)-Brighton-rail replacement bus to Hove on the Sunday.

For £33.40 you could get two discounted Hove-Canterbury Stations offpeak returns not valid via London Terminals.

This would be valid for e.g. Hove-Clapham Junction-Denmark Hill-Canterbury on the Saturday. Using the C2C journey planner, once you get to the mixing deck, set "London Terminals" as the "avoid" point to get a first set of options. For a second set of options, still with that "avoid" point, click on "Timetables only", put Clapham Junction as your "calling point", click on Update, click on buy tickets, to see further options for the £33.40 option.

 

[JB_B]

If you can start from Brighton, another suggestion is...

Saturday

2 x TL only Brighton-London Z1-6 One Day Travelcard = 20.90

( http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=BTN&dest=0035&rlc=NEW&rte=789&tkt=WRE )

2 x BZ6->Faversham Day Single = 22.40

( http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=0072&dest=FAV&rlc=NEW&tkt=SDS )

Sunday

2 x Canterbury Stations (or Faversham) -> Hove Day Single = 27.60

( http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=0428&dest=HOV&rlc=NEW&rte=700&tkt=CDS )

= £70.90 for two

So that's slightly more restrictive (you're limited to Thameslink heading north as far as Croydon) but it includes unlimited travel within London Z1-6 on the Saturday.

 

[30907]

For £33.40 you could get two discounted Hove-Canterbury Stations offpeak returns not valid via London Terminals.

This would be valid for e.g. Hove-Clapham Junction-Denmark Hill-Canterbury on the Saturday. Using the C2C journey planner, once you get to the mixing deck, set "London Terminals" as the "avoid" point to get a first set of options. For a second set of options, still with that "avoid" point, click on "Timetables only", put Clapham Junction as your "calling point", click on Update, click on buy tickets, to see further options for the £33.40 option.

Just a footnote - you'd have to touch out to end your Contactless travel and resume your ticketed journey at Denmark Hill.

 

[Romilly]

I was guessing the OP would break their outward journey at Clapham Junction, and take Overground from there to Willesden Junction (for Old Oak Common). But if using contactless for travel around London, I agree that the OP would need to touch in at Clapham Junction and out at Willesden Junction. I also agree that the OP would need to touch out at Clapham Junction or Denmark Hill on their resumed outward journey, but the OP will be changing trains at Denmark Hill in any event (assuming the OP goes with the via Denmark Hill option).

 

[30907]

the OP will be changing trains at Denmark Hill in any event (assuming the OP goes with the via Denmark Hill option).

Most likely, I agree, but if their pub stop in Z1 was near Victoria? The Faversham slow calls at DMK these days..... In those circs I would be inclined to splash out on one of those paper ticket things for VIC-DMK and catch the fast (oh, doesn't it go via DMK?).

 

[Romilly]

Up to and including 2134, the --34 trains from London Victoria to Canterbury East call at Denmark Hill at --44 (and also at Faversham if the OP wants to stop short).