London Terminals to Haywards Heath on Saturday 16th February

[jrh2254]

I am going at around 10am and returning around 3pm.
One return fare costs £11.90 (London St Pancras) and another costs £24 (London Victoria).
I am travelling onwards to Falmer and have a Brighton football match ticket, so I think I only have to buy a ticket to Haywards Heath as the match ticket is valid Haywards Heath to Falmer.

Do I have to buy the £24 ticket to be able to travel on Southern and Thameslink services?
Also with the bus service from Three Bridges to Lewes is my match ticket valid, if I just buy a ticket from London terminals to Haywards Heath?
Many thanks in advance.

 

[30907]

The Superoffpeak Not Underground from London Thameslink has no operator restriction but AFIAK is not valid (or doubtfully valid, ISTR there has been a Forum discussion) at Victoria. Make sure you buy the right one, not the Thameslink Only from London Terminals.

Strictly you should catch a bus that calls at HHE (which means changing there according to the timetable) and I would leave yourself enough time to do this.
However, it is unusual for there to be ticket checks on RRBs - how are you to know that the RRB to Lewes doesn't make the normal stop?

 

[jrh2254]

Thanks for this. I will let you know how I get on!

 

[30907]

You might like to note that the Monday-Friday buses on the route DO call at HHE and that's also what the map produced by Southern aka GTR shows. More good reason for pleading ignorance - or rather misinformation - if challenged.

 

[sarahj]

Just don't be stupid. 2 punters on my seaford last Sat held only Three Bridges to Victoria tickets, hoping to get to Lewes and on a bus without a check. Two CDR's from Seaford to Three Bridges duly sold. Thus their fare went from about £18.90 both ways to over £30 each. You don't get an extension when your trying it on.

 

[jrh2254]

Update. I bought the more expense ticket from London stations to Haywards Heath, as I wanted to go London Victoria to Three Bridges (I dont think the cheaper ticket is valid via Victoria and presumably would not have worked in the barriers at Victoria.
Took the train from Victoria to Three Bridges. Three bridges to Lewes, which actually stopped at Haywards Heath. Then Lewes to Falmer. No ticket checks on the way out.
On the way back I was advised by staff at Lewes to get the bus from Lewes to East Grinstead, which I did. At East Grinstead my ticket from Haywards Heath to London stations did not work in the barrier! So I explained to staff I was advised to go this route and they let me through. It was checked on the train with no problems.
At London Victoria I exited using my ticket and the gate machine kept my ticket.