London Terminals to Swaffham (Coach)

[jamesontheroad]

Hi everyone.

Flying into Heathrow on Monday, arrival around 13.00. Departing eight days later at 19.00.

Planning to take the tube into London and then train + bus to Swaffham, Norfolk. "Swaffham (Coach)" is on the former 'X1' Excel bus route Peterborough - Wisbech - King's Lynn - Norwich.

Searching for "Swaffham (Coach)" always defaults to a route via Peterborough, i.e. about 50 mins KGX-PBO with LNER, and then two miserable hours bouncing across the Fens on a double decker bus. I would prefer to travel by train to King's Lynn and then change there, which seems to be a legitimate route.

BRFares data: https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=1072&dest=SWB

My two questions to the assembled experts here:

Is King's Lynn KLN a valid connection to this bus?

What would be the best flexible return fare? Bear in mind I'm arriving by air, middle of the day at LHR-T2, and therefore might not make it to KGX before the start of the afternoon Peak period.

Many thanks!

 

[Haywain]

The service is 'sponsored' by LNER as an add on to Peterborough fares, so I can't see how King's Lynn would be a valid connection.

 

[transportphoto]

There are tickets routed ‘Great Northern and Thameslink’ - given Great Northern operate to Kings Lynn, it’s an interesting debate as to whether this would be valid via Lynn.

If I were to buy the ticket from a ticket office without an itinerary or anything, I’d personally risk it given it would be the most logical routing and plead ignorance. Whether it’s technically valid I’m not sure, I’d hope common sense prevails.

 

[Watershed]

Hi everyone.

Flying into Heathrow on Monday, arrival around 13.00. Departing eight days later at 19.00.

Planning to take the tube into London and then train + bus to Swaffham, Norfolk. "Swaffham (Coach)" is on the former 'X1' Excel bus route Peterborough - Wisbech - King's Lynn - Norwich.

Searching for "Swaffham (Coach)" always defaults to a route via Peterborough, i.e. about 50 mins KGX-PBO with LNER, and then two miserable hours bouncing across the Fens on a double decker bus. I would prefer to travel by train to King's Lynn and then change there, which seems to be a legitimate route.

BRFares data: https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=1072&dest=SWB

My two questions to the assembled experts here:

Is King's Lynn KLN a valid connection to this bus?

What would be the best flexible return fare? Bear in mind I'm arriving by air, middle of the day at LHR-T2, and therefore might not make it to KGX before the start of the afternoon Peak period.

Many thanks!

You won't get an itinerary through any official channels (online booking site, itinerary based TVM, ticket office) which is routed via Kings Lynn.

This is because the timetable data for the Swaffham coach shows it as being set down only at all stops in the eastbound direction, and pick up only in the westbound direction. Hence you can only get itineraries to/from Peterborough.

I suspect this is deliberate, so as to ensure that itineraries are only routed the way that LNER, the sole fare setter to/from Swaffham, intended.

However, there is nothing in the public domain which would suggest that any such restriction exists. The fares aren't routed "via Peterborough" for example. So in my view, it would be perfectly legitimate to use this ticket to/from any rail station served by the coach, i.e. including Kings Lynn.

Given that tickets to Swaffham are, however, effectively priced as a ticket to Peterborough with an extra £11 on top for the coach, you are probably better off buying separate rail and coach tickets. If you "split" at Kings Lynn, for most journeys you save quite a lot as both elements are normally cheaper than the equivalent fare to/from Peterborough.

First say on their website that the coach to/from Kings Lynn is £6.40 for a return (I suspect this is a day return, however, and the price of a single isn't stated).

 

[jamesontheroad]

Thanks @Haywain @transportphoto and @Watershed for the quick and helpful replies.

I used to use this bus a lot, in my postgrad days living in Glasgow. Paid cash for many years before I realised the add-on fare to Swaffham (Coach) was cheaper with a 16-25 Railcard than the cash fare on the bus. It also saved me the hassle of arguing about Scottish banknotes being legal tender with bus drivers.

 

[JonathanH]

It also saved me the hassle of arguing about Scottish banknotes being legal tender with bus drivers.

With contactless card purchase that is no longer an issue.

The return fare from Kings Lynn appears to be £6.40 to Swaffham.
https://www.firstbus.co.uk/norfolk-...eham-swaffham-kings-lynn-wisbech-peterborough

We’ve got a great range of fares to suit everyone and that you can buy from the driver with contactless or cash. For our best prices you can buy those for a day or longer direct to your smartphone an mTicket on our free First Bus App. Some of the best value options are shown here, but for full details you can visit the fares section of our website.

 

[transportphoto]

I suspect this is deliberate, so as to ensure that itineraries are only routed the way that LNER, the sole fare setter to/from Swaffham, intended.

BRFares shows GTR as the fare setter for their Thameslink/Great Northern only flows, which would be best value on the Kings Lynn route.

 

[Haywain]

BRFares shows GTR as the fare setter for their Thameslink/Great Northern only flows, which would be best value on the Kings Lynn route.

It's an add-on, and that part is set by LNER.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Thanks everyone. Chose to rent a car for this trip but will likely need to take a train for a future one. Will test the route via King’s Lynn and see what happens.

 

[Starmill]

Given that tickets to Swaffham are, however, effectively priced as a ticket to Peterborough with an extra £11 on top for the coach, you are probably better off buying separate rail and coach tickets. If you "split" at Kings Lynn, for most journeys you save quite a lot as both elements are normally cheaper than the equivalent fare to/from Peterborough.

Although I think it depends on precisely when you're leaving London, because for example a London to Peterborough Super Off Peak Return is £52, but a London to Kings Lynn Off Peak Return on route Cambridge is £53.60. There's also a difference of course if the OP would rather use a Zone u1256 to Peterborough or to Kings Lynn. But then, even if one paid £1.60 more to go by rail to Kings Lynn than Peterborough, the bus fare difference would still more than cancel this out. There could be other cheaper splits, I haven't checked thoroughly.