London to Maidstone West This Weekend

[miss_stoat]

Hi All

I wonder if you guys can help?

A colleague is looking to go from London Bridge to Maidstone West this weekend going on the 30th April coming back on the 1st May and we are getting advance fares for £7.80 (2xpax and a Two Together railcard) each way.

We are a little confused as firstly we didn't think SE offered advance fares and secondly, she doesn't want to be tied to a 'timed' train but these tickets do not look as if they have times on them - the only restrictions I can see are that they must be used on these dates and she cannot travel via St Pancras and Stratford...

Am I reading these tickets correctly?

Many thanks

 

[John @ home]

we didn't think SE offered advance fares

These have been introduced recently.

she doesn't want to be tied to a 'timed' train but these tickets do not look as if they have times on them - the only restrictions I can see are that they must be used on these dates and she cannot travel via St Pancras and Stratford...

Am I reading these tickets correctly?

No. You must specify a particular train in order to buy an Advance ticket, and you must travel on that train.

But it's not all bad news. The Railcard £15.45 SE Weekender Return London Terminals - Maidstone Stations Route Not Valid on HS1 can be used on any London Bridge to Maidstone West train on a Saturday, returning on any Maidstone West to London Bridge train on the Sunday.

 

[miss_stoat]

Thanks for the reply

Sorry if I am being a bit dim but I am finding the new improved Southeastern website confusing.

I cannot find a £15.45 weekender ticket on the webbie for 2 passengers with a two together railcard. I am getting £23.00 (as attached) which is fine as that isn't too terrible a fare...

 

[Romilly]

If you are buying tickets with a Two Together railcard you need to book for both passengers at the same time to show the railcard discount. If you do that, you will be offered a £30.90 option (i.e. two times £15.45) as the total price for two people travelling on a SE Weekender with a Two Together railcard.

£23.40 is the price of a SE Weekender for one person without a railcard not valid via High Speed trains from St Pancras.

However - and I agree with you about the Southeastern booking site being confusing - if you try to book on that site today it is offering the non-railcard SE Weekender with an online discount of around 25% that turns the non-railcard £23.40 ticket into a £17.40 ticket.

EDIT: I have looked again, and the £23 option you found is what you what: it is the £30.90 option with the special online discount of around 25% if you book on the Southeastern site.

 

[miss_stoat]

Thanks for taking another look for me...the £23 discounted fare is the one my colleague is going to purchase as she needs flexibility in her journey...

I'm glad I'm not the only one find the new and improved Southeastern website a little confusing

 

[John @ home]

the £23 discounted fare is the one my colleague is going to purchase as she needs flexibility in her journey...

Does your colleague intend to travel alone or with another person?

 

[miss_stoat]

Does your colleague intend to travel alone or with another person?

She is travelling with her partner with a Two Together card...

 

[John @ home]

She is travelling with her partner with a Two Together card...

In that case, the better deal is the £15.45 (each) fare I linked to in post #2. If Southeastern's web site is reluctant to offer this, she should use another one. I find tpexpress.co.uk reliable. You can instruct the site that you will collect the tickets from a local station.

 

[Romilly]

I don't think it is: the £23 ticket is the special total price for two people (i.e. £11.50 each) after railcard discount and after the special 25% approx discount currently available for buying from the Southeastern website.

 

[John @ home]

Ok, if it's £11.50 each then grab it!