London to Woking return routeing

[Thebaz]

Aye up.

Got to pop down to Woking this afternoon from London but I won't be returning to London. I'll be going straight home probably to Purley Oaks or Sanderstead; and I fancy a trip on the North Downs line because going via CLJ is boring. I think I know what the answer will be, but if I buy a return ticket can I 'return' to London via Guildford and Redhill?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Aye up.

Got to pop down to Woking this afternoon from London but I won't be returning to London. I'll be going straight home probably to Purley Oaks or Sanderstead; and I fancy a trip on the North Downs line because going via CLJ is boring. I think I know what the answer will be, but if I buy a return ticket can I 'return' to London via Guildford and Redhill?

Unfortunately that is not a permitted route; the shortest route is direct to Waterloo via Clapham Junction, and the mapped routes additionally give you the option of travelling via Virginia Water or Streatham Common if you so desire, but via Redhill is not an option.

 

[swt_passenger]

I suspect a return London to Guildford with a break of journey at Woking outbound is a possible solution; but see the next two posts...

 

[DelW]

A London to Guildford would be valid for return via Leatherhead, but I don't think it's valid via Redhill (I have in the past wanted to do Guildford - Redhill - London - Guildford, and a Guildford-Waterloo return didn't seem to be valid for that when I looked then). A return to Chilworth at £17.40 appears to work though, NR shows routes via Guildford, via Dorking Mainline, and via Redhill, all at the same price.

 

[JB_B]

I suspect a return London to Guildford with a break of journey at Woking outbound is the solution.

I don't think that would be valid coming back via Redhill.

London<->Shalford should do it.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

A London to Guildford would be valid for return via Leatherhead, but I don't think it's valid via Redhill (I have in the past wanted to do Guildford - Redhill - London - Guildford, and a Guildford-Waterloo return didn't seem to be valid for that when I looked then). A return to Chilworth at £17.40 appears to work though, NR shows routes via Guildford, via Dorking Mainline, and via Redhill, all at the same price.

London-Guildford is indeed not valid via Redhill; London-Chilworth is valid for Woking-London via Dorking and Redhill - provided you call at Chilworth.

The modern-day Routeing Guide appears to have undergone significant changes in this area compared to the original Routeing Guide. I am sure RDG have been successful in reducing the number of "anomalies", which is fair enough, but they have also significantly reduced passengers' rights - or rather, made it more complex to obtain the same rights - in the process.

The lack of a mapped route from Guildford to London via Redhill is somewhat confusing, given that other stations very near to Guildford, such as Chilworth or Shalford, do pass the fares check for Dorking (Dorking being a lower-priced route than either of Chilworth or Shalford). Perhaps RDG will "fix" it with a new map addition, or routeing easement, now that this thread has come up. If they do I'm sure it will be given a much lower priority than "fixing" some or other little-used anomaly, as usual.

 

[Thebaz]

London<->Shalford should do it.

Is this correct? And providing the train calls there?

Might just be better to get a single to Woking and then another from Woking; Woking - Redhill would appear to be valid via NDL as it comes up on the NR journey planner. Haven't checked Woking to Purley, but I suspect not.

 

[Starmill]

A return from Purley to Guildford route +Any Permitted would do the trick, allowing you to begin in London and travel to Woking to break your journey, before continuing later to Guildford. Then you begin using your return portion which is valid via Redhill and you needn't worry about calling at intermediate stations on the North Downs line.

This isn't necessary a cheap option, though.

You could even buy the Not Via London return, and then attempt to get an excess to +Any Permitted only on the outward for half the difference, if you could be bothered.

 

[JB_B]

London-Guildford is indeed not valid via Redhill; London-Chilworth is valid for Woking-London via Dorking and Redhill - provided you call at Chilworth.

The modern-day Routeing Guide appears to have undergone significant changes in this area compared to the original Routeing Guide. I am sure RDG have been successful in reducing the number of "anomalies", which is fair enough, but they have also significantly reduced passengers' rights - or rather, made it more complex to obtain the same rights - in the process.

The lack of a mapped route from Guildford to London via Redhill is somewhat confusing, given that other stations very near to Guildford, such as Chilworth or Shalford, do pass the fares check for Dorking (Dorking being a lower-priced route than either of Chilworth or Shalford). Perhaps RDG will "fix" it with a new map addition, or routeing easement, now that this thread has come up. If they do I'm sure it will be given a much lower priority than "fixing" some or other little-used anomaly, as usual.

Shalford might be a slightly better bet given that Chilworth is 1tp2h for much of the day. ( Also, a fraction cheaper for the CDR)

 

[Thebaz]

Here's the other part I didn't mention - I'm covered from Z1-6...

It appears possible to go Woking to Merstham or Coulsdon South via NDL providing I change onto Southern at Reigate. Which leaves me a 25 minute wait at Reigate...

 

[infobleep]

London-Guildford is indeed not valid via Redhill; London-Chilworth is valid for Woking-London via Dorking and Redhill - provided you call at Chilworth.

The modern-day Routeing Guide appears to have undergone significant changes in this area compared to the original Routeing Guide. I am sure RDG have been successful in reducing the number of "anomalies", which is fair enough, but they have also significantly reduced passengers' rights - or rather, made it more complex to obtain the same rights - in the process.

The lack of a mapped route from Guildford to London via Redhill is somewhat confusing, given that other stations very near to Guildford, such as Chilworth or Shalford, do pass the fares check for Dorking (Dorking being a lower-priced route than either of Chilworth or Shalford). Perhaps RDG will "fix" it with a new map addition, or routeing easement, now that this thread has come up. If they do I'm sure it will be given a much lower priority than "fixing" some or other little-used anomaly, as usual.

Shalford via Redhill was actually removed some years ago. I think South West Trains made the request.

How we someone raised this and as was a reasonable route under British Railways and it got instated.

At the time there was at least one train a day from London Bridge, whereby it was fast via Redhill than Waterloo East / Waterloo / Guildford I don't know if that's the case now though.

 

[Thebaz]

For all your interest what I actually did was return from boundary 6 to Guildford. £15.60. Only possible because of my existing travel card of course.

 

[30907]

Shalford via Redhill was actually removed some years ago. I think South West Trains made the request.

How we someone raised this and as was a reasonable route under British Railways and it got instated.

At the time there was at least one train a day from London Bridge, whereby it was fast via Redhill than Waterloo East / Waterloo / Guildford I don't know if that's the case now though.

The 5.25pm London Bridge-Redhill-Reading ran for decades until the Tadpoles took over the NDL in January 1965, though for the last couple of years it was split into two - an emu to Reigate and steam from Redhill to Reading - in order to eliminate steam from the Bridge. There was no morning equivalent.
As it took 89 minutes to Guildford, it can hardly have been faster than via Waterloo, and it wasn't shown as a through train in the public timetable; it was even quicker via Sutton and Effingham Jn with two changes.

However, I imagine the SECR fare by that route was competitive and remained so to the end.

 

[infobleep]

The 5.25pm London Bridge-Redhill-Reading ran for decades until the Tadpoles took over the NDL in January 1965, though for the last couple of years it was split into two - an emu to Reigate and steam from Redhill to Reading - in order to eliminate steam from the Bridge. There was no morning equivalent.
As it took 89 minutes to Guildford, it can hardly have been faster than via Waterloo, and it wasn't shown as a through train in the public timetable; it was even quicker via Sutton and Effingham Jn with two changes.

However, I imagine the SECR fare by that route was competitive and remained so to the end.

Fascinating info there. That may not have been quicker but there definitely was a connecting set of services shown on National Rail Enquiries that got you into Shalford before a Guildford to Redhill train would. Prior to thr May 2028 timetable.

Whatever the timings it showed up on National Rail Enquiries when doing a search and you didn't even need to specify via.

 

[30907]

Fascinating info there. That may not have been quicker but there definitely was a connecting set of services shown on National Rail Enquiries that got you into Shalford before a Guildford to Redhill train would. Prior to thr May 2028 timetable.

Whatever the timings it showed up on National Rail Enquiries when doing a search and you didn't even need to specify via.

Sorry, I was thinking Guildford as a destination, rather than Shalford.

 

[Thebaz]

Revisiting this route today. I've just bought same ticket but been charged £10.60 which is exactly £5 less than before. Both journeys were off-peak. Now why would there be a difference?

 

[30907]

Revisiting this route today. I've just bought same ticket but been charged £10.60 which is exactly £5 less than before. Both journeys were off-peak. Now why would there be a difference?

I can only find £10.60 for this journey. No idea about £15.60 sorry.

 

[Thebaz]

I can only find £10.60 for this journey. No idea about £15.60 sorry.

So basically I got somehow overcharged for this first time round. Can I claim the difference back?

 

[JB_B]

So basically I got somehow overcharged for this first time round. Can I claim the difference back?

Do you still have the ticket you bought last time? (Since it's Boundary Zone I assume the return won't have been retained at a gateline.) If so, what does it say?

 

[Thebaz]

Do you still have the ticket you bought last time? (Since it's Boundary Zone I assume the return won't have been retained at a gateline.) If so, what does it say?

Unfortunately I tossed it so the only proof I have that I purchased a ticket is my bank statement. I guess that's put the kibosh on any attempt to reclaim.

 

[Thebaz]

Found the ticket - I hadn't tossed it, I'd put it in the washing machine! Anyway turns out it was £15.20 I was charged and not £15.60 as I first stated. Also it turns out that it was for two singles (£7.60ea) and not a return. Does that mean that a return ticket from Boundary 6 to Guildford is not valid via my preferred route?

 

[Haywain]

Found the ticket - I hadn't tossed it, I'd put it in the washing machine! Anyway turns out it was £15.20 I was charged and not £15.60 as I first stated. Also it turns out that it was for two singles (£7.60ea) and not a return. Does that mean that a return ticket from Boundary 6 to Guildford is not valid via my preferred route?

Were these tickets for travel on the same day? If so, you may have a case for asking for some money back.

 

[Thebaz]

Yes they were same day