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Redhill - Flitwick via Warren Street

Discussion in 'Fares Advice & Policy' started by tsr, 15 Nov 2011.

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  1. 15 Nov 2011 #1
    tsr

    tsr Established Member

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    Hi

    Firstly, may I announce my arrival on this forum... I have been reading it for months but never got round to signing up. You have all provided quite a bit of useful information and humour already!

    My first post concerns a journey I wish to carry out this weekend. On Friday morning, I need to leave Redhill station on the 0723 to London Victoria, and from there travel to Warren Street on the Victoria line. At this point I need to break my journey for some lectures at uni until roughly 1700hrs, at which point I need to get to St Pancras (via tube if possible, even though it's not far, as I will have a suitcase) to catch any service that arrives in Flitwick at around 1800hrs.

    I then need to return on Sunday evening, leaving Flitwick at roughly 1700hrs to return. However, I will not need to go via Warren Street, as there are no uni lectures on a Sunday! I don't know the exact timings, since I may need to help my friends pack up a venue we will have been using over said weekend.

    My first question is what the cheapest and most flexible way to do this would be, with my 16-25 Railcard.

    My second question is whether or not there would be engineering works meaning a more specific ticket I purchase (if indeed I need to) would be invalid.

    The reason I ask is that even though it sounds a basic problem, I cannot work it out online on either NRE or Southern's website (and ideally I'd like to know what to ask before I enter the ticket office).

    I also need to book the journey at least the day before.

    Thanks for your help. I hope that makes sense.

    :)
     
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  3. 15 Nov 2011 #2
    sonic2009

    sonic2009 Established Member

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    Welcome tsr to the forum :) pleased to have you onboard.

    Please can you give me some more information? do you hold an oyster card at all?
     
  4. 15 Nov 2011 #3
    tsr

    tsr Established Member

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    Yes, I actually meant to include that I have an Oyster card (loaded with my 16-25 discount). Redhill and Flitwick are both outside the Oyster boundary, as I am sure you are aware, but if it is cheaper between Victoria and St Pancras and vice versa (including, as appropriate, via Warren Street), that's OK.

    Thanks for your welcome and your quick reply!
     
  5. 15 Nov 2011 #4
    LexyBoy

    LexyBoy Established Member Fares Advisor

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    Welcome to the forum!

    That's two questions. The second is easy to answer: the most flexible way to do it is an Anytime Day Single Redhill-Flitwick at £17.50 (Y-P). You may break your journey from Victoria to St Pancras at Warren Street, but you'll need to pay for the remainder (£1.30 on Oyster if you've got your Railcard loaded onto it, £1.90 otherwise). Off Peak Day Single back is £15.80 (Y-P), again valid via Victoria or Thameslink.

    The first is more complex and may depend on how much you're happy to slow down your journey, restrict your travel options and/or potentially argue about ticket validities with staff.
    --- old post above --- --- new post below ---
    As far as I can see, there aren't any operator or route specific fares for this flow so if you buy a through ticket you won't be restricted. If you buy split tickets this may not be the case (though I doubt it would save money to do so on this route as journeys into London usually carry a premium).

    What problems are you having? If you enter your journey into NRE it will show any planned engineering (click on the blue "i" icon for journey details). There are none on Sunday.

    You will be able to buy tickets from any station at any point before travel. The fare will be the same whether you buy in advance or just before travel, but you'll avoid the queues by buying in advance.
     
  6. 15 Nov 2011 #5
    tsr

    tsr Established Member

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    Thanks for that, LexyBoy.

    Do you mean that the St Pancras-Flitwick part of my journey will remain intact even if I break at Warren Street?

    In terms of slowing my journey down, the timings I've given are pretty much as I need them, although I can leave St Pancras for Flitwick slightly earlier, and return slightly later to St Pancras.

    I suppose my ideal ticket can be reasonably restricted in terms of route (not that I can see a great deal variation anyway) but not timings, other than what I've said (the precise outbound train from Redhill must not matter, as well). And finally, if I know what to argue about, I don't mind doing so.

    The problem with NRE/Southern was that I wasn't sure if I needed to include "Via Warren Street" in my ticket, and of course the system was having none of that specific LU station stuff!
     
    Last edited: 15 Nov 2011
  7. 15 Nov 2011 #6
    John @ home

    John @ home Established Member Fares Advisor

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    If travelling with heavy luggage, I think you would find a bus Warren St - St Pancras (85p Y-P Oyster) and the Y-P SVR Redhill - Flitwick most convenient.
     
    Last edited: 15 Nov 2011
  8. 15 Nov 2011 #7
    tsr

    tsr Established Member

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    I could indeed use the bus. Knowing the relatively short distance, I suppose I could even walk between the two, even with luggage. I guess that removes some complication.
     
  9. 15 Nov 2011 #8
    LexyBoy

    LexyBoy Established Member Fares Advisor

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    Y-P doesn't give a discount on buses- I think that might be a 16-18 Oyster fare you've quoted.

    Also I didn't see a SVR for the journey- only day tickets. A SVR wouldn't be valid at that time on Friday anyway.

     
  10. 15 Nov 2011 #9
    tsr

    tsr Established Member

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    I was going to mention that a SVR would be invalid, but didn't since I thought for some reason I might be wrong!

    There is a discount on buses, apparently, but I've never found any clear guidance on what it is.
     
  11. 15 Nov 2011 #10
    bb21

    bb21 Moderator Staff Member Moderator

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    Indeed a 16-25 loaded Oyster does not give discounts travelling on buses, and the fare is £1.30 single or £4 daily cap although without differentiation between peak and off-peak times.

    The 16-25 loaded Oyster single LU fare between Zone 1 stations is £1.25, which is what you will be charged if you decide to travel between Warren Street and King's Cross St Pancras on the Victoria Line.

    Although an Off-Peak Return is not valid at the times you want to travel, if you can delay your travel on Friday until after 1859 from St Pancras, the Redhill - Wellingborough Route +Any Permitted Super Off-Peak Return (£30.55) will be valid.

    There is no restriction on this ticket between Redhill and London, and is valid for one cross-London journey in each direction. There is no restriction on Sunday either.
     
  12. 15 Nov 2011 #11
    tsr

    tsr Established Member

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    I'm afraid I must be at Flitwick some time around 1800hrs, but thanks for looking that up, bb21. Also thanks for confirming the bus "non-discount". :)
     
  13. 15 Nov 2011 #12
    Mojo

    Mojo Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    Note that the OP will be travelling around 17.00 on Friday. Railcard discounts on Oyster do not apply in the evening peak (between 16.00 and 19.00 Mon-Fri), so he would be paying the £1.90 single. In this case the £1.30 bus fare may be more attractive.
     
  14. 15 Nov 2011 #13
    tsr

    tsr Established Member

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    Well, let's say I take the tube - to be fair, I probably will, despite the extra 60p. Will the break of journey at Warren Street still allow my outbound ticket via London to definitely work for St Pancras-Flitwick? I understand that it will not be valid for Warren Street-St Pancras.
     
  15. 15 Nov 2011 #14
    bb21

    bb21 Moderator Staff Member Moderator

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    Yes it will.

    Of course, in fact I think the bus is more convenient without having to get up/down the escalators/lifts and also stops right outside the Underground hall at St Pancras. However bear in mind that the 73 does not stop outside St Pancras station, a legacy from the artic days. The 10 and 390 do.

    Given the close proximity, there is hardly any difference time-wise.
     
  16. 15 Nov 2011 #15
    yorkie

    yorkie Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    You can break your journey unlimited times (on National Rail) but there is only one cross-London transfer included, which would get you to Warren St, but it is then expired.

    Warren St - St Pancras via tube will involve a huge amount of walking. It's a good option in bad weather and if you do not mind crowded, enclosed spaces. The Victoria Line platforms are near the old St Pancras Thameslink station. I suspect that it would not be that much further to walk the whole thing from Warren St (depending on exactly where in the area you are going) to St Pancras! The bus is the most convenient option by far, and cheaper (at that time).
     
  17. 15 Nov 2011 #16
    tsr

    tsr Established Member

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    Looks like the bus for that hop, then, yorkie and bb21. Thanks for that good advice!

    Unless there's another really, really good idea from someone else ;)
     
    Last edited: 15 Nov 2011
  18. 15 Nov 2011 #17
    yorkie

    yorkie Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    No problem :) This is a tough one to advise for, as there are not many SORs (Anytime Returns) in the 'Network area' (formerly Network SouthEast area), and the SVRs within this area are no use, and the £12 minimum fare with your Railcard on walk-on fares before 10:00 all restrict the options for "splitting", especially given that singles are very expensive compared to the cost of returns (except on Oyster PAYG, but Oyster doesn't cover much of this area).

    There is an SOR from Gatwick to Flitwick for £36.30, but that's more expensive than 2 x singles.
     
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