Southampton to Brighton this weekend (Sat-Sun return), is Clapham the only sensible route?

[TheConfusedMan]

As the title suggests. I'm doing Southampton to Brighton on Saturday and back on Sunday.

Is going via Clapham the only real sensible way to do it this weekend with the strike action?

 

[miklcct]

As the title suggests. I'm doing Southampton to Brighton on Saturday and back on Sunday.

Is going via Clapham the only real sensible way to do it this weekend with the strike action?

No. The sensible way is to use bus 700 to connect where the train service isn't available during the strike action.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Brighton back to Southampton Central via Barnham looks to be possible on Sunday, but not in either direction on Saturday.

Is the most flexible / varied ticket option therefore an Off Peak Return route "via Barnham" with a one way change of route excess to "not via London" for the outward leg so as to allow travel to Brighton via Clapham Junction?

 

[Alex365Dash]

No. The sensible way is to use bus 700 to connect where the train service isn't available during the strike action.

If you’ve tried that (doing Brighton - Portsmouth, I have on a strike day!), it’s not particularly pleasant considering everyone else has the same idea (or at least for more local journeys where the Coastliner 700 is a more viable option).

For completeness, this would involve getting the train to Barnham, the 500 onwards to Chichester, then the 700 to Portsmouth to connect in with SWR/GWR to Southampton.

Whilst it‘s the most direct way, it’s not even that much cheaper (£5.25 excess as per post #3 assuming you won’t be excessing to a Super Off-Peak Return, £4 two bus singles Barnham - Chichester - Portsmouth) and it’s definitely not the quickest.

For a prospective journey leaving at 12:20 from Brighton Station (to give the bus a head start), you’d start by taking the 12:20 train to Barnham on the bus route, whilst the train route takes you on the 12:40 to London Victoria as far as Clapham Junction. Following this route to its conclusion means that the train route to Southampton arrives in Southampton whilst the 700 bus is in Havant, then you’ve still got to get to Portsmouth and wait for a train to Southampton, which means you arrive in 1 hour and 46 minutes later by bus having paid £1.25 less.

I don’t think the bus is worth it.

 

[miklcct]

If you’ve tried that (doing Brighton - Portsmouth, I have on a strike day!), it’s not particularly pleasant considering everyone else has the same idea (or at least for more local journeys where the Coastliner 700 is a more viable option).

For completeness, this would involve getting the train to Barnham, the 500 onwards to Chichester, then the 700 to Portsmouth to connect in with SWR/GWR to Southampton.

Whilst it‘s the most direct way, it’s not even that much cheaper (£5.25 excess as per post #3 assuming you won’t be excessing to a Super Off-Peak Return, £4 two bus singles Barnham - Chichester - Portsmouth) and it’s definitely not the quickest.

For a prospective journey leaving at 12:20 from Brighton Station (to give the bus a head start), you’d start by taking the 12:20 train to Barnham on the bus route, whilst the train route takes you on the 12:40 to London Victoria as far as Clapham Junction. Following this route to its conclusion means that the train route to Southampton arrives in Southampton whilst the 700 bus is in Havant, then you’ve still got to get to Portsmouth and wait for a train to Southampton, which means you arrive in 1 hour and 46 minutes later by bus having paid £1.25 less.

I don’t think the bus is worth it.

Thanks for your explanation. The bus route is what I personally will do if I really have to do this journey because it deviates from my usual route (a direct train) the least, and I am extremely uncomfortable travelling so far north for a journey going west.

 

[TheConfusedMan]

Thanks everyone. It's good to know how to do it with bus chunks for future reference.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Thanks for your explanation. The bus route is what I personally will do if I really have to do this journey because it deviates from my usual route (a direct train) the least, and I am extremely uncomfortable travelling so far north for a journey going west.

Curious if you can explain why is that?

I can understand 'I'd prefer not to...', but 'extremely uncomfortable' is quite a strong expression!

 

[Iggy12a]

For completeness, this would involve getting the train to Barnham, the 500 onwards to Chichester, then the 700 to Portsmouth to connect in with SWR/GWR to Southampton.

Due to road closure, the 500 service is not serving Barnham station until 7th Dec. The nearest stop is in Lake Lane. The bus then goes on a big diversion which typically adds 20 minutes to the journey time.

 

[TheConfusedMan]

Well I eventaully made it to Brighton.
For those who fancy all the gory details:

Left home at 7AM to catch ferry.
Made it to Southampton Central by 8:20, ready for 9:00 to Clapham.
All trains to London then got cancelled as there was a points failure at Brokenhurst and no trains could get through.
Arms started to freeze.
Advised to get 9:44 to Portsmouth, get off at Fareham, then catch train from there to Clapham. People shift over to that platform.
Points failure at Brokenhurt fixed, so back to original plan as the train was not long after the 9:44 and would be direct.
Switch back to platform 1.
All trains to London delayed again, 9:44 alternate now gone.
Train to Waterloo finally arrived 10:30 ish
So full that the literal only place to stand was between the automatic sliding internal doors that kept closing on me.
Annoucement that there would be another train soon.
Got off, as the door situation was driving me insane.
Next train then got delayed.
Eventually got on the next to Waterloo when it arrived after another 30 minutes or so.
Just as we left the station they announced that it was soooo late that it would go directly to Waterloo without ANY stops.
Everyone groans.
Then they announce that actually it was so late they would simply stop as Basingstoke and go back the other way.
Everyone groans again.
BUT.... there would be a connecting train being held at Basingstoke, which I could get off at Woking to then get to Clapham.
Sorted.
Except the train being held at Basingstoke didn't exist.
So everyone groaned and waited for the next Waterloo train, which was delayed.
When it did arrive it was so full only a handful of people could get on.
Eveyone groaned.
Then I finally manged to get on the next train, by standing in the door basically, but there was a woman almost in tears, deeper in the standing people, saying over and over "there's too many people", so I took one for the team and got off.
And THEN the next train a while later eventaully got me to Clapham, whence I could get down to Brighton in a breeze.

All in all, a very eventful morning.

 

[MrJeeves]

If you’ve tried that (doing Brighton - Portsmouth, I have on a strike day!), it’s not particularly pleasant considering everyone else has the same idea (or at least for more local journeys where the Coastliner 700 is a more viable option).

My experience with doing the 700 all the way from Portsmouth to Brighton (and then the 270 northwards towards Burgess Hill) was rather nice and relaxing (albeit very long) as the buses were typically only half-full. I suppose I got lucky!

 

[paul1609]

My experience with doing the 700 all the way from Portsmouth to Brighton (and then the 270 northwards towards Burgess Hill) was rather nice and relaxing (albeit very long) as the buses were typically only half-full. I suppose I got lucky!

How long ago was this? Normally its now 1 bus Pompey to Chichester, change bus to Littlheampton Anchor Springs, change bus to brighton.

 

[Alex365Dash]

How long ago was this? Normally its now 1 bus Pompey to Chichester, change bus to Littlheampton Anchor Springs, change bus to brighton.

It’s been a long time since it’s been one bus - but they’re all numbered the 700 still so it can be confusing!

Stagecoach until a few weeks ago did however sell through singles at the DfT cap of £2. Yes, I did get a single from Brighton to Portsmouth for £2.

Nowadays, you’ll have to pay for each leg.

 

[MrJeeves]

How long ago was this? Normally its now 1 bus Pompey to Chichester, change bus to Littlheampton Anchor Springs, change bus to brighton.

Sorry, I did change! Just said the 700 all the way as it was the same route number.

This was back on 30 Sept, which was some form of strike... No recollection what, though.

Only took one photo inside the bus (but many more out of the window).

 

[winks]

Why would you get the 700 when it must take at least 5 hours !

Sounds like hell on earth.

 

[MrJeeves]

Why would you get the 700 when it must take at least 5 hours !

Because it was that or walking?

 

[winks]

Because it was that or walking?

National Express displaying tickets for £37 if paying a few days ahead ?

 

[MrJeeves]

National Express displaying tickets for £37 if paying a few days ahead ?

They don't have a stop at my destination (unless I fancy a 45 min walk along a dual carriageway), and £37 is much more than the £8 I paid for my four buses.

 

[Iggy12a]

National Express displaying tickets for £37 if paying a few days ahead ?

But that is a 6 - 7 hour journey via Heathrow or Victoria

 

[MrJeeves]

But that is a 6 - 7 hour journey via Heathrow or Victoria

Well, and that too.

I also think the legroom on the front row of the top deck of a 700 is better than I remember NX having in any coaches I've used.

 

[James Wake]

It’s been a long time since it’s been one bus - but they’re all numbered the 700 still so it can be confusing!

Stagecoach until a few weeks ago did however sell through singles at the DfT cap of £2. Yes, I did get a single from Brighton to Portsmouth for £2.

Nowadays, you’ll have to pay for each leg.

My friend who drives for Stagecoach at Worthing and Chichester has confirmed recently the through Portsmouth to Brighton and vice versa £2 tickets are still available

 

[MrJeeves]

My friend who drives for Stagecoach at Worthing and Chichester has confirmed recently the through Portsmouth to Brighton and vice versa £2 tickets are still available

Ah I missed out then...! I actually only paid £6 as I boarded in Portsmouth during the free September buses promotional period, but did buy two onward tickets from Chichester and Littlehampton.

Now I know for next time (and that's quite the deal if I don't have any time constraints!)

 

[Alex365Dash]

My friend who drives for Stagecoach at Worthing and Chichester has confirmed recently the through Portsmouth to Brighton and vice versa £2 tickets are still available

How recently was this? Stagecoach claims that transfer singles/returns (this would include between the various 700 Coastliner services which are transfer tickets) were withdrawn on Sunday 12th November.