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Southampton to Reading routing
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Mcr Warrior
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Hopefully someone can confirm one way or the other, but wonder if there is any possibility of route "Any Permitted" validity (1) via Salisbury/Westbury or (2) via Basingstoke/Farnborough Stns or maybe (3) via Havant/Guildford/Farnborough North? 
Gloster
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I believe that the journey was valid via Westbury until ten or so years ago (I have done the journey), but is no longer.
No, Reading Group to Southampton is mapped on map XR only - the only possible routes are Reading - Basingstoke - Winchester - Southampton and diversions via the Laverstock curve via Romsey and Redbridge / Chandlers Ford (not Salisbury).
Other than direct trains or the shortest route (which, not surprisingly, is via Basingstoke and Reading West) the only map you can use is XR. The longest route you can trace on that is something like Southampton - Brockenhurst - Romsey - Eastleigh - Winchester - Basingstoke - Reading. Definitely not via Westbury, alas.
Mcr Warrior
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Map XR is entitled "Cross Country Routes from South Coast to Reading" so is there any leeway if not travelling on an XC service?
No, there is no leeway - that is the route for tickets from Southampton to Reading. The map just has to have a name. Other routes require a combination of tickets.
swt_passenger
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I think it’s really cross country in geography terms, not the TOC. SWR/GWR will get you there as well, also via Basingstoke…
By the way, does anyone know what the direct map link from Brockenhurst to Romsey on XR is all about? Is it to allow for a potential reversal short of Southampton if on diversion, because in practice all XC diverts reverse at Southampton anyway…
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Would it allow you to change at Redbridge (or even Millbrook) if there were suitable trains?
swt_passenger
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I remember a discussion a couple of years ago which seemed to believe the two Romsey links were a fudge for journey planners, obviously there’s not normally a Romsey to Basingstoke service either.
I think even in the full timetable there are very few interchange opportunities using Redbridge or Millbrook to avoid Southampton.
Bread & cheese
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If you buy a ticket Reading to Swanwick, this is valid:
Reading - Southampton Central - Swanwick
Reading - Eastleigh - Fareham - Swanwick
Reading - Guildford - Havant - Swanwick
So you could use the outward portion of the ticket to travel Reading to Southampton and break your journey there.
Then you could continue for example Southampton - Havant - Guildford - Reading, using your outward ticket as far as Swanwick, and your return ticket from Swanwick onwards.
You would have to travel on a train that stopped at Swanwick, but almost all do. (There is at least one exception, the GWR Great Malvern to Brighton service.)
Yes, although Swanwick fails a fare check at Havant, Fareham is part of Portsmouth Group for routing purposes and Reading Group to Portsmouth Group is valid on maps RB and XS, RB allows travel via Southampton, XS allows travel via Havant. Note that Reading to Havant itself is valid via Eastleigh but not Southampton.
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Bread & cheese
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I suggested a ticket Reading to Swanwick because it is a journey I am familiar with, but it looks like a ticket Reading to Fareham is a better option.
Reading - Southampton Central - Fareham
Reading - Guildford - Havant - Fareham
are, as stated above, mapped routes.
And all trains from Southampton to Havant call at Fareham.
So a Reading to Fareham return would allow you to travel Reading - Southampton - Havant - Guildford - Reading.
Another option: checking on the National Rail journey planner, a ticket from Reading to Romsey is valid:
Reading - Southampton Central - Romsey
Reading - Basingstoke - Salisbury - Romsey.
And I think all Southampton to Salisbury trains stop at Romsey.
So a Reading to Romsey return would allow you to travel:
Reading - Southampton - Salisbury - Basingstoke - Reading.
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MarlowDonkey
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Is there still the occasional XC through service running via Guildford?
David Goddard
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I've done Reading to Romsey out via Southampton and back via Salisbury, and it still comes up as valid, so this is surely an option with destination Romsey??
swt_passenger
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Only on diversions.
But in the normal timetable there’s one early train starts from, and comes back to Guildford late evening. They don’t run in passenger service south of Guildford.
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I guess there's alight at Totton, walk to Redbridge (10 mins walk if you're quick) and resume journey to Romsey...
10 mins? Try closer to 30 mins
Depends how fast you walk I guess. Remember Totton station is right on the east side of the town, so you basically only have to cross the bridge and walk a short distance through Redbridge and you're there. I know I could do it comfortably in 15, and walking briskly I'm sure I could do it in 10.
What was the routing Reading to Salisbury?
Reading to Salisbury is only valid via Basingstoke and Andover (map PZ).
It isn't valid via Westbury (or Romsey).
Romsey has three routeing points, Salisbury, Eastleigh and Southampton Central. Any of those pass the fares check from Reading. The routeing is therefore inherited from those points as Reading to Basingstoke then via Andover or Winchester as appropriate.
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