I recently had to fly from London City Airport and thought I might travel via Woolwich Arsenal (for DLR). None of the journey planners I tried would give a fare via Strood from Staplehurst although they will from Paddock Wood. Is via Srood a permitted route from Staplehurst? I would have though South Eastern would be pleased that passengers chose a route avoiding London Bridge, especially for the duration of the works.
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Staplehurst to Woolwich Arsenal via Strood
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There is a £17.60 anytime day single for Staplehurst-Woolwich Arsenal "via not London", but I can only seem to get the journey planners to offer a Staplehurst-Paddock Wood-Sevenoaks-Lewisham-Blackheath-Charlton-Woolwich route for that ticket (use the "Avoid" option in a journey planner and put in "London", or select "London (all)", as the station to be avoided). This may be related to the fact that Paddock Wood-Woolwich (via Strood only) is £17.70 for an anytime day single, whereas Paddock Wood-Woolwich (via Sevenoaks only) is only £15.20 for an anytime day single (or £14.40 for an offpeak day single.)
Otherwise, you need to buy two tickets: either Staplehurst-Paddock Wood, and Paddock Wood-Woolwich Arsenal (via Strood only): £4.50 + £17.70; or Staplehurst-Strood, and Strood-Woolwich: £12.10 + £10.70. (I have given prices for anytime day singles: for some of the tickets there is an offpeak day single for 10p less. And I have assumed that you will use Oyster PAYG between Woolwich and London City Airport.)
Otherwise, you need to buy two tickets: either Staplehurst-Paddock Wood, and Paddock Wood-Woolwich Arsenal (via Strood only): £4.50 + £17.70; or Staplehurst-Strood, and Strood-Woolwich: £12.10 + £10.70. (I have given prices for anytime day singles: for some of the tickets there is an offpeak day single for 10p less. And I have assumed that you will use Oyster PAYG between Woolwich and London City Airport.)
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kieron
Established Member
There is a valid route from Ashford to Charlton via Strood (shown here* on NRE) which goes through Woolwich Arsenal and Staplehurst, and lets you stop/start short, but tickets start at £23.90.
This should, in turn, be valid to use with an "any permitted" Staplehurst-Woolwich ticket (although I'm not going to try to get a ticket site to show that), but they're even dearer.
The ticket that Kieron suggests should be fine. However, I do not think that a Staplehurst-Woolwich "route any permitted" ticket would be valid via the Medway Valley. This is what a quick look at the routeing guide seems to suggest.
It says that Ashford (Kent) and Tonbridge are the routeing points associated with Staplehurst, and that Slade Green and Charlton are the routeing points associated with Woolwich.
As an Ashford-Woolwich ticket (using anytime day singles for comparison purposes) is much more than a Staplehurst-Woolwich ticket, but as a Tonbridge-Woolwich ticket is less, I think that means we have to use Tonbridge as the routeing point for Staplehurst. Because of this, we can't use the map combination AR+KL+CT which is what makes the Medway Valley route valid for Ashford-Woolwich.
It says that Ashford (Kent) and Tonbridge are the routeing points associated with Staplehurst, and that Slade Green and Charlton are the routeing points associated with Woolwich.
As an Ashford-Woolwich ticket (using anytime day singles for comparison purposes) is much more than a Staplehurst-Woolwich ticket, but as a Tonbridge-Woolwich ticket is less, I think that means we have to use Tonbridge as the routeing point for Staplehurst. Because of this, we can't use the map combination AR+KL+CT which is what makes the Medway Valley route valid for Ashford-Woolwich.
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kieron
Established Member
It all comes down to the costs of single fares.
Staplehurst-Woolwich Arsenal +any permitted fares include:
anytime day single: £37.10
off-peak day single: £34.70
Ashford-Woolwich Arsenal include:
anytime day single: £36.80
off-peak day single: £34.70
Staplehurst-Charlton include:
anytime day single: £35.40
off-peak day single: £33.20
As the Staplehurst-Woolwich fares are higher than the other two, Ashford and Charlton are valid routeing points for Staplehurst and Woolwich Arsenal respectively.
I don't know what significance it has for ticket validity that this pattern isn't repeated if you look at tickets with either of the more restricted routes. I don't think there's any way to get a ticket site to show a route which doubles back both in Ashford and Charlton, either.
Staplehurst-Woolwich Arsenal +any permitted fares include:
anytime day single: £37.10
off-peak day single: £34.70
Ashford-Woolwich Arsenal include:
anytime day single: £36.80
off-peak day single: £34.70
Staplehurst-Charlton include:
anytime day single: £35.40
off-peak day single: £33.20
As the Staplehurst-Woolwich fares are higher than the other two, Ashford and Charlton are valid routeing points for Staplehurst and Woolwich Arsenal respectively.
I don't know what significance it has for ticket validity that this pattern isn't repeated if you look at tickets with either of the more restricted routes. I don't think there's any way to get a ticket site to show a route which doubles back both in Ashford and Charlton, either.
telstarbox
Established Member
A quicker route would be Staplehurst to Cannon Street then DLR from Bank to City Airport, using the relevant peak or off peak Day Travel card.
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