Victoria - Brighton - Lewes - Victoria

[Howardh]

Is there a cheap way of doing that off-peak? Thinking of a day out in summer Manchester-London, 90 minutes in Brighton then same in Lewes and back to London. (Or Lewes first then Brighton).

Or am I stuck with London - Hayward's Heath ret and three singles HH - Brighton, Brighton - Lewes, Lewes - HH?

Any locals help me out?

EDIT King's Cross seems to be a better option from Manchester looking at the SE rail map?

 

[swt class 450]

Is there a cheap way of doing that off-peak? Thinking of a day out in summer Manchester-London, 90 minutes in Brighton then same in Lewes and back to London. (Or Lewes first then Brighton).

Or am I stuck with London - Hayward's Heath ret and three singles HH - Brighton, Brighton - Lewes, Lewes - HH?

Any locals help me out?

I am pretty sure that London Terminals to Lewes tickets are valid via Brighton. So you could just buy a London Terminals to Lewes (or a Manchester Stations to Lewes) return ticket to do this journey.

 

[Howardh]

I am pretty sure that London Terminals to Lewes tickets are valid via Brighton. So you could just buy a London Terminals to Lewes (or a Manchester Stations to Lewes) return ticket to do this journey.

Really? Thanks, that looks a great option but it doesn't seem possible looking at the map (ie once at Brighton you have to go back on yourself a bit) as there's a more direct route to Lewes, which is why I've asked on here.

But again, if you're sure then fine, I'll do that saves looking and paying for a day ranger! EDIT - can you get off at Brighton and spend an hour or so there legally?

 

[swt class 450]

Really? Thanks, that looks a great option but it doesn't seem possible looking at the map (ie once at Brighton you have to go back on yourself a bit) as there's a more direct route to Lewes, which is why I've asked on here.

But again, if you're sure then fine, I'll do that saves looking and paying for a day ranger!

I am 99% sure it is valid route. I have used various tickets including London Terminals to Lewes and others to travel via Brighton (including breaking my journey) and have never had a problem. Also the ticket office staff at both Dorking station and Lewes station have also said it is a valid route when i have asked them in the past.

 

[Howardh]

I am 99% sure it is valid route. I have used various tickets including London Terminals to Lewes and others to travel via Brighton (including breaking my journey) and have never had a problem. Also the ticket office staff at both Dorking station and Lewes station have also said it is a valid route when i have asked them in the past.

**Like**

 

[soil]

You might find it cheaper to buy a Southern DaySave anyway.

 

[GW43125]

You might find it cheaper to buy a Southern DaySave anyway.

Can you even buy them anymore? They were removed from the website a year ago at least.

 

[swt class 450]

An off peak Southern Daysave (a day rover ticket) is indeed probably the cheapest at £19.00 each.

However the Southern Daysave can be very tricky to obtain. I have successfully bought it quite a few times from a few ticket offices and from Guards onboard trains. However you have to be lucky and find a competent member of staff as not all staff seem to know about them or be able to find them.

It was available online but then it got withdrawn over a year ago due to what GTR called "technical problems". So i am not sure if you can buy it online any more.

If not then you can either buy:

• An off peak day return from London Terminals to Lewes is £28.10 each.

• If you already have a travelcard on the day you are planning on visiting Brighton and Lewes then an off peak day return from Boundary Zone 6 to Lewes is £20.00 each.

Hope this helps.

 

[Hadders]

Daysave is still available (I've purchased one for this week). It's only available online (or in person from a handful of Tourist Information Offices on the South Coast). It has to be purchased at least 3 days ahead of travel.

It's not the easiest ticket to find on Southern's website. I suggest you go straight to tickets.southernrailway.com and you'll find it in the 'other tickets' tab.

Only an Off Peak version is available £19 no railcard discounts or a Group version for £38.

 

[Howardh]

Thanks, I hope that day ticket's still around come summer!

Note - what would we do without this forum apart from setting fire to a few £20 notes?!!!

EDIT looking at their map, looks like I can use it from Brighton/Lewes back to Watford and connect there to the homebound train from Euston, saves crossing London. Ace! However, do you HAVE to make your first journey from the station named (ie Victoria)?

 

[James Wake]

looking at their map, looks like I can use it from Brighton/Lewes back to Watford and connect there to the homebound train from Euston, saves crossing London. Ace! However, do you HAVE to make your first journey from the station named (ie Victoria)?

As far as I'm aware you don't have to, but make sure the restrictions on your ticket to Manchester allow you to board at Watford Junction, for example if you have an advance ticket from Euston, you have to board at Euston.

 

[steamybrian]

Whilst I am not an expert in fares routing but I am positive that buying a return ticket to Lewes it would valid via Brighton.
During engineering works when the Wivelsfield (Keymer Jn) - Lewes line is blocked then trains are diverted via Brighton and similarly when the Brighton Main line is blocked south of Wivelsfield trains are diverted via Lewes.

 

[maniacmartin]

Whilst I am not an expert in fares routing but I am positive that buying a return ticket to Lewes it would valid via Brighton.
During engineering works when the Wivelsfield (Keymer Jn) - Lewes line is blocked then trains are diverted via Brighton and similarly when the Brighton Main line is blocked south of Wivelsfield trains are diverted via Lewes.

Nowhere near as cheap as the Daysave though, unless you have a railcard

 

[swt class 450]

Thanks, I hope that day ticket's still around come summer!

Note - what would we do without this forum apart from setting fire to a few £20 notes?!!!

EDIT looking at their map, looks like I can use it from Brighton/Lewes back to Watford and connect there to the homebound train from Euston, saves crossing London. Ace! However, do you HAVE to make your first journey from the station named (ie Victoria)?

You can make your first journey from any station on the Southern network. You dont even have to travel to or from the station named on your ticket. It just asks you for a station because it needs an issuing location printed on the ticket. You can pick any Southern station you want (even if you are not planning on going anywhere near that station). Whatever Southern station you pick it wont affect the validity of the ticket.

Yes it is indeed valid to and from Watford Junction (and also Milton Keynes Central as well) on Southern services. The ticket allows unlimited travel on all of the GTR "Southern" branded services.

 

[Howardh]

You can make your first journey from any station on the Southern network. You dont even have to travel to or from the station named on your ticket. It just asks you for a station because it needs an issuing location printed on the ticket. You can pick any Southern station you want (even if you are not planning on going anywhere near that station). Whatever Southern station you pick it wont affect the validity of the ticket.

Yes it is indeed valid to and from Watford Junction (and also Milton Keynes Central as well) on Southern services. The ticket allows unlimited travel on all of the GTR "Southern" branded services.

Great. When the time comes I'll get Piccadilly - Watford return and that daysaver. I wonder if it were more widely advertised, would it get people on to the off-peak trains who wouldn't normally travel by train? Considering if a couple have a day out, there's the petrol, parking and congestion, think £38 would trump that every time!

 

[maniacmartin]

Note that the DaySave can only be collected from Southern TVMs, as it printed in a special style that other operator's machines don't print properly.

 

[infobleep]

This is fascinating. Haywards Heath to Brighton is not valid via Lewes but Haywards Heath to Lewes is valid via Brighton! According to National Rail Enquiries App.

I'm sure it use to be valid that one could go to Brighton via Lewes but maybe it never was.

The fares to Brighton and Lewes use to be the same but I see that Brighton anytime single OS 30p cheaper than Lewes (£6.40 vs £6.70). Distance wise I'd thought Brighton was further away.

 

[Kite159]

Note that the DaySave can only be collected from Southern TVMs, as it printed in a special style that other operator's machines don't print properly.

Unless it has changed back, you can pick DaySaves up from other operator machines. I've managed to pick them up from Southampton Central, Clapham Junction and even Andover in the past, and they have printed out as a single "day rover" style ticket.

 

[maniacmartin]

Unless it has changed back, you can pick DaySaves up from other operator machines. I've managed to pick them up from Southampton Central, Clapham Junction and even Andover in the past, and they have printed out as a single "day rover" style ticket.

Fron a Southhern TVM they will have SN DAYSAVE in large letters across the top orange band, similar to how a Travelcard prints

 

[30907]

This is fascinating. Haywards Heath to Brighton is not valid via Lewes but Haywards Heath to Lewes is valid via Brighton! According to National Rail Enquiries App.

I'm sure it use to be valid that one could go to Brighton via Lewes but maybe it never was.

The fares to Brighton and Lewes use to be the same but I see that Brighton anytime single OS 30p cheaper than Lewes (£6.40 vs £6.70). Distance wise I'd thought Brighton was further away.

Lewes is 1/2 mile nearer, and I likewise recall the fares being identical and interavailable. Validity to Lewes and beyond via Brighton made good sense in the days when the East Coast service from London was only hourly - IIRC there was a good connection off the hourly fast Brighton.

 

[swt class 450]

Thinking about it the Southern Daysave ticket has gone up in price so much in recent years. Back in 2010 it was just £10.00 each. Although i still think its fairly good value at £19.00 each.