Gatwick Express fares lunacy

Back to Forum
Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 30 total)

  • 1nfrequent
    Participant

    Alex McWhirter:
    1nfrequent – You didn’t say when you took LGW Express but I hoped you would have claimed for the delay. Compensation is paid when the delay exceeds 15 mins.
    If delayed by 60+ mins it’s a full refund.

    It was over a year ago and as I was travelling on business, my employer refunded the ticket cost anyway. That’s good to know though – I definitely don’t want to get taken for a mug again.

    1F


    william
    Participant

    How about this one then. If you are able to buy an advance purchase ticket, buy a Victoria – Three Bridges Southern Rail advance ticket for £5.00 (less with a travel card). Also buy a Horley – Gatwick ticket for £1.70, again less with a travel card. Travel on a Three Bridges service that stops at LGW and use the Horley – LGW ticket to go through the barriers at LGW. Works every time!
    Billy boy


    backintheseat
    Participant

    If you are travelling in London by bus or tube anytime the same day you travel to LGW then buy a TFL all day travel card for £17.30 peak or £12.30 off peak. By showing this at Victoria station ticket office you’ll be able to purchase for £5.20 an add on extension for the Gatwick Express. I do this often when transferring from LHR to LGW.


    Alex McWhirter
    Participant

    And yet another rail savings option to LGW may become available in 2018 if and when a new railcard is launched.

    https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/travel/2017/10/new-26-30-railcard-to-be-trialled-from-december


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    [quote quote=833126]How about this one then. If you are able to buy an advance purchase ticket, buy a Victoria – Three Bridges Southern Rail advance ticket for £5.00 (less with a travel card). Also buy a Horley – Gatwick ticket for £1.70, again less with a travel card. Travel on a Three Bridges service that stops at LGW and use the Horley – LGW ticket to go through the barriers at LGW. Works every time! Billy boy
    [/quote]

    Thanks Billy Boy, that’s what I meant by ticket splitting and is a very good example.
    Does it work in reverse though?


    william
    Participant

    Yes it does!


    openfly
    Participant

    @William…..where do you find a £5 single ticket from Victoria to Three Bridges? My local station is 3 Bridges.
    With a Travelcard to discount the fare, it is much more than £5!


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Hi William, just noticed you’re new to the forum, so welcome and I look forward to your contributions.
    I saw you signed off earlier as “Billy Boy”. Should I use that or do you prefer “William”?
    Have a good weekend. LP.


    william
    Participant

    Hi Openfly,

    I got the fares from the Southern Rail website and Nationalrail website. I selected a random date of 12 Dec 2017 leaving Victoria around 1300. The advance fare quoted was £5.00 with a senior railcard discount lowering this to £3.30 (direct services only). This works with most railcards. The fare isn’t neccessarily offered on all services and once the allocated number of advance tickets has been sold, the fare reverts to the anytime fare. Hope this helps you.

    Billy boy


    william
    Participant

    Hi LP.

    Either is good for me!


    PatJordan
    Participant

    Thanks to all for the many helpful suggestions. I have spent a bit of time searching, and for the dates I need (Arriving at LGW Sunday 5th November) none of the cheap fares are available. I think I’ll just slum it on Southern Railways and use my Oyster card!

    Safe travels everybody!


    openfly
    Participant

    @PatJordan If you are going to do it that way and you possess an Oyster card just buy a ticket from Gatwick to Coulsdon South. Then use ur Oyster Card for the rest of the journey. Coulsdon South is the first station in zone 6. Just use any Southern train and stay on the train for the journey even if it doesn’t stop at Coulsdon South, your journey is paid for. At Victoria, London Bridge or any London station just check out with your Oyster card. Simple!


    capetonianm
    Participant

    Technically speaking, you are only allowed to do ‘split ticketing’ if the train stops at the ticketed point(s).

    I think with openfly’s solution above, you might have a problem if you got a ‘jobsworth’ ticket fellow.


    openfly
    Participant

    @Capetonianm I have a London Freedom Pass (Oyster Card). I buy Three Bridges to Coulsdon South rtn twice a week. Absolutely no probs with the ticket checker on trains that do not stop at Coulsdon South….even with the new ticket reader mini computers that they are introducing. No more a cursory glance! The London Overground starts at Coulsdon South technically. If you are concerned use East Croydon as the break instead of Coulsdon South. All Southern and Thameslink trains stop there.


    SimonS1
    Participant

    [quote quote=833865] @PatJordan If you are going to do it that way and you possess an Oyster card just buy a ticket from Gatwick to Coulsdon South. Then use ur Oyster Card for the rest of the journey. Coulsdon South is the first station in zone 6. Just use any Southern train and stay on the train for the journey even if it doesn’t stop at Coulsdon South, your journey is paid for. At Victoria, London Bridge or any London station just check out with your Oyster card. Simple!
    [/quote]

    How do you ‘touch in’ your Oyster card if you don’t get off at Coulsdon South?

Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 30 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls