Northampton - Gatwick Airport 28th December

[jaffa]

Hi, I am trying to get from Northampton (or a station nearby?) to Gatwick Airport station on the 28th December 2013. I need to be there by around 2pm.
Fare given on national rail is £41.30, also this takes over 3 hours, and is part bus journey. I need a single, and have no railcards.

Is there a cheaper fare that is quicker (closer to 2 hours?) and without a bus journey? Or am I being unrealistic during the Christmas time engineering works?!
If possible I'd also rather avoid the underground.

Thanks for your help.

 

[rdwarr]

Can you get to Bedford? There's still a bus in there for the East Grinstead - Gatwick bit but it's only £16.10. Time is given as 2h41m. No Underground as the train is direct to East Croydon.

 

[island]

Gatwick's a disaster zone for rail travel around Christmas. Suggest you get LM train Northampton to Milton Keynes C, take Southern to West Brompton (assuming that's running, haven't checked) and get easyBus.

Edit: yes the Southern route is running but change at Watford Junction instead. £23.60 for the train and £7.99 for the bus, takes 3 hours or so.

 

[tony6499]

Is there not a National Coach service as any kind of train journey to Gatwick then will be torture

 

[Eagle]

Is there not a National Coach service as any kind of train journey to Gatwick then will be torture

EasyBus, as suggested in the post above.

 

[tony6499]

EasyBus, as suggested in the post above.

Why would you want to mess about changing from the train to a bus presumably with luggage when you can get on a coach at your start and get off at the airport ?

 

[causton]

NX suggests around £40 for this!

 

[jaffa]

Thank you for all your suggestions, I have since found some singles from Rugby and at £21.50 I think are good value, and just over 3 hours aren't ridiculously slow. I checked NX but they are expensive and just as slow, and although I will have to get the dreaded rail replacement bus I cannot see there is any alternative! Easybus is cheap but I don't think it's worth the hassle. Does seem a bit ridiculous that over the Christmas/New Year break they decide to close the rail lines around Gatwick - surely this is one of the busiest times of year for air passengers and therefore rail passengers from Gatwick? I understand that engineering works have to be done sometime...

 

[maniacmartin]

If they are these Advance tickets then remember you can't start short so would have to actually go to Rugby

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Does seem a bit ridiculous that over the Christmas/New Year break they decide to close the rail lines around Gatwick - surely this is one of the busiest times of year for air passengers and therefore rail passengers from Gatwick? I understand that engineering works have to be done sometime...

This is very definitely the quietest time of the year for passenger traffic, as many commuters take an extended holiday break at home, so perhaps not that ridiculous a time to schedule the work.

More info on the major engineering work happening on the Brighton Main Line south of East Croydon between Christmas Eve 2013 and New Year's Day 2014 (inclusive) at the following link...

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...ges-as-railway-investment-continues-1e9b.aspx

P.S. Looks like there will also be "direct" trains between London and Gatwick - but routed via Sutton and Horsham, with somewhat extended journey times!

 

[jaffa]

Ah I stand corrected then, I assumed holiday passenger levels would be at a similar level to commuter traffic (especially at airports) but evidently that's not the case!

Thanks for the tip about the fact there are direct trains running which I didn't realise - the fares for these seem to be more expensive than the bus service for some reason though? Can't see the £21.50 Rugby - Gatwick fare if I select via Horsham. And yes, I am planning to start my journey at Rugby not just start short!

 

[Paul Kelly]

Thanks for the tip about the fact there are direct trains running which I didn't realise - the fares for these seem to be more expensive than the bus service for some reason though? Can't see the £21.50 Rugby - Gatwick fare if I select via Horsham.

My guess is that Rugby to Gatwick via Horsham is not (normally) a permitted route, so the journey planners don't want to show it. But the intention of the diverted trains is clearly that passengers for Gatwick should use them - so your ticket should be accepted anyway.

My advice would be to buy the £21.50 ticket anyway (including a reservation on the train of your choice from Rugby to Euston), and then on the day simply ignore the itinerary that tells you to travel via the bus substituted route, and take the direct train from Victoria to Gatwick (via Horsham) instead.

 

[Eagle]

My guess is that Rugby to Gatwick via Horsham is not (normally) a permitted route, so the journey planners don't want to show it. But the intention of the diverted trains is clearly that passengers for Gatwick should use them - so your ticket should be accepted anyway.

Yep, that's probably it. Of course if you searched for London to Gatwick it would come up, because of the direct trains rule, but it's being confused because it requires a change and that rule can't apply.