Cambridge - Gatwick 30th march/7th April

[jopsuk]

Going on holiday, flying from Gatwick. Thanks to flight times changing, my travel plans (was going to be FCC all the way, walking across the road between Kings Cross and St Pancras) need to change
Outbound: Sunday 30th March. I want to be at the aiport for 1030. There's engineering on south of Cambridge, affecting both routes, so there's buses to Royston, Stansted Airport and Audley End.

National Rail is suggesting 0700 bus to Audley End (0740), 0747 train to Tottenham Hale (0829), Victoria Line and 0930 Gatwick Express ar 1009.

Return:
original plan involved only just making the last train from Kings Cross the following Sunday. Later flight means I've got a hotel room at the airport instead. So, I'll wait until after rush hour on Monday (7th April, I won't be in a rush.

I have a Network Railcard. If I use this, I can't use Gatwick Express services, period. If I don't, I'd rather avoid the whole fuss over using Southern Only on GatEx- I'll pay the extra to avoid hassle.

What are my best routing and ticket options?

Outbound, I'd considered seeing if I could get an XC rail replacement bus to Stansted to connect to a Stansted Express, but before 0915 airport passengers are on the Audley End bus, train to Stortford and dash over the footbridge!

 

[SickyNicky]

The Off Peak Return has the following restrictions, meaning that there no return evening peak time restrictions, but you can't leave Gatwick before 9.30am.

CAMBRIDGE to GATWICK AIRPORT
OFF-PEAK R Return £29.75
(outbound: VALID AS ADVERTISED )
(return: BY ANY TRAIN SCHEDULED TO DEPART AT OR AFTER 0930.)
Route: Valid via any available route, on any operators trains. Restriction code 5M
This ticket includes a journey across London on the tube.

Edit: I cannot find any obvious split fares for this journey, so you're stuck with the through fare unless someone comes up with something more creative.

 

[Reason077]

There's an AGA & Southern fare which is a bit cheaper. You'd just have to take a Southern service from Victoria instead of Gatwick Express. Takes a few minutes longer on a Sunday morning, but there's plenty of them.

OFF-PEAK R SVR
Route ✠SOUTHERN & AGA
Restrictions 4B
Adult NSE £24.95

 

[SickyNicky]

There's an AGA & Southern fare which is a bit cheaper. You'd just have to take a Southern service from Victoria instead of Gatwick Express. Takes a few minutes longer on a Sunday morning, but there's plenty of them.

OFF-PEAK R SVR
Route ✠SOUTHERN & AGA
Restrictions 4B
Adult NSE £24.95

You would also have to use AGA between Cambridge and London, stopping you from using First Capital Connect to King's Cross and extending the journey time somewhat.

Also, coming into Liverpool St, the obvious onwards route is to change onto First Capital Connect at Farringdon (where it's a cross-platform interchange on the way out), but with that ticket you would need to take a (quite) long journey to Victoria to get a Southern service to Gatwick.

But if you don't mind the extra time and inconvenience, it's a fiver saved, so worth mentioning, thanks Reason077.

 

[Reason077]

You would also have to use AGA between Cambridge and London, stopping you from using First Capital Connect to King's Cross and extending the journey time somewhat.

On a normal day, FCC to Kings Cross would be faster, but in this case nationalrail.co.uk suggests going via Audley End and Tottenham Hale is the quickest route.

Going via Liverpool Street would probably always be slower - the Victoria line is much faster across London than either Thameslink or the Circle line!

 

[jopsuk]

if I was to get the £29.75 (using the NSE discount) I'd have to get a Southern service from Victoria (or FCC service from a Thameslink station) anyway, as NSE discount is specifically forbidden for Gatwick Express at all times- though journey planners don't seem to take this into account. I've go with that S&AGA fare, there's a Southern leaving two minutes after the Express, getting into Gatwick13 minutes after it. I think that will do!

On the way home I'm not in a rush- may even take a wander round London.

 

[bb21]

You can take Thameslink (as part of your cross-London transfer) from Farringdon to London Bridge if you wish, but you will then need to use Southern and change at East Croydon, or get the half-hourly direct Horsham service which is not very fast.

 

[island]

There's an AGA & Southern fare which is a bit cheaper. You'd just have to take a Southern service from Victoria instead of Gatwick Express. Takes a few minutes longer on a Sunday morning, but there's plenty of them.

OFF-PEAK R SVR
Route ✠SOUTHERN & AGA
Restrictions 4B
Adult NSE £24.95

Services branded as "Gatwick Express" are operated by Southern and could be used.

 

[bb21]

The OP has mentioned that he would like to avoid the potential hassle.

And indeed Network Railcard-discounted tickets are not valid on Gatwick Express anyway, be it a brand or a TOC.

 

[30907]

there's a Southern leaving two minutes after the Express, getting into Gatwick13 minutes after it. I think that will do!

In practice you would comfortably make the 0917 VIC-GTW anyway

 

[jopsuk]

Without the NSE discount the tickets are £45.10 Any Permitted/£37.80 Southern & AGA. Whilst I'd like a ride on the 442s, paying £20 extra to do so isn't worth it!

 

[SickyNicky]

The OP has mentioned that he would like to avoid the potential hassle.

And indeed Network Railcard-discounted tickets are not valid on Gatwick Express anyway, be it a brand or a TOC.

Possibly, although you can book them on WebTIS and I'm sure there's something on the ATOC website saying that if you make a booking on line, it will be honoured.