Tickets from Eastbourne to Maargate

[centraltrains]

Hi, I am tryiing to get a train ticket for 3 people to travel to margate however I also want to go to Faversham and Whitstable. I recon the best way to do this would be by buying a ticket to faversham and breaking at Whitstable and Margate. (This is all for travel in one day by the way). I am not sure if tickets from Eastbourne to Favershame would be valid via Margate.

This is the ticket I would likee to get: http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=EBN&dest=FAV&expert=on&flow=0&multi=1&fare=4&rte=700&tkt=CDR

However using ticket bookers; the chiltern booker dosent allow ths fare to be selected at all and the southern ticket buyer only allows it on an 0909(ish) departure (and this is not via margate).

If I have to buy a ticket to Margate and then to Faversham I woulden't mind but the cost is considerably higer.

I am not very knowlageable with ticket fares so would apprchiate help with validility on this journey. I applogies for typos in this post, I am typing on a very small tablet keyboard (the 20cm bluetooth ones).

 

[SickyNicky]

Hi there.

It seems that Eastbourne to Faversham via Margate (changing at Ashford International and Ramsgate) isn't a permitted route. That's why it's not appearing in any journey planner.

Here are our diagnostics:

Routeing issue(s):
Not a permitted route
OUTWARD JOURNEY Eastbourne to Faversham
Mileage 99.90 (Shortest possible 89.41)
Origin Routeing Point – EASTBOURNE GROUP
Terminus is a routeing point
Destination Routeing Point – Faversham
Terminus is a routeing point
Through Mapped Route
Checking G84-G15-AFK-CBW-G68-FAV
Off route at RAMSGATE GROUP
Not Permitted: Not traceable as mapped route. 
Mapped Route TO London
Not Permitted: LONDON mapped route: journey doesn't go via London. 
Not Permitted: Not traceable as mapped route.

 

[centraltrains]

Ok, that's a shame but thanks for looking! Guess I will get tickets to Margate and then to Faversham.

 

[SickyNicky]

Ok, that's a shame but thanks for looking! Guess I will get tickets to Margate and then to Faversham.

You might find that Whitstable is a better place to split tickets.

 

[centraltrains]

You might find that Whitstable is a better place to split tickets.

Is whitstable valid via margate?

 

[SickyNicky]

Is whitstable valid via margate?

Yep.

OUTWARD JOURNEY Eastbourne to Whitstable
Mileage 92.79 (Shortest possible 92.79)
Permitted: Shortest Route.

 

[greatkingrat]

Assuming you only need to stop in Margate once, you can just buy a Eastbourne - Whitstable return and use it to go via Margate on the outward, and Faversham and Canterbury East on the return (or vice versa).

 

[centraltrains]

Assuming you only need to stop in Margate once, you can just buy a Eastbourne - Whitstable return and use it to go via Margate on the outward, and Faversham and Canterbury East on the return (or vice versa).

Doesn't the break off an off peak ticket have to be on the return leg though?

 

[SickyNicky]

Doesn't the break off an off peak ticket have to be on the return leg though?

Nope - walk-up tickets allow break of journey (BoJ) in both directions unless specifically barred in the restriction details. This particular ticket has restriction code B3, which has no such bar, and thus permits break of journey in both directions.

 

[centraltrains]

That would be good, is a whitstable return from Eastbourne defiantly valid via Faversham? I can't think of a service that would be valid but then again I am a midlander (on holiday)!

 

[SickyNicky]

That would be good, is a whitstable return from Eastbourne defiantly valid via Faversham? I can't think of a service that would be valid but then again I am a midlander (on holiday)!

Yes. It's shorter than the shortest route by rail alone (which is around the coast) so it's automatically valid (unless an easement blocks it). That's because you're walking between the two Canterbury stations, but the shortest route must be calculated using "trains which take the shortest route which can be used by scheduled passenger services", so we cannot include walks when determining it.

It may be that some people disagree with this interpretation, but it seems to be widely accepted in the industry*.

Here's our diagnostics:

OUTWARD JOURNEY Eastbourne to Faversham
Mileage 66.91 (Shortest possible 89.41)
Permitted: Shorter than shortest route.

* - with London as a specific exception, where the cross London transfer is considered as a "train" for this purpose.

 

[centraltrains]

OK, that's good to know. Thank you for your help.