Aussie about to visit the UK seeking advice about tickets.

[Nigelinoz]

Hi all,
Newbie here with a question about rail travel in the UK.
I'm coming to the UK in early January, (I know it will be winter but that doesn't bother me ! lol)staying for 8 weeks and would like to do some train travelling and would appreciate some advice about the cheapest way of doing this.
I will be based in Beckenham,Kent but have relatives in Norwich,Southhampton,Weymouth,Penzance and York and would like to visit all of them plus do a fair bit of travel in the London area,you know the touristy things like museums etc so anticipate using the tube and buses a fair bit as well.
I have been told about something called an Oyster Card? which I can apparently use for buses and tube journeys etc,can I get one of those by post and would they send it to me in Australia before I leave or would it be better to wait and get one there?
Also would there be some sort of season ticket that I could get for use on the lines that I will be using to visit the towns above?
I guess I am asking a lot of questions but I would really appreciate some advice as I am about to take my first trip "home" since I left the UK 44 years ago with my parents and I am really looking forward to it,I am a real railfan here in Australia and I have heard that the UK rail system is fantastic so would really be appreciative of any help anyone can give me.
Cheers
N'OZ

 

[First class]

Say you're here for 2 weeks, and travel by train on 8 of those days. You can buy a britrail consecutive pass for AU$389 (standard) AU$585 (1st), allowing unlimited rail travel for 8 days consecutive.

If you want to do 8 in 14, i.e. not consecutive days, get the flexipass option. 8 days in 2 months will cost you AU$499 (standard) or AU$745 (1st).

see this website for details and to buy: http://www.railplus.com.au/passes/britrail_passes/

I would strongly recommend travelling first class, as some of those journeys, particularly Penzance will be long, and some of the trains used on this route are "Voyagers" which are unfortunately unpleasant in standard due to overcrowding.

That's the Australian website/retailer.

As for London, an Oyster card is a basically a credit card sized piece of plastic that has a smartchip on it. You put say £20 on the chip, and you use it to get through the ticket barriers. Each time you go through a barrier it charges you. However, the amount you are charged is MUCH cheaper then if you pay normal cash fares.

see this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_card

 

[yorkie]

AU$745 is about £421? For 8 days in 2 months that's not bad, it would cost us a lot more to travel FC, so I would go with that option!

Going to Penzance you will be best off on a FGW HST in First, with the spacious leather seats. The FGW HSTs were great before refurb but Standard is now awful. Voyagers are nasty rattling things to be avoided. You should be able to avoid Voyagers if you plan your journeys well.

I'd also recommend giving Grand Central a go between London and York.

An Oyster card can hold a season ticket if you are travelling every day for a period of a week or a month in London, that would be valid in the whole of the London area, this is £36.80 for a week or £141.40 for a month. However if you want to take random trips not every day then a season wouldn't be suitable and you would be better off with Travelcards on the days you travel. Beckenham Jn is in Zone 4, if you are happy to leave after 0930 then a Travelcard for unlimited travel around London (including National Rail, buses, and LU) is £6.30. Pay as you Go (PAYG) on Oyster is not available to Beckenham Junction.

 

[ian959]

Mate,

Your best bet is some form of Britrail pass for the trains and an Oyster Card for London Transport. I live on the things (I am also going to the UK in January for more rail bashing).

You can get both from Railplus as First Class says or from Britrail direct.

 

[clagmonster]

I believe that the current target date for all of BR, including the Beckenham stations, to be included on Oyster PAYG is 2 January 2010, so if they stick to that you will be able to use Oyster from Beckenham when you visit. If they don't, then I reckon buying paper travelcards will be your best bet. If you do have to get the paper travelcards, it might be worth your while getting a Network Railcard for £25, which will give you off £1.30 each zone 1-4 railcard you buy.

 

[Nigelinoz]

Thank you so much to everyone who has replied so far,the information you have all given is very much appreciated and I will certainly make use of it.
This really is a great site,so glad I found it.

 

[LondonLarry]

As for London, an Oyster card is a basically a credit card sized piece of plastic that has a smartchip on it. You put say £20 on the chip, and you use it to get through the ticket barriers. Each time you go through a barrier it charges you. However, the amount you are charged is MUCH cheaper then if you pay normal cash fares.

I wouldn't count on that happening from January!

 

[yorkie]

I believe that the current target date for all of BR, including the Beckenham stations, to be included on Oyster PAYG is 2 January 2010, so if they stick to that you will be able to use Oyster from Beckenham when you visit.

No chance! They can't even get the Victoria-Balham trial working!

If they don't, then I reckon buying paper travelcards will be your best bet. If you do have to get the paper travelcards, it might be worth your while getting a Network Railcard for £25, which will give you off £1.30 each zone 1-4 railcard you buy.

Only at weekends! Due to the £13 minimum fare on weekdays.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Slightly off topic.

Britrail passes.

How specific are they? I know you have to specify who is travelling, but if I get them delivered to my cousins in Australia, who then ship them to me, is there anything to stop me using them?

 

[yorkie]

If you are asked for proof that you live abroad then that would stop you using them when you are unable to do so.

As a resident of this country you should be happy to pay £thousands for the "pleasure" of suffering Vomiters and Disastros :P

 

[ChrisTheRef]

But you're allowed to select "United Kingdom" as your home country when you specify travellers, just they can't be delivered here.

 

[yorkie]

But have you read the terms & conditions? Unless they've changed recently, it isn't valid sadly

 

[Railjet]

Slightly off topic.

Britrail passes. How specific are they? I know you have to specify who is travelling, but if I get them delivered to my cousins in Australia, who then ship them to me, is there anything to stop me using them?

Well it is fraudulent, of course ....

If you are asked for proof that you live abroad then that would stop you using them when you are unable to do so.

... but it does raise an interesting point. I know that with Inter-Rail passes you are required to prove to the issuer your country of residence. The issuer will then write your passport number (which, of course, is no proof of residence) on the pass, and it is this document you are required to show, if asked, in any ticket inspection. There is no requirement to prove your country of residence to the ticket inspector.

 

[mrcheek]

Im thinking that if there were any easy loopholes enabling a UK resident to use a Britrail pass, then they would be closed VERY quickly! I would also assume that checks are pretty strict on them, otherwise there would be lots of British people using them fraudulently.

Maybe we should go to the European Court. Racial discrimination! Just because we're British we have to pay more!!!

Still, an ALR is quite frankly fantastic value, even if it is more than overseas visitors have to pay. Even at a thousand quid for 2 weeks first class, if you do any long journeys out of London, youre saving money with the first few days.

 

[gordonthemoron]

since I now live in germany, I can make use of the Britrail pass

 

[John @ home]

Maybe we should go to the European Court. Racial discrimination! Just because we're British we have to pay more!!!

This is residential discrimination, not racial. I don't know of any laws which prohibit this. If there were, several local railcards would be unlawful.

John