Southampton to Gatwick advice

[Birdbrain]

Hi, I need to travel from Southampton to Gatwick outbound on Saturday 19th October and back on Sunday 3rd November. I was thinking of taking the cheaper route via Barnham both ways but noticed its bus replacement on Sunday 3rd so considering returning via Clapham. However SWR is on a reduced service too. Can I buy a route Clapham return and go that way inbound? Or is it quicker to just go via Barnham and take the bus? Is there a cheaper/better option I've missed? I have a railcard.

 

[Joe Paxton]

It's not a route Clapham Jn ticket as such, it's actually a route Not London ticket - which means not via the London terminals (e.g. Waterloo, Victoria, London Bridge etc).

The route Not London ticket - or indeed the Any Permitted ticket (which is valid via London terminals) - is valid on the route via Barnham.

Apologies - incorrect advice. See alistairlees post below (post #5) for the correct advice!

 

[paul1609]

It's not a route Clapham Jn ticket as such, it's actually a route Not London ticket - which means not via the London terminals (e.g. Waterloo, Victoria, London Bridge etc).

The route Not London ticket - or indeed the Any Permitted ticket (which is valid via London terminals) - is valid on the route via Barnham.

Not sure that advice is correct there are three routes available for Southampton to Gatwick, "+anypermitted", "Clapham junction not london" and "via barnham"

 

[WesternLancer]

I've always thought that via Barnham means you must use coastway and thence to gatwick (via arun valley or hove or brighton) and via Clapham jct means you CAN go that way as well (but not into london terminals - ie change at C Jct for a southbound southern train). but I've not checked route Guide as I'm no expert on that! Maybe buy via CJct and then go one route one way and back the other depending on what works best. I'd avoid the bus tho as roads round that way not known for speed!

Hopefully a route guide expert will pitch in!

 

[alistairlees]

There are five main routes. Plus one other.

Any permitted. This is the only one that allows travel on the London Underground, eg from Waterloo to Victoria.

Clapham junction not London. You must go via Clapham Junction. You cannot travel via London.

Via Barnham. You must travel via Barnham.

SWR & connections. You need to travel on one or more booked swr trains. You can travel on the connecting trains of other operators.

Southern only. You must travel on southern railway services throughout.

The extra is Via Havant. This is for child flat fares only. It can be paired with an any permitted adult fare (where the itinerary is via Havant); a via Barnham adult fare; or a Southern only adult fare. I guess it would also be possible to pair it with a Clapham not London fare, providing the itinerary is via Havant and this is mapped.

Cheers

 

[yorkie]

Hi, I need to travel from Southampton to Gatwick outbound on Saturday 19th October and back on Sunday 3rd November. I was thinking of taking the cheaper route via Barnham both ways but noticed its bus replacement on Sunday 3rd so considering returning via Clapham. However SWR is on a reduced service too. Can I buy a route Clapham return and go that way inbound? Or is it quicker to just go via Barnham and take the bus? Is there a cheaper/better option I've missed? I have a railcard.

Buy a return ticket routed via Barnham.

On the return portion, obtain a change of route excess to via CLAPHM J NOT LDN, which is priced at half the difference between the price paid and the appropriate fare.

 

[WesternLancer]

There are five main routes. Plus one other.

Any permitted. This is the only one that allows travel on the London Underground, eg from Waterloo to Victoria.

Clapham junction not London. You must go via Clapham Junction. You cannot travel via London.

Via Barnham. You must travel via Barnham.

SWR & connections. You need to travel on one or more booked swr trains. You can travel on the connecting trains of other operators.

Southern only. You must travel on southern railway services throughout.

The extra is Via Havant. This is for child flat fares only. It can be paired with an any permitted adult fare (where the itinerary is via Havant); a via Barnham adult fare; or a Southern only adult fare. I guess it would also be possible to pair it with a Clapham not London fare, providing the itinerary is via Havant and this is mapped.

Cheers

Can you go via Barnham and Clapham jct on the via Clapham Jct fare - ie S'ton, barnham, Horsham, dorking, wimbledon, Clapham Jct, Gatwick (or dorking, walk between stations (they are close) Redhill, Gatwick)?

Not sure if the timings would ever make sense to do that however...

 

[Birdbrain]

Thanks for your replies. So If I go outbound via Barnham and back via Clapham then the cheapest would be to buy a route Barnham return then ask for a change of route excess on the way back. Would I just buy this excess from the ticket office at Gatwick? Will they issue it without fuss?

 

[yorkie]

Yes

And the ticket office should issue it, but if they can't issue it, buy it on the train.

 

[Hadders]

You often need to shop around when it comes to excesses.

To be fair mist ticket clerks will never be asked for them but in my experience you'll often be met with a shrug of the shoulders, a denial that excesses even exist, that they can't be done here etc. If you do get a clerk who's willing to do an excess a change of route excess for one direction is half the difference in fares. Clerks have tried to charge me the full difference in the past.

The good news is there is no penalty for buying a change of route excess on board the train.