Cheapest way of getting from Cheam to Worthing

[Tomp94]

It seems unfair that going Worthing > Cheam is cheaper than going Cheam>Worthing
Also unfair is the additional cost if I choose to change at Clapham Junction.

I'm after the cheapest options on a day-return, plus a return within one month ticket. With a 26-30 railcard.


Ideally going via clapham junction but happy with via horsham or via west croydon/norwood jn/east croydon.

With the advance fares, is it just one leg of the journey that is advance, or are all connecting trains advances too?

I recently paid the best part of £30 for an open return via clapham jn, which for the distance seems excessive!!




Thank you!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Tomp94. What time of the day are you planning on travelling? Can make a big difference, particularly on day return prices.

P.S. Sometimes rail ticket prices can vary depending on initial direction of travel, particularly so if first heading inwards towards London.

 

[Tomp94]

@Tomp94. What time of the day are you planning on travelling? Can make a big difference, particularly on day return prices.

I'm flexible.
Although the day of the week will be a Fri/Sat/Sun ... and if its an open return, I'll travel on a Friday and return on Sat or Sun.
If a Fri, definitely off-peak/super off-peak.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Off Peak Return, Cheam->Worthing, or vice-versa, route "not via Clapham Junction" should be £25.15 with 26-30 railcard discount. Can anyone confirm time validity?

 

[Surreytraveller]

Do it for £4 on the bus (£8 return). 420 Sutton to Crawley, then a 23.

 

[JonathanH]

Also unfair is the additional cost if I choose to change at Clapham Junction.

Why is that 'unfair'? It is a longer route which involves using trains that are busier.

It would appear that the Cheam to Worthing fare not via London is the same price as Clapham Junction to Worthing, so as not to undercut that fare. The not via Clapham Junction fare from Cheam recognises that there is a shorter route possible. That seems quite fair really.

 

[30907]

Advance tickets are valid on the specific trains you book on - you'd have to do a test booking to find out. I presume it would route you via Clapham Jn.

Off Peak Return, Cheam->Worthing, or vice-versa, route "not via Clapham Junction" should be £25.15 with 26-30 railcard discount. Can anyone confirm time validity?

Not before 0930 - or for the Day version £5 cheaper, subtly different: After 0929.

Not CLJ presumably allows Balham, Norwood Jn and Streatham as routings to East Croydon - but walking across Croydon is probably as easy

 

[Hophead]

Alternatively, £20.40 (off-peak day return) with a fare of £1.75 each way on the SL7 (30-40 minutes depending on the time of day, every 15 minutes or so).

"plus a return within one month ticket" - are these actually available for a journey such as this?

 

[JonathanH]

"plus a return within one month ticket" - are these actually available for a journey such as this?

At off-peak times, yes.

Alternatively, £20.40 (off-peak day return) with a fare of £1.75 each way on the SL7 (30-40 minutes depending on the time of day, every 15 minutes or so).

Catch the S2 to Epsom for £1.75 each way, and it is somewhat cheaper to make the journey from there to Worthing, if a bit less convenient.

 

[soil]

fares for you, without railcard:

Worthing - Cheam
Not Via CLJ CDR £35.20 SVR £37.80
Not Via London CDR £38 SVR £43.80

Cheam - Worthing
SVR ✠ANY PERMITTED £41.80
CDR ✠ANY PERMITTED £36.50
CDR Not Via London £35.60
CDR Not Via CLJ £30.80

Worthing - Ewell East
CDR Not Via CLJ £20.20. CDS £20.10 SDS £21.00

So basically you travel

Worthing - East Croydon
East Croydon - Norwood Junction (or walk to West Croydon)
West Croydon/Norwood Junction - Cheam (next stop is Ewell East - you stop short)

With railcard this is £13.45 day return. Valid on the 08:33 from Worthing

There is also a cheaper ticket valid via CLJ (£11.65) for Worthing - Littlehampton - CLJ - Cheam

 

[30907]

fares for you, without railcard:

Worthing - Ewell East
CDR Not Via CLJ £20.20. CDS £20.10 SDS £21.00

So basically you travel

Worthing - East Croydon
East Croydon - Norwood Junction (or walk to West Croydon)
West Croydon/Norwood Junction - Cheam (next stop is Ewell East - you stop short)

With railcard this is £13.45 day return. Valid on the 08:33 from Worthing

As the OP is starting their journey at Cheam, they would start (and finish) short there. The fare is as shown. They could not, of course, travel via Horsham-Ford.

There is also a cheaper ticket valid via CLJ (£11.65) for Worthing - Littlehampton - CLJ - Cheam

Can't find that on BRFares, sorry.

 

[soil]

Can't find that on BRFares, sorry.

It's another ticket entirely.
OP can DM if he's interested.