Cheapest fare to Woking

Morning all...

I have purchased a ticket from Exeter to Clapham Junction (Advanced) but in practice it will now suit me to get off at Woking as I need to get to Heathrow now rather than Gatwick.
I appreciate stopping short is not allowed (but in practice would they let me?) so I need to find the cheapest ticket I can from somewhere to Woking to allow me through the ticket barrier. This seems to be west byfleet unless anyone has any other suggestions?

Many thanks in advance

I wouldn't suggest using a 'short' ticket to get through the barrier. It is only likely to lead to questions if there are RPIs and they can see it was printed elsewhere (if you choose to collect them at the station). Moreover, trains from Exeter arrive at Woking around xx17 past each hour, whereas trains from West Byfleet tend to arrive around xx08 and xx29. So it would be fairly obvious you had not come from West Byfleet and then they might ask where you had really come from.

I would just get off at Woking with your existing ticket. The likelihood is that you'll be allowed through without issue - especially if you say you just want to pop to a shop or have a smoke/vape. In the event they do take exception, the worst thing they can do under the NRCoT is to charge you the difference to the cheapest walk-up fare valid for your journey. Depending on how much your Advance ticket costs and how much that walk-up fare would be, that might be a fair difference - but I would judge the likelihood of them doing this as very low, and it is ultimately the safe and legitimate thing to do.

Good advice. I am travelling with my son so can always say he was feeling unwell! Thank you

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 May 2026 ==


Google tells me this but when clicking through I can't find that actual permission mentioned on either nationalrail.co.uk or the SWR site

In my experience Woking gateline will either be unmanned and open or closed with pretty useless gateline staff who generally challenge everything and have zero ticket knowledge. Given Woking has a premium atteched to most fares due to Heathrow, they are very hot on stopping short so I wouldnt risk it.

Speak with the guard as they might give you a 'back on track' voucher to act as permission to end your journey at Woking rather than Clapham Junction.

embers25 said:

In my experience Woking gateline will either be unmanned and open or closed with pretty useless gateline staff who generally challenge everything and have zero ticket knowledge. Given Woking has a premium atteched to most fares due to Heathrow, they are very hot on stopping short so I wouldnt risk it.

Click to expand...

Have you been through Woking recently - would you say this is still the case?

Yes sadly