Advice on specific route and fare

[VioletBee]

It has been a while since I have been on a train, and it seems the prices have fluctuated quite a bit since I last went to uni :')
My route that I will be taking is Crawley to Barnes, I have a 16-25 railcard and to make it safely in time for my lecture I must take a train from CRW at around 8.30 which is peak time. As I am self funding for uni (due to multiple reasons), it was a shock to me that the discounted fare with open return is £20.20. However what threw me off more is that a train for 9.00am (only 30 mins after) is almost half the price, at £12.45 which would make a massive difference in fees. Although if I take this train, I would be quite late for my lesson and that would not be ideal.

I was wondering if anyone knew of any other ways of making this journey cheaper, whether there is a discount card or a alternative route that I could take.

I found that I would be able to make it with the cheaper ticket, IF I am able to get off my CRW-CLJ at 9.37am (if the train is on time, which is usually not the case from my previous experience) and speed walk/run all the way over to platform 5 or 6 to make the CLJ-BNS train at 9.40. I know its really tight and it tends to be quite crowded but if anyone has any tips on how I could get to the platform as fast as possible, it would be appreciated. I do wish the train time was prolonged even by a a minute or 2 however does this seem like it is actually possible? I haven't been to Clapham Junction in a while but I do remember being able to rush a bit and catch an earlier train than what was listed on my app/ticket, although this may have been a 5 minute gap rather than 3 (the wait time is 25 mins for the next train, which is what would make me late for my uni classes).

I also noticed this other train at Clapham at 9.54am (Clapham Junction to Windsor and Eton) which I saw on the rail app today (Sunday), but no other apps such as LNER or SWR mentions this train. The train would take the same route and end up in BNS. I would probably be able to make this train instead of the train listed on my ticket as guidance, which is at 10.02am. I would still be late, as I would arrive at BNS at around 10.03am (when my class starts), however the distance between BNS and Roehampton Uni is only about 3 mins on bus - of course I must take into hand how long it takes for the bus to arrive. I know the buses are quite frequent and if I am lucky enough for the wait time to be roughly 5-10 minutes, I would only be 15 mins late as opposed to 30mins. This is something I would need to discuss with my teacher obviously. Does this train usually depart from Clapham on weekdays as well? And if so, why isn't it listed on the other websites?

I would be grateful for any support or information on this journey, it seems like I keep getting the short end of the stick in these situations where a slight change in time would impact me hugely - but that's life.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@VioletBee. Problem is if you're needing to travel on a "peak" train, which, from Crawley, is one which is heading to London with a pre 0945 midweek arrival time in London. After that, off peak day returns are valid.

Also, I believe the 0954 from Clapham Junction to Windsor & Eton Riverside (via Barnes) only runs Sundays.

 

[VioletBee]

@VioletBee. Problem is if you're needing to travel on a "peak" train, which, from Crawley, is one which is heading to London with a pre 0945 midweek arrival time in London.

Think the 0954 from Clapham Junction.to Windsor and Eton Riverside (via Barnes) only runs Sundays.

Yeah, I guess there's not much we can do about peak times in terms of discounted travel other than the railcard.
Ah, that's what I thought but I wasn't too sure - would have been convenient to have for weekday.

 

[JonathanH]

If you could get a bus from Crawley to Gatwick and touch in on Oyster with a railcard discount at Gatwick Airport before 6.30am, the single fare from Gatwick Airport to Barnes is £6.60. Coming back you would need to touch in outside 4pm to 7pm for that fare. Using Oyster at peak time would negate any saving as you might as well buy the £20.20 'paper' return first noted.

Obviously makes for a long day but presumably you could use the early arrival for study time in the library (and walk between Barnes and Roehampton University)

 

[VioletBee]

If you could get a bus from Crawley to Gatwick and touch in on Oyster with a railcard discount at Gatwick Airport before 6.30am, the single fare from Gatwick Airport to Barnes is £6.60. Coming back you would need to touch in outside 4pm to 7pm for that fare. Using Oyster at peak time would negate any saving as you might as well buy the £20.20 'paper' return first noted.

Obviously makes for a long day but presumably you could use the early arrival for study time in the library (and walk between Barnes and Roehampton University)

Thankyou for your reply. So this would be for the exact same route, i'd have to tap at Gatwick before 6.30am and tap at Barnes when I get there, which would be the £6.60 (with oyster and 16-25 railcard). Is there a reason for these specific times, and is it only with an oyster card?

Coming back, would I need to tap in at Barnes or Gatwick (for example tap in Barnes and get to Gatwick after 7pm) outside of 4pm to 7pm? Would you know how sensitive the timings are, for example if I happened to tap in at 7:01pm or 6.29am?
And this would give me the £6.60 fare to return as well. What would happen if I tapped in between 4pm and 7pm, would you know how much it would charge?

Thankyou for this helpful suggestion, ill definitely keep it in mind as I do actually study better at University and I only go in twice a week as of now. Only downside is that id also need to pay for the Bus fare to get to and from Gatwick but if I could find a way to get pickup up or dropped off at least once then it would worth saving a fiver each trip + getting extra time to study.

 

[JonathanH]

So this would be for the exact same route

Yes, Gatwick Airport to Clapham Junction, Clapham Junction to Barnes.

i'd have to tap at Gatwick before 6.30am and tap at Barnes when I get there, which would be the £6.60 (with oyster and 16-25 railcard)

Yes, before 0630, as that is treated as off-peak for Oyster (and Contactless). The 16-25 railcard needs to be registered against the Oyster card by TfL. There is a process for doing this at their stations.

Is there a reason for these specific times, and is it only with an oyster card?

The reason for the specific times is, I think to encourage people to make earlier journeys. It is only with an Oyster card with the railcard applied, not Contactless.

Coming back, would I need to tap in at Barnes or Gatwick (for example tap in Barnes and get to Gatwick after 7pm) outside of 4pm to 7pm?

Only the first tap in counts in terms of peak / off-peak. Therefore any journey starting in the Oyster peak window (0630 to 0930 / 1600 to 1900) is charged at the higher rate, with no railcard discount.

Would you know how sensitive the timings are, for example if I happened to tap in at 7:01pm or 6.29am?

A slight leeway of two or three minutes in the passenger's favour, so the peak window is slightly shorter than officially published.

And this would give me the £6.60 fare to return as well.

From Barnes to Gatwick, yes, so long as the touch in at Barnes is before 1600 or after 1900.

What would happen if I tapped in between 4pm and 7pm, would you know how much it would charge?

It would charge £14.90. In practice, it would be cheaper to buy a 'paper' discounted anytime day single from Barnes to Crawley for £10.95 which carries no afternoon restriction.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So, we're advising the OP to get the bus from Crawley to Gatwick at daft o'clock (fare = £2.00?) then spend another £6.60 on Oyster (is that fare still correct?) then £10.95 for a paper ticket for the return journey. Total £19.55. Seems a bit of a faff compared with the more flexible £20.20 return fare and maybe a couple of hours extra in bed in the morning.

 

[JonathanH]

So, we're advising the OP to get the bus from Crawley to Gatwick at daft o'clock (fare = £2.00?) then spend another £6.60 on Oyster (is that fare still correct?) then £10.95 for a paper ticket for the return journey. Total £19.55. Seems a bit of a faff compared with the more flexible £20.20 return fare and maybe a couple of hours extra in bed in the morning.

Yes, the £20.20 return fare is clearly the most efficient option.

I was just pointing out that if they were going to travel outside the peak times there may be a cheaper option. There are many buses from Crawley to Gatwick but it clearly depends where the original poster actually lives as to whether this is actually convenient. A touch in at Gatwick Airport before 0630 is a practical option for a bus departure from Crawley Bus Station at 0601, 0604 or 0608. That isn't really daft o'clock in the grand scheme of things.

The £6.60 off-peak fare for Gatwick Airport to Barnes is what is shown on the single fare finder for a railcard holder. Is there a reason for questioning this (other than the upcoming 34% / 33.4% switch?

 

[Haywain]

That isn't really daft o'clock in the grand scheme of things.

If the thing you're going to is an hour and a half away and starts at 10.00, then setting out at 06.00 looks like daft o'clock to me.

 

[VioletBee]

Yes, Gatwick Airport to Clapham Junction, Clapham Junction to Barnes.


Yes, before 0630, as that is treated as off-peak for Oyster (and Contactless). The 16-25 railcard needs to be registered against the Oyster card by TfL. There is a process for doing this at their stations.


The reason for the specific times is, I think to encourage people to make earlier journeys. It is only with an Oyster card with the railcard applied, not Contactless.


Only the first tap in counts in terms of peak / off-peak. Therefore any journey starting in the Oyster peak window (0630 to 0930 / 1600 to 1900) is charged at the higher rate, with no railcard discount.


A slight leeway of two or three minutes in the passenger's favour, so the peak window is slightly shorter than officially published.


From Barnes to Gatwick, yes, so long as the touch in at Barnes is before 1600 or after 1900.


It would charge £14.90. In practice, it would be cheaper to buy a 'paper' discounted anytime day single from Barnes to Crawley for £10.95 which carries no afternoon restriction.

Thankyou for your reply, this will be useful to know when I need to arrive earlier on campus.

I know this is the rail forum but would you happen to know anything about the busses too? I think taking the off-peak train would always set me back for getting there in time but I noticed that there are trains from clapham station to roehampton uni. I might be able to take the bus during that 25 min gap where i'm waiting for the second train - I would still be late but it would be 10 or 20 mins late rather than 30. I am not sure which way I should go to find the correct bus stand as there seems to be many but I am doing more research on this. Also it seems London busses dont have a proper timetable like they do here for metrobus in crawley, it just says states the interval time which makes it harder to plan.

 

[JonathanH]

Also it seems London busses dont have a proper timetable like they do here for metrobus in crawley, it just says states the interval time which makes it harder to plan.

They do have proper timetables, but controllers may change the running times in light of disruption.

See 170 - www.londonbusroutes.net/times/170.htm

Also https://bustimes.org/services/170-roehampton-danebury-avenue-putney-heath-wand-2

 

[Haywain]

I am not sure which way I should go to find the correct bus stand as there seems to be many but I am doing more research on this.

The advantage of a timetable is that it also tells you exactly where the bus stop is. In this case it is Clapham Junction stop M, on St John's Hill, to go to Roehampton.

 

[VioletBee]

They do have proper timetables, but controllers may change the running times in light of disruption.

See 170 - www.londonbusroutes.net/times/170.htm

Also https://bustimes.org/services/170-roehampton-danebury-avenue-putney-heath-wand-2

Oh I see, thankyou for this. Im wondering about what train ticket is best for this if I take this route. When I go towards roehampton I could take the bus from clapham and then take the train all the way back from barnes. I dont mind paying for the barnes journey (its slighly more that if I just got an open return to clapham) and return but im not sure if the staff at clapham would let me go through without a ticket that says clapham.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2024 ==

The advantage of a timetable is that it also tells you exactly where the bus stop is. In this case it is Clapham Junction stop M, on St John's Hill, to go to Roehampton.

Thankyou for the stop information

 

[30907]

I dont mind paying for the barnes journey (its slighly more that if I just got an open return to clapham) and return but im not sure if the staff at clapham would let me go through without a ticket that says clapham.

You are perfectly entitled to finish short at Clapham Jn (or break your journey anywhere en route, should you want to), and staff should have no problem if the barriers don't let you through (they may not).

(That said, we have just had a case where a staff member there reported someone for doing something like that but on a different route....)