Best value for Welling to Hook?

[CNash]

My sister needs to travel from Welling to Hook on three consecutive Sundays starting from the 19th of May. As far as I can tell, the best way to do this is to go from Welling to Waterloo East on Oyster (£2.50 each way) and then an off-peak return from Waterloo to Hook (£19.50) for a total cost of £24.50.

Bearing in mind the frequency of the trains on Sundays, and that time is a factor - she doesn't think she'll be able to split the journey at Surbiton rather than Waterloo, for example, as it would require her to leave the train and find an Oyster reader to touch out - can anyone suggest any cheaper ways of making this journey?

 

[MikeWh]

How about a one day travelcard for £8.90 and a return from Surbiton to Hook for £11.90, total £20.80. Train has to call at Surbiton, but that doesn't look like a problem.

I hope time isn't too critical as there are no direct trains from Welling to Waterloo East on any of those Sundays. On 19th May and 2nd June she'll need to change at Cannon Street for a shuttle round to Waterloo. On 26th May it's a RRB between Welling and New Cross.

 

[jkdd77]

How about a one day travelcard for £8.90 and a return from Surbiton to Hook for £11.90, total £20.80. Train has to call at Surbiton, but that doesn't look like a problem.

Why not use a BZ6- Hook CDR instead, also for £11.90, which would, unless I am mistaken, allow the OP to travel on trains which do not stop at Surbiton, when used with a Z1-6 travelcard?

 

[CNash]

How about a one day travelcard for £8.90 and a return from Surbiton to Hook for £11.90, total £20.80. Train has to call at Surbiton, but that doesn't look like a problem.

I hope time isn't too critical as there are no direct trains from Welling to Waterloo East on any of those Sundays. On 19th May and 2nd June she'll need to change at Cannon Street for a shuttle round to Waterloo. On 26th May it's a RRB between Welling and New Cross.

Thanks for the advice; the Cannon Street shuttle service should be fine for the first two weeks (or use London Bridge LU to Waterloo?), and for the third she could go from Woolwich Arsenal or Sidcup instead without too much bother. And the train will be the Waterloo - Basingstoke service, which calls at Surbiton, so splitting there will be ok.

I could've sworn I found a way to make it total £19.60 with a paper return from Welling to Surbiton / Surbiton to Hook, but I can't seem to locate those tickets again...

 

[sonic2009]

Why not purchase a Off Peak Day Return Welling - Hook, which is routed LONDON NOT UND and costs £22.40.

 

[CNash]

Why not purchase a Off Peak Day Return Welling - Hook, which is routed LONDON NOT UND and costs £22.40.

I can't get National Rail Enquiries to give me this fare; I put Welling and Hook in and it tells me "No return fares available", the only available fares being two singles for about £26 each. I'm aware that BR Fares says it's available, though.

In any case, splitting the journey at Surbiton is a couple of quid cheaper, and every pound counts...

 

[Paul Kelly]

I can't get National Rail Enquiries to give me this fare; I put Welling and Hook in and it tells me "No return fares available"

Looks like you need to specify "Don't Change at London Bridge", otherwise it is routeing you via the Underground between London Bridge and Waterloo East (because of the line closure that MikeWh mentioned), and Underground travel is not allowed on that £22.40 fare (nor indeed any of the through fares between Welling and Hook).