Catford to Cambridge

[amarshe]

We're a family of four going from Catford to Cambridge one weekend shortly, via Backfriars (various reasons need to avoid the underground). The two kids have zipcards and we have a family railcard.

It looks like the cheapest way is for the kids to go free between Catford and Blackfriars and for us adults to pay £13.20 (four times single contactless fare of £3.30), then £36.20 for a return from Blackfriars to Cambridge (total £49.40).

There isn't some other way maybe involving boundary z6 tickets for the kids is there, or any cheaper options!?

 

[JonathanH]

If you can get from Catford to a station on the Sydenham corridor, the total super off peak day return fare (weekend only) from Croydon Stations to Cambridge for two adults and two children is £39.50 with the railcard.

The Thameslink website actually sells this for £37.10, as it reduces one of the child fares to £2, as an accompanied child, rather than selling the second child ticket at the level of the Friends & Family discount.

Simply start short at Forest Hill or Honor Oak Park?

 

[alistairlees]

Are you coming back on the same day?

 

[amarshe]

Are you coming back on the same day?

Yes, same day

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Nov 2023 ==

If you can get from Catford to a station on the Sydenham corridor, the total super off peak day return fare (weekend only) from Croydon Stations to Cambridge for two adults and two children is £39.50 with the railcard.

The Thameslink website actually sells this for £37.10, as it reduces one of the child fares to £2, as an accompanied child, rather than selling the second child ticket at the level of the Friends & Family discount.

Simply start short at Forest Hill or Honor Oak Park?

Ah good to know thanks!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Nov 2023 ==

ach there’s no Forest hill London Bridge trains on the Sundays I’m looking at, so stuck with the Catford route

 

[alistairlees]

If you can get to Liverpool Street then you should be able to get:
- Duo from Liverpool Street to Cambridge (route: Greater Anglia Only) for £22.50 + 2 child flat fare returns (2*£2.00) = total £26.50; or
- 2 * Weekend Super Off Peak Day Return from Liverpool Street to Cambridge (route: Greater Anglia Only) for 2*£10.45 with a FAM railcard, plus one child for £3.00 and one child with child flat fare return for £2.00 = total £25.90

Obviously it's slower this way, there may be engineering, and you need to pay to get the adults to Liverpool St

 

[amarshe]

If you can get from Catford to a station on the Sydenham corridor, the total super off peak day return fare (weekend only) from Croydon Stations to Cambridge for two adults and two children is £39.50 with the railcard.

The Thameslink website actually sells this for £37.10, as it reduces one of the child fares to £2, as an accompanied child, rather than selling the second child ticket at the level of the Friends & Family discount.

Simply start short at Forest Hill or Honor Oak Park?

Would this be valid on the rail replacement bus from Honor Oak? Off tangent but how reliable is the replacement bus late Sunday afternoon ?

 

[James H]

The Thameslink website actually sells this for £37.10, as it reduces one of the child fares to £2, as an accompanied child, rather than selling the second child ticket at the level of the Friends & Family discount.

This is a case where it's actually cheaper with a Network Railcard, as both children get the £2 fare

 

[JonathanH]

Would this be valid on the rail replacement bus from Honor Oak? Off tangent but how reliable is the replacement bus late Sunday afternoon ?

Yes, it is the service being provided on a permitted route.