Cheltenham to Gillingham

[taxidave]

As the football fixtures were published today I have now found out that we (Cheltenham Town) are away at Gillingham in our opening match.
I have checked the FGW website and discovered, quite surprisingly, that my journey to Gillingham is booked via St Pancras. Is it normal to recommend travel on this route as I would have expected via Victoria to be a lot cheaper, however my return fare from Cheltenham to Gillingham, via St Pancras, if I book in advance is only 21.45 with my senior railcard, which I consider to be a very attractive price.
It also says on the FGW website that a reservation is not needed on the St P to Gillingham portion of the journey, does this mean I can use any train to get there.

 

[yorkie]

You don't say if your ticket is a single or return, and I can't find a ticket in Avantix priced at £21.45, however this is cheaper than the cheapest available walk-on return ticket, therefore after a bit of faffing around with Avantix and a calculator I conclude this is likely to be a combination of £9.25 Advance single one way, and £12.20 Advance single the other.

The routeing on these tickets is "+AP KEMBLE SLOUGH" meaning that it should only allow the journey if you are travelling via these stations. No such routeing exists to restrict you to a particular route the other side of London (which is just as well or they'd not be able to fit it on the ticket!)

 

[taxidave]

Sorry if I did not explain myself sufficiently.
Yes the tickets are advance, out at either 7.30 or 8.59 at £12.20 and return at 18.20 from Gillingham at £9.20.
My point was if I decide to go on the 7.30 from Cheltenham can I choose which train I take from St Pancras to Gillingham, it recommends the 10.52 from St P which arrives in Gillingham at 11.39 but I would rather take a later one and have extra time in London, after all what is there to do in Gillingham for 3 hours before kick off.:roll:

 

[bb21]

There is sweet nothing to do in Gillingham. Apart from getting to the stadium and getting away back to civilisation as quickly as you can, you wouldn't really want to hang around for too long. Trust me I've been there most seasons and it is grim.

Back to your question. Yes, you can use any train to connect with the leg to/from Cheltenham. The SET leg of your journey does not have reservations as they don't do them. Also as your journey is between a place outside the Network area (Cheltenham) and a place inside the area (Kent), you may use any train between the latter and London and exempt from any restrictions, provided that it is sensible in connection with your main leg to/from the west country.

 

[taxidave]

There is sweet nothing to do in Gillingham. Apart from getting to the stadium and getting away back to civilisation as quickly as you can, you wouldn't really want to hang around for too long. Trust me I've been there most seasons and it is grim.

Yes I agree, I went to our opening fixture there last season and other than a few pints in the pub near the away end there is very little to encourage a longer stay, I certainly didn't like the look of the pub opposite the station. Fortunately it is the first match of the season so hopefully the weather will be ok.
I thank you for your reply regarding my choice of trains to Gillingham, I think I will get the 7.30 from Cheltenham and have a few hours in London and get to Gillingham at 13.20.

 

[cav1975]

There is the Royal Engineers' Museum about 15 minutes walk from the station in the opposite direction to the football stadium

http://www.remuseum.org.uk/index.htm

Open from 1130 on Saturdays

Gillingham SETrains depot is best viewed from the train, but is beyond Gillingham so you will not pass it on the way from St Pancras. 465s/466s and 375s mainly.

 

[taxidave]

Gillingham SETrains depot is best viewed from the train, but is beyond Gillingham so you will not pass it on the way from St Pancras. 465s/466s and 375s mainly.

How far is it past the station, and what is the next stop.

 

[dzug2]

Long distance tickets tend to include HS1 at no extra cost

 

[yorkie]

...it recommends the 10.52 from St P which arrives in Gillingham at 11.39 but I would rather take a later one...

You are allowed to take "appropriate connecting trains" but a break of journey (see NRCoC or previous posts on this subject for full definition) is not permitted on Advance tickets. . The subject has been done to death recently (including a topic posted by Death, which I replied to here ).

 

[island]

I assume the match is on a weekend, but if not, bear in mind that there are restrictions on using Advances on HS1 away from London between 1600 and 1859, and towards London to arrive before 1000.

 

[yorkie]

I assume the match is on a weekend, but if not, bear in mind that there are restrictions on using Advances on HS1 away from London between 1600 and 1859, and towards London to arrive before 1000.

It is a weekend, and the restriction is not in the public domain so I do not think it is enforceable. The only effect it does is confuse passengers because the booking systems will not show any availablilty of AP fares at all unless you faff about and specify a via or avoid point. Most customers will not understand this and go by coach (or, if a longer distance, plane) or take the car or not travel at all. I can only assume that's what the SET pricing manager wants as he appears to be an enemy of rail customers. People with such bad attitudes should not be in such positions. But, I guess, that's another story.

 

[Clip]

How far is it past the station, and what is the next stop.

Rainham is the next stop along and is only 5 mins or so.