Croydon-Eastleigh at Christmas

[londonbridge]

Have got the necessary time off work so I’m planning to spend Christmas at my mothers, travelling out Christmas Eve and back on Monday 27th. Whenever I go to visit I usually get the Brighton-Southampton (not via London) return to save a few bob and go East Croydon-Clapham Junction-Eastleigh. I know for the return leg there will be no Southern between Clapham and Croydon, presumably there’ll be an RRB, what are they like with luggage? I’m also aware that there is engineering work in the Woking area on 27th as well? One thought I’ve had is change enroute onto a stopper and go Eastleigh-Wimbledon then get tramlink to Croydon-are the trams running on the Monday? What are my other options?

 

[JonathanH]

I know for the return leg there will be no Southern between Clapham and Croydon, presumably there’ll be an RRB, what are they like with luggage?

Almost certainly a standard Go-Ahead London double deck bus calling all stations.

One thought I’ve had is change enroute onto a stopper and go Eastleigh-Wimbledon then get tramlink to Croydon-are the trams running on the Monday?

Nothing on the TfL website currently suggests trams aren't running.

I’m also aware that there is engineering work in the Woking area on 27th as well?

Yes, one train an hour from Waterloo to Poole via the Effingham Junction Line and Guildford. Otherwise, buses from Guildford to Farnborough.

What are my other options?

Might it be easier just to find a cheap way of using the Barnham route instead?

An off-peak return from Brighton to Southampton Central via 'Not London' is £38.80. An off-peak return from Croydon Stations to Ashurst New Forest via Barnham is £34.70 and I reckon fine for going via Eastleigh.

I appreciate that is slower on 24 December.

Actually, if you are travelling after 12pm, a Super off peak return from Croydon Stations to Ashurst New Forest is £33.00 so it would be possible to go via Clapham Junction in one direction and Barnham in the other. That fare to Eastleigh is £32.00, but Croydon Group to Eastleigh doesn't look valid along the coast according to the routeing guide.

 

[30907]

RTT/NRE are showing a change at Horsham on the way back. I suspect this is an error and the unit from Southampton will attach to the unit from Bognor as usual.
NRE doesn't find a through fare Eastleigh-Fareham-East Croydon, so the Ashurst option makes sense.
However the outward half wouldn't be valid for Eastleigh-Southampton on the Monday, so you would need to travel direct to Fareham, relying on the ticket being valid that way.
Or buy a single ESL-SOU - though in practice with the engineering work I can't see anyone minding

 

[londonbridge]

To clarify, mother lives in Chandlers Ford, I usually get the Brighton-Southampton ticket and stop short at Eastleigh (or occasionally Southampton Airport Parkway and get picked up from there) on the outward leg.

Had a search around and found super offpeak return for £32 which for the return leg is showing Eastleigh-Basingstoke-bus to Guildford, then to Redhill on GWR and Thameslink to Croydon so I’ll probably end up going with that.

 

[shredder1]

I live in Manchester but Im actually booked in for accommodation at Beckenham Junction for a flit around the London zones between Christmas and the bank holiday, yes I believe the Croydon trams are running, I`ll probably nip down to Eastleigh while Im down there, I cant work out if evening peak periods are operating though?

 

[dastocks]

If you have a Network Railcard you can buy a Southampton-London Terminals via Three Bridges (which can also mean via Brighton) Super-Off-Peak return for just £13.45. There are no break of journey restrictions and it's valid on any train subject to the routing and time of day conditions; this can include Gatwick Express if it's running although you may have to fight your corner with the gate-line staff at Victoria. I think the discounted off-peak fare to get you to Eastleigh is either £7.50 from Fareham or £4.50 from Southampton.

 

[shredder1]

If you have a Network Railcard you can buy a Southampton-London Terminals via Three Bridges (which can also mean via Brighton) Super-Off-Peak return for just £13.45. There are no break of journey restrictions and it's valid on any train subject to the routing and time of day conditions; this can include Gatwick Express if it's running although you may have to fight your corner with the gate-line staff at Victoria. I think the discounted off-peak fare to get you to Eastleigh is either £7.50 from Fareham or £4.50 from Southampton.

Oh OK thanks for that, Ill try it.

 

[JonathanH]

If you have a Network Railcard you can buy a Southampton-London Terminals via Three Bridges (which can also mean via Brighton) Super-Off-Peak return for just £13.45. There are no break of journey restrictions and it's valid on any train subject to the routing and time of day conditions; this can include Gatwick Express if it's running although you may have to fight your corner with the gate-line staff at Victoria. I think the discounted off-peak fare to get you to Eastleigh is either £7.50 from Fareham or £4.50 from Southampton.

That is a day return though so to buy one in each direction is more expensive than the period return the OP is looking at from Eastleigh to East Croydon but perhaps it is helpful to the second poster.

 

[shredder1]

I was just checking the prices, Im staying in Beckenham Junction and the National Journey Planner takes me via Paddington and Reading to Eastleigh, is that right and £31 on a railcard

 

[Sm5]

There is a regular service between Brighton and Southampton direct, why go via East Croydon ?

Is it just for giggles ?

I was actually thinking of doing that run on the daily GWR DMU, just because, myself.

 

[JonathanH]

There is a regular service between Brighton and Southampton direct, why go via East Croydon ?

Is it just for giggles ?

I was actually thinking of doing that run on the daily GWR DMU, just because, myself.

It is more that a fare exists to make that journey (as indeed one exists to go via London) than anyone does it for giggles. Essentially, at one point, there was only a sparse service between Southampton and Brighton via the curve at Portcreek and it may have been quicker to get between the stations via Clapham Junction than go direct or via Fratton.

 

[30907]

I was just checking the prices, Im staying in Beckenham Junction and the National Journey Planner takes me via Paddington and Reading to Eastleigh, is that right and £31 on a railcard

Yes, that's the Any Permitted (including cross-London tube) fare - the most expensive option - and Paddington is a permitted route. Presumably showing up because of the engineering works at Woking on 27th.

 

[shredder1]

Yes, that's the Any Permitted (including cross-London tube) fare - the most expensive option - and Paddington is a permitted route. Presumably showing up because of the engineering works at Woking on 27th.

Ah I see, yes that would make sense, thanks very much.