Flying in from Ireland - how do I get a train ticket?

[Martin S Heron]

Hi all,

I've been resident in Ireland for about 15 years - during that time train ticketing in the UK has changed massively. Until now whenever I've come back to visit I've either drove or used sail & rail. I'm coming over again at Christmas and this time I'm flying in. I'm landing at Stansted and am going to Stanford-Le-Hope and I need some advice.

1) Is it worth buying a ticket in advance?
2) If not, and I buy at the station can I buy a return to come back 6 days later?
3) If it is worth buying in advance, are there any ticking companies that will deliver to Ireland?

Any advice will be much appreciated.

 

[najaB]

2) If not, and I buy at the station can I buy a return to come back 6 days later?

Most period returns are valid for one month.

 

[DasLunatic]

1) AFAIK, c2c do not do advances and the Stansted Expresses are usually fairly quiet - so not really.

2) No idea.

3) No idea. Could you not arrange to pick up your tickets from Stansted...?

 

[bb21]

2) There are ways to get a Anytime Weekly Return - but not as an Advance - you'd need to pay on arrival at Stansted or do it as two singles.

What?

1) Is it worth buying a ticket in advance?

I doubt it.

2) If not, and I buy at the station can I buy a return to come back 6 days later?

Depending on the time you need to travel, an Off-Peak Return is £42.30, or an Anytime Return is £50.30 - both valid for up to a month.

 

[John @ home]

Fares between Stansted Airport and Stanford-Le-Hope are shown here.

1) Is it worth buying a ticket in advance?

There are two circumstances when buying a ticket in advance is worthwhile:

• when lower priced "Advance" tickets are available. These tickets are quota controlled, and the less expensive ones are less likely to be available closer to the date of travel, and
• when a complex transaction, such as a set of "split" tickets is planned. In this instance, buying in Advance can increase the passenger's confidence that the correct set of tickets has been bought.

There are no Advance tickets available between Stansted Airport and Stanford-Le-Hope, and trainsplit does not suggest the use of any Advance tickets in any combination of tickets. But trainsplit does suggest that there are savings of over 10% to be made by using more than one ticket. Note that RailUKforums has a partnership with trainsplit which is explained in this post.

The OP has not told us the date and time of travel, so we can't yet give tailored advice.

2) If ... I buy at the station can I buy a return to come back 6 days later?

Yes. Among the fares listed is a £50.30 Anytime Return Stansted Airport - Stanford le Hope Route ✠ Any Permitted and a £42.30 Off-Peak Return Stansted Airport - Stanford le Hope Route ✠ Any Permitted. We can advise which is more appropriate when we know proposed dates and times of travel.

are there any ticking companies that will deliver to Ireland?

I don't know, but it's quite easy to book online, obtain an 8-digit booking reference, and on the day of travel insert the card (which must contain a 'chip') used to book the ticket(s) into a ticket vending machine at Stansted Airport railway station, type in the reference number and collect the tickets.

 

[Martin S Heron]

Thanks for the help. I'll go with buying an off peak return when I land (at about 5pm, take off when I leave is a similar time).