Hassocks to Colchester

[Evvy73]

Hi and thanks in advance for any help/advice you can give!

Myself and a couple of friends are looking to travel from Hassocks to Colchester via London Bridge and Liverpool Street on Saturday 5th March.

I have a Gold Card season ticket which covers me from Hassocks to London Terminals. My friends have no rail cards.

I've had a look around the various rail company sites and think the cheapest option will be to split the journey and get a FCC Hassocks to Zone1 ticket at £12.50 each for my friends to get to Liverpool Street (I also have an Oyster for Tube travel), and then a seperate ticket for the Liverpool Street to Colchester leg.

The cheapest option appears to be a "Super Off peak day return" at £13 each, however the NXEA site states by this "Selected off-peak trains.", but I can't see which trains these would be - or is it available on all off-peak trains?
It would be nice to not be restricted to certain trains - we are going up for football so a relaxed day out without the worry of trains would be good!

If anyone could explain how these "Super Off peak day return" tickets work, - or if anyone has any better suggestions for our journey it would be appreciated!

Thanks again.

 

[Ivo]

Essentially, the Super Off-Peak ticket is a cheaper ticket for travel when trains are not heaving with your average 9-5 commuters, but in the former Network South East area (which covers both Hassocks and Colchester), it only seems to apply to weekend journeys for the most part. Given that you are going on a Saturday, all services should be covered by the Super Off-Peak ticket.

N.B.: Assuming said match is Colchester United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion, although I have nothing against Col U being from Southend I ought to say this: Here is hoping you win. And it would be nice to see Brighton back in the Championship, where they belong. And if this isn't the match in question (I'm not sure), sorry!

Edited for everyone else: I've posted too much today. I'm on 41 for the last 24 hours :?

 

[bb21]

The £12.50 (£8.25 with railcard) is the Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard Route FCC Only. There is also a Route Not Gatwick Express version available which is valid on both Southern and FCC. If you buy it on Southern website and collect at the ticket machine then it costs £13.85 (£9.15).

With a travelcard you then only need Boundary Zone 6 (NLC 0072) - Colchester. Super Off-Peak Day Return is £15.80 (£10.45). A London Terminals - Colchester Super Off-Peak Day Return costs £19.70 (£13).

Depending on how many of you there are, Groupsave may be cheaper, eg if there are three of you then it'll be better for you three to all be in the group for the second leg to benefit from 1/3 off rather than you using your gold card and the other two paying full fare.

Not sure if Boundary Zone tickets are eligible for Groupsave. Anyone?

 

[Evvy73]

Thanks for all your help guys - I think the FCC only "Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard" followed by the "Super Off-Peak Day Return" seems to be our cheapest option.

As it doesn't appear that we'll be tied to specific trains this seems like quite a good deal.

@Ivo - said match is actually Colchester v Southampton - although living so close to Brighton we are well aware of how well Brighton are playing at the moment, and I don't think there is much doubt about them winning the league - hopefully the Saints can take the second automatic place!
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Sorry Chaps - one more quick question!

Do "Super Off peak day return" tickets have to be purchased in advanced (via the web?) or can we get them on the day?

Alternatively, could I get them in advance from the ticket office at London Bridge? (I work quite near to London Bridge, so could stroll up there in my lunch hour).

Thanks again.

 

[island]

A super off-peak day return is a walk-up ticket and can be purchased at any staffed station immediately before travel. Most ticket machines will probably do one too. You can buy them online if you prefer (and I think Southern might give you a discount, or make them refundable), and you can also buy them in advance at a ticket office.

 

[bb21]

The Route Not Gatwick Express one is Southern discounted so will cost more if you buy on the day at the station, however there is nothing to stop you from buying on the day on Southern website and collect it from the machine 30 minutes later.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

@Ivo - said match is actually Colchester v Southampton

Ooo. I was gonna be hoping for a draw, but now can I ask for Saints to lose 4-0, have Lallana sent off (plus banned for 10 games) and Lambert injured in the 90th minute, and a mass brawl with the U's players so both team get fined massive squillions please.

 

[Evvy73]

Ooo. I was gonna be hoping for a draw, but now can I ask for Saints to lose 4-0, have Lallana sent off (plus banned for 10 games) and Lambert injured in the 90th minute, and a mass brawl with the U's players so both team get fined massive squillions please.

Errrrr.....no you can't! With a bit of luck we may get a 4-0 scoreline (to the Saints obviously) but realistically speaking I can see it being a very close game, so I'll settle for 1-0 via a massive deflection off Lamberts backside in the 90th minute!!

Thanks again (everyone) for the confirmation on the tickets, I'll stroll up to London Bridge ticket office next week and get them in advance - saves having to worry about queue's on Saturday!