Help needed!

[Tutuba]

I really need your expert help!

Whats the best way, to get to Taunton to Sussex (Preferably Falmer Station) this saturday?

I am looking for the least amount of changes possible, hopefully without going to London. I am looking to arrive at around 11am and leave and around 4pm, but anytime around then is ok.

Any help appreciated!

 

[EM2]

Avoiding London, it looks like four changes.
Taunton-Bristol-Reading-Gatwick-Lewes-Falmer. Leave Taunton 05.30, arrive Falmer 11.05

But even going via London only gets you to Falmer fifteen minutes earlier.

 

[Tutuba]

Sorry to be a pain, but I dont mind London as long as I miss the Underground, so I suppose I could go Taunton-Reading-London Victoria-Falmer... or is there a simpler route again?

 

[EM2]

I'm afraid London trains from Reading only go into Paddington (fast trains) or Waterloo (slow ones), so you'll still need to use the Underground to get to Victoria and on towards Brighton/Lewes. And with the amount of engineering work on the Tube most weekends, I reckon you'll be better off with the Reading-Gatwick route.

 

[Tutuba]

Thanks EM2... I will go the route you suggested, now its just finding the cheapest and quickest route!

I dont suppose you know if they do Bus' to Sussex from the south?

 

[yorkie]

Paddington to Victoria is an underground train but it's not a tube, it's a full-size train so anyone with a fear of cramped tube trains and going deep underground needn't worry. It's a very long way round (if in a rush you'd get a tube, changing at Oxford Circus) but it is direct with no changes, no escalators. Alternatively you could get a bus.

I'm afraid London trains from Reading only go into Paddington (fast trains) or Waterloo (slow ones), so you'll still need to use the Underground to get to Victoria and on towards Brighton/Lewes. And with the amount of engineering work on the Tube most weekends, I reckon you'll be better off with the Reading-Gatwick route.

You wouldn't need the Underground to get from Reading to Brighton/Lewes via Clapham Junction though. All trains on those routes call at Clapham Jn. No need to go to Waterloo.

 

[Tutuba]

Thanks for you help guys.
Im not scared of the underground... just of getting lost! I'm a student heading off to look at Sussex Uni and want the easiest route possible... I'm awfull with stuff like this!

 

[yorkie]

There's more chance of getting lost at Clapham Junction, or even Reading for that matter, than on the Circle line platforms at Paddington or Victoria.

Even the shorter route that requires two tubes (Bakerloo + Victoria) it's difficult to get lost, since you follow signs and the interchange at Oxford circus is cross-platform using any of the inter-connecting tunnels between them.

 

[Tutuba]

So what do you reccomend?
And I'm not going to Clapham Junction (Wherever that is!) am I?

 

[paul1609]

According to Southern Webtis there are £9 advances available from Taunton to Brighton on Saturday using these trains, none of the interchanges are difficult
All Brighton Main Line Fast services from Clapham Junction leave from platform 13 you would most likely arrive at platforms 7 or 8

Taunton 15:34GW
Westbury16:23
Train continues to London Paddington

Westbury 16:39SW
Clapham Junction18:36
Train continues to London Waterloo

Clapham Junction 18:53SN
Haywards Heath19:30
Train continues to Littlehampton

Haywards Heath 19:40FC
Brighton19:54
Train terminates at Brighton

GWFirst Great Western
SWSouth West Trains
SNSouthern Railways
FCFirst Capital Connect

You would also need a single from Brighton to Falmer but assuming you are going to Sussex University it would probably be easier getting the bus.

 

[Drsatan]

According to Southern Webtis there are £9 advances available from Taunton to Brighton on Saturday using these trains, none of the interchanges are difficult
All Brighton Main Line Fast services from Clapham Junction leave from platform 13 you would most likely arrive at platforms 7 or 8

Taunton 15:34GW
Westbury16:23
Train continues to London Paddington

Westbury 16:39SW
Clapham Junction18:36
Train continues to London Waterloo

Clapham Junction 18:53SN
Haywards Heath19:30
Train continues to Littlehampton

Haywards Heath 19:40FC
Brighton19:54
Train terminates at Brighton

GWFirst Great Western
SWSouth West Trains
SNSouthern Railways
FCFirst Capital Connect

You would also need a single from Brighton to Falmer but assuming you are going to Sussex University it would probably be easier getting the bus.

Thanks for your effort but the guy wants to arrive there at 11:00

 

[paul1609]

Ops Sorry,

but the route advice still stands. Tickets to the Sussex Coast are always significantly cheaper when you travel "route salisbury" a off peak return is £47 versus £74 for via London (Any Permitted) and the same holds true for advance tickets.
Normally I'd suggest going along the coast but this Saturday we have an engineering block between Barnham and Havant.
Although the rolling stock isnt very exciting (class 158s and 159s) the higher frequency at many of the interchanges and the ability to avoid the cross london travel means that this route is often competitive time wise:

Taunton 07:11GW
Westbury07:51
Train continues to London Paddington

Westbury 08:01GW
Salisbury08:32
Train continues to Portsmouth Harbour

Salisbury 08:45SW
Basingstoke09:27
Train continues to London Waterloo

Basingstoke 09:36SW
Clapham Junction10:12
Train continues to London Waterloo

Clapham Junction 10:23SN
Lewes11:22
Train continues to Polegate

Lewes 11:28SN
Falmer11:35

 

[MCR247]

What about

Taunton-Westbury-Fareham-Brighton-Falmer or would that be slower

 

[Drsatan]

This Saturday there are engineering works between Barnham and Havant so he'd have to get on a rail replacement bus between those two stations. Given that they tend to be held up in traffic and the train meeting it at the other end won't meet it if the bus's running late I wouldn't recommend it.