If Southern canx can you use GX?

[Islineclear3_1]

I travelled from Victoria to Brighton yesterday. Brought a walk-up off-peak day return and wasn't given any options to select "Southern Only" or "Gatwick Express" only. The machine automatically gave me an "any permitted" ticket. Travelled on a "Gatwick Express"-branded 387/2 both ways (i.e. the fasts) and no problems exiting on Plats 13/14 at Victoria .

Though I have no complaints, should I have expected anything different? Do any machines at Victoria sell "Southern Only" or "Gatwick Express" only or did I pick a "lucky" one?

 

[yorkie]

Between Brighton and London, the train company (Govia Thameslink) sets fares routed "Any Permitted" and "Thameslink Only" (which are restricted to trains operated by the train company of that name; these fares only exist for legacy purposes and their continuing existence is because the DfT does not want to cause uproar while the London Bridge works are ongoing)

They brand their slightly faster trains "Southern", while the trains branded Gatwick "Express" are actually minute slower, see: http://www.fastjp.com/#journeys?orig=BTN&dest=VIC&odate=20170502&otime=1100&maxres=11&maxch=0

The fares from Brighton to London can be cheaper than the fares which the company charges tourists who travel from Gatwick to London, especially at weekends.

For example a weekend Travelcard holder from Brighton would pay less for a return trip from Brighton to London plus unlimited travel in Zones 1-6, than a tourist who pays for a single trip from Gatwick to London Victoria (only), if the tourist pays the price the company wants them to pay, and this is all on the same trains, and using tickets which even the 'Red Gestapo' deem to be perfectly valid.

 

[swt class 450]

I travelled from Victoria to Brighton yesterday. Brought a walk-up off-peak day return and wasn't given any options to select "Southern Only" or "Gatwick Express" only. The machine automatically gave me an "any permitted" ticket. Travelled on a "Gatwick Express"-branded 387/2 both ways (i.e. the fasts) and no problems exiting on Plats 13/14 at Victoria .

Though I have no complaints, should I have expected anything different? Do any machines at Victoria sell "Southern Only" or "Gatwick Express" only or did I pick a "lucky" one?

There is no such thing as "Gatwick Express only" tickets.

The only tickets that are available are:
• Any Permitted
• Not Gatwick Express
• Southern Only
• Thameslink Only

Which journey you make depends on which tickets are sold. For example for journeys between Gatwick Airport and London Terminals or Gatwick Airport and London Zones 1 to 6 Travelcard all four ticket types are sold. However for example some other journeys might only sell "Any Permitted" tickets.

 

[bb21]

I think the OP has his answer so I'm locking this extremely tedious thread.

Anyone interested can read any of the huge collection of existing threads on this topic.

I've translated the contents of this thread to something that probably makes more sense to the average traveller.

沒有人真正關心的無聊，重複的爭論。

Summed it up beautifully.