Liverpool to Gatwick

[coley65]

Wow how complex is booking and trying to get from a to b these days

2 adults 2 children and a family & friends railcard

outward: sunday
Return monday

advance fares are no good as I cannot guarantee the return time its a shame as I could of got it for £17 each way

virgin works out £149
London midland to euston £51.00 super off peak return.
St Pancras to gatwick super off peak single £12.60
gatwick to st pancras anytime single £17.00
total £80 approx

Now my questions re gatwick return how come no off peak tickets
London midland site says last train I can catch to liverpool is 13.30. As I read it I can depart from Euston up until 16.30 also take the 18.05 train.

If the above is correct what happens if a guard stops us and tries to change us extra.

Is there any other options I have

Thanks
Coley

 

[tony_mac]

London midland site says last train I can catch to liverpool is 13.30. As I read it I can depart from Euston up until 16.30 also take the 18.05 train.

This one comes up reasonably often.
If there is a change of train (i.e., at Stafford) after 16:30, then the website doesn't show it as a valid train.
There's nothing to worry about, it's been like that for years.

 

[sonic2009]

Are you outward this Sunday?

 

[tony_mac]

For the next two weekends it will be slightly cheaper (~£48) to buy London Midland Great escape tickets - and a bit less restrictive times in the evening.

 

[coley65]

this is for may 25th outward and return on june 3. I am addicted to this website now and looking for tickets etc (its my new hobby). I love train travel and journey planning

regards Coley

 

[tony_mac]

Welcome to the forum!

There is also a page to read before asking for fares advice
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=50404
It includes things like giving the dates you are travelling, as that makes it much easier to get the right advice.

 

[coley65]

Thanks for the welcome Tony I did have a read of the posting rules however the fares dont go up to the 25th may so I thought it was irrelevant.

Thanks again and a pleasure to be here
Coley

 

[bb21]

Now my questions re gatwick return how come no off peak tickets

Because not every fare type is available for every flow.

Gatwick Airport - London St Pancras Route Not Underground only has two types of single fare: Super Off-Peak and Anytime.

The Super Off-Peak Single is only valid on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, so if you are travelling on Monday, The only option you have is the Anytime Day Single.

 

[coley65]

Thanks bb21 that was my understanding FCC website does not make it clear that some routes dont offer you off peak travel.

 

[bb21]

If you are only unsure of your return journey, you might wish to take advantage of the half-price Off-Peak Single (formerly the Saver Half) fares Virgin offer. This means that you can buy an Advance fare for the outward direction, combined with an Off-Peak Single (priced at half of the Off-Peak Return fare) in the other direction so you can have flexibility on your way back. The return leg should cost around £75 for all of you altogether.

They must be booked in the same transaction. This does eliminate the need to travel on the torturous LM services if the Advance fare is reasonably priced. They can only be booked on thetrainline-powered engines too iirc, so www.virgintrains.co.uk should offer this option.

 

[coley65]

You are right it is only the return leg that needs to be not fixed to one service.

Yes I looked into that that we are traveling down the day before are flight. There is an advance fare that costs £17 for all in F&F card liverpool-stafford-watford-clapham-gatwick. and the same price coming back. I dont know how they come to that price

At the moment I am leaning to lm liverpool - euston super off peak return £51
st pancras - super off peak single 12.60. Gatwick - st pancras anytime single £17

94 off peak return lm/southern only
149 off peak return virgin

I dont mind the journey on lm its great fun if you take a pack etc. But coming back after a long flight it might not be so much fun

 

[bb21]

The £17 fare (£10 full adult fare) is routed SOUTHERN &LONMID so you cannot combine that with a Saver Half in the other direction AIUI.

To do that you need to purchase a +VWC & CONNECTNS fare in the outward direction, the cheapest of which is available at £28.10 (£16.50 full adult fare). The Saver Half in the opposite direction costs £74.70 so that's a grand total of £102.80 for the whole party for the whole return journey. This is £20 more expensive but obviously saves faffing around with having to wait for LM and Southern services.

The decision is of course yours.

 

[tony_mac]

and remember that LM is also an hour slower on Sundays

 

[lemonic]

The £17 fare (£10 full adult fare) is routed SOUTHERN &LONMID so you cannot combine that with a Saver Half in the other direction AIUI.

To do that you need to purchase a +VWC & CONNECTNS fare in the outward direction, the cheapest of which is available at £28.10 (£16.50 full adult fare). The Saver Half in the opposite direction costs £74.70 so that's a grand total of £102.80 for the whole party for the whole return journey. This is £20 more expensive but obviously saves faffing around with having to wait for LM and Southern services.

The decision is of course yours.

I think you can get Take The Train (www.takethetrain.co.uk) to sell a 'Saver Half' in one direction with a Southern & London Midland Advance in the other direction.

 

[yorkie]

The through fare isn't much more, so is well worth considering for the convenience, and I'd also suggest you consider taking the Victoria Line to Euston, then Southern's non-stop Gatwick Express service, at most times you get a whole coach to yourself (if you sit at the very front going south or very front/rear heading North) rather than walking Euston <> St Pancras to get a packed FCC train.

 

[coley65]

Great advice guys really appreciate the input this is great fun I am loving Ferdinand Frog what a great site that is and quick. I will have a play and see what I decide. The good thing is we have plenty of time before the date of travel. any other suggestions or alternative routes which might be fun please reply

Thanks again
Coley

 

[johnnycache]

Here is another idea

Liverpool Milton Keynes Central super off peak return

Full Adult £24.00
Fare for 2 adults + 2 children with F&F railcard £40.80

Milton Keynes Central Gatwick Airport off peak return via Kensington Olympia

Full Adult £25.90
Fare for 2 adults + 2 children with F&F railcard £44.10

Total

Full Adult £49.90
Fare for 2 adults + 2 children with F&F railcard £84.90

The Milton Keynes Gatwick airport leg should qualify for the child flat fare of £2 each see link

http://www.southernrailway.com/tickets-and-fares/ticket-types/kids-for-1/

This reduces the total to £79.00 which i think might just sneak home as the best walk up fare so far!

 

[coley65]

Thanks for the replies very much appreciated. We have had a change of plan.
On sunday 25th may there are no trains from liverpool to london.

So we are traveling down on friday 23rd and planning to stay in croydon premier in for 2 nights.

Planning to get travel cards for the friday and saturday to get back into london.

On the sunday we are staying on the airport
so it would be a single from east croydon to gatwick around £7.00.

I am a bit confused as to what do do with the kids. 2 adults 2 kids (9 years old Twins)1 family and friends railcard. I realize we can use the underground with the kids but not national rail.

The question is what do we do buy for the kids to get from croydon to london a travelcard each or pay fares

 

[sarahj]

I'm more of an expert on out of boundry travelcards, but this option might be available from East Croydon. There is a family travelcard where the kids just pay £2.00. Ask at the ticket office at East Croydon.

For your trip from east croydon to gatwick. there are cheaper tickets, both FCC and southern only. Buying a group 4 for all of you (inc the kids) would drop the price. Note if you buy an FCC only or a Southern only, to board the correct train. (mon-sat southern 5-6x hour- ECR-gtw FCC 4 x hour. sunday southern 4-5 x hour, FCC 2-4 x hour.). Journey time, 15-30 mins. (15 mins non stop, most trains, 30 mins of you catch what is known as the horsham stopper)

 

[coley65]

Thanks for the reply I did see the £2 travel card for kids for 11-15 yearr olds would this be ok to use national rail if we used our friends and family 2 adult travel cards + 2 children ones so it would be £6 each for adult tc and £2 for the kids total £16. for unlimited travel around greater london for us all.

Coley

 

[tony_mac]

Having a family and friends railcard, the best option for going to London is probably just to buy paper zone 1-6 travelcards for everyone. £5.90 for the adults, £2 for the children, valid on all train / bus / tube / tram services (except HS1, because somebody will point it out!).

The £7 single fare to Gatwick is first-class, FCC-only. The standard class 'Any permitted' fare is £5.10, (£8.70 for the group, with the railcard). While you could save a few pence by buying FCC-only tickets, you could have a 30 minute wait if you miss one.

 

[coley65]

is that £2.00 each for the the kids or both because I read this:

If you buy a Family & Friends Railcard you can buy discounted Off-Peak Day Travelcards to travel at anytime on weekends, Public Holidays and after 09:30 on Monday to Friday.

If you are travelling with children aged under 16 at anytime on weekends, Public Holidays and after 09:30 on Monday to Friday, you can get discounts for them too:

On Tube, DLR, London Overground and some National Rail services you can take four children aged under 11 for free
You can buy an Off-Peak Zone 1-9 Day Travelcard for £2 for up to four children aged 11-15 travelling with you (if they do not have an Oyster photocard). You must also have a valid ticket to travel

 

[coley65]

Ok I got my tickets from Liverpool ->euston (off peak return) +FF card. For £52.00.
Here are my questions:
1. The tickets dont say liverpool lime street to london euston. They say Liverpool Stations & london terminals, why? What is the relevance of this.

2. I had a look on br fares and under notes 2) it said this:
"2) Holders of Off-Peak tickettypes SVS/SVR, which are
discounted using 16-25, Senior, Disabled Persons, HM Forces and Family & Friends Railcardsand Jobcentre Plus Trave lDiscount Card, can travel on
Virgin Train services at anytime, provided that all travel is on Virgin Trains services only. This easement does not apply for journeys wholly between Milton Keynes Central/ Northampton and London Euston in either direction."

Does that mean we can use a virgin train even though its printed on the ticket lm only

Thanks again
Coley

 

[Merseysider]

Ok I got my tickets from Liverpool ->euston (off peak return) +FF card. For £52.00.
Here are my questions:
1. The tickets dont say liverpool lime street to london euston. They say Liverpool Stations & london terminals, why? What is the relevance of this.

2. I had a look on br fares and under notes 2) it said this:
"2) Holders of Off-Peak tickettypes SVS/SVR, which are
discounted using 16-25, Senior, Disabled Persons, HM Forces and Family & Friends Railcardsand Jobcentre Plus Trave lDiscount Card, can travel on
Virgin Train services at anytime, provided that all travel is on Virgin Trains services only. This easement does not apply for journeys wholly between Milton Keynes Central/ Northampton and London Euston in either direction."

Does that mean we can use a virgin train even though its printed on the ticket lm only

Thanks again
Coley

In answer to your questions:

1. Having a ticket from/to "Liverpool Stations" means you can use any of James Street, Moorfields, Lime Street & Liverpool Central to start/end your journey, rather than just being tied to Lime Street. For example, on the way back, you could get off at Lime Street and get a Merseyrail service to James Street on the same ticket if you so wished.

2. Unfortunately not. Your ticket allows you to travel on London Midland services only. That easement is in place for Railcard holders using Off-Peak Single/Return tickets that are valid on Virgin Trains to pay much cheaper fares in the morning/afternoon peak, rather than the £300 an Anytime Return works out to.

Hope this helps.

 

[tony_mac]

1. Having a ticket from/to "Liverpool Stations" means you can use any of James Street, Moorfields, Lime Street & Liverpool Central to start/end your journey, rather than just being tied to Lime Street. For example, on the way back, you could get off at Lime Street and get a Merseyrail service to James Street on the same ticket if you so wished.

That's what it usually means - but it is irrelevant for a "London Midland only" ticket as they only go to Lime Street.

Ok I got my tickets from Liverpool ->euston (off peak return) +FF card. For £52.00.
Does that mean we can use a virgin train even though its printed on the ticket lm only

Exactly what tickets do you have?

 

[Merseysider]

That's what it usually means - but it is irrelevant for a "London Midland only" ticket as they only go to Lime Street.

Irrelevant and mostly unneeded (except for those with mobility requirements) as the Liverpool stations are only a few minutes walk away from each other anyway

 

[coley65]

Thanks for the replies and explanations

Ticket is QSV ONLINE ONLY SVR

 

[bb21]

Yes, if you have an Online Only SVR, JakeF's explanation is spot on.

 

[Merseysider]

I noticed just now the OP also asked about London Terminals.

The principle is similar but far from identical to Liverpool Stations. However, with London Terminals, there are restrictions on which termini you are allowed to travel to and this depends on your ticket.

Coley65, to avoid me overcomplicating the matter, have a quick read of this page as it will explain better than I could.

 

[coley65]

Thanks Jake I was still curious regarding why it said London Terminals. When the tickets are marked london midland trains only. So what other station could I travel too. The same with Liverpool stations I would have to use merseyrail unless it means south parkway