Newbie Alert: Woking to Hammersmith

[philip.mather]

Right, total newbie alert, both to the site and frankly commuting by rail as well so I figure I better ask people who'd know

New job at Hammersmith Embankment means I'll be commuting from Woking to Hammersmith from the 31/08 until the 08/10 at the usual 9-6 times, I have no discounts just a photo card. I'm left with three questions...

1) My poor knowledge says that I'm best off going into Waterloo and then probably Baker Loo followed by Piccadilly? Is that faster than via Westminster or some other combination? TFL seems to think so.

2) I believe I can jump off at Clapham Junction and go from there? Is that much easier or cheaper, I was thinking not and that I'd only reserve that plan in case things were snarled up elsewhere.

3) What ticket do I buy?! I'll eventually want an Oyster for when I'm in Kew but I get the impression that won't see me all the way from Woking? Am I better off just getting a season ticket of some sort to cover the whole journey?

Any help or pointers would be deeply appreciated, last time I commuted by train was along the South Coast between Worthing and Falmer and that involved slam doors so it's been a while

Regards,
Phil

 

[generalvegitable]

I have virtually no experience with this sort of thing but personally I would go from Woking to Wimbledon, change to the district line, go to earls court and get the piccadilly line from there to Hammersmith, or if it is a hot day change for a district line train towards Hammersmith (any train that goes to Richmond or Ealing Broadway).

the suggestion from TFL is probably the best option but you have to remember that at those times the underground (esp in central london) will be like sardine cans

 

[Deerfold]

This is an odd one - and I can't price it at the moment, but it might work if you like quiet journeys with a similar journey time.

Railair Woking - Heathrow 1,2,3 (or 5) - this is the bit I can't find season ticket prices for - if they don't exist it might be a pricey route.

Then Picadilly line trains to Hammersmith (Travelcard zones 2-6 unless you're likely to want to go into central London regularly). This will get busy as you near your destination but you'll be getting on at the start of the route.

 

[t0ffeeman]

Change at Clapham J for LO or SN services to Kenny Olympia.
Hammersmith is a 10 min walk or bus ride.
or change at West Brompton & Earls Court for District line to Hammersmith.

If train from Woking calls at Wimbledon you can get on District line from there too,but must change at Earls Court.

Going via Waterloo with cost you about 20-30 mins, plus Zone 1 in the fare.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

This is an odd one - and I can't price it at the moment, but it might work if you like quiet journeys with a similar journey time.

Railair Woking - Heathrow 1,2,3 (or 5) - this is the bit I can't find season ticket prices for - if they don't exist it might be a pricey route.

Then Picadilly line trains to Hammersmith (Travelcard zones 2-6 unless you're likely to want to go into central London regularly). This will get busy as you near your destination but you'll be getting on at the start of the route.

Eurgh no. Don't go for RailAir. It's priced for tourists and is never going to be the cheapest option. It would also mean crossing one of the world's busiest airports twice a day.
I like the Woking > Wimbledon > District Line idea personally

 

[GodAtum]

I would try to stay on the train for as long as possible!

 

[Deerfold]

Eurgh no. Don't go for RailAir. It's priced for tourists and is never going to be the cheapest option. It would also mean crossing one of the world's busiest airports twice a day.
I like the Woking > Wimbledon > District Line idea personally

Looks like they do a decent price, but only if you work *at* the airport http://www.heathrowairport.com/asse...nloads/Static_files/HeathrowTravelcardMap.pdf

 

[londonbridge]

Change at Clapham J for LO or SN services to Kenny Olympia.
Hammersmith is a 10 min walk or bus ride.
or change at West Brompton & Earls Court for District line to Hammersmith.

If train from Woking calls at Wimbledon you can get on District line from there too,but must change at Earls Court.

Going via Waterloo with cost you about 20-30 mins, plus Zone 1 in the fare.

I'll second that. Waterloo will cost you more in both time and money. The first two options are easier.

 

[yorkie]

If changing at Clapham for Kensington Olympia, bear in mind that the fast direct trains are at 0705 (arr 0724) and then nothing until 0843 (arr 0903) - these appear to be too early and too late, so a change at Surbiton would be required between these times.

The 0724 arrival has a connection at 0730, and another at 0738 if the 0730 is missed, you'd get to work for around 0800, which is too early.

The 0903 arrival might get you on the 0905, but more likely the 0910, getting to Kenny O at 0915 or 0920, putting you on the 0916 or 0922 buses arriving 0931 or 0937, respectively, which is a bit late for an 0900 start.

There are numerous options in between but with extended journey times by changing at Surbiton.

Changing at Wimbledon is another option, but the only direct trains, which are stoppers, are at 0632 (arr 0704) and 0832 (arr 0904) taking 32 mins. Again, as with the Clapham option, you are going to have to change at somewhere like Surbiton between these times.

Unless you can work earlier or later hours, it's not going to be simple and will require several changes.

 

[philip.mather]

I think the rail air idea is so mad it would work but it's by no means any faster and it's £10.50 per day so I think it would work out more expensive as suggested. Some of the other airport bus services offer season tickets but from Woking it looks like you have to be an employee at Heathrow? Nice idea, I'll keep it in mind.

I'd like the Wimbledon option but as yorkie and co point out there's only two direct trains from Woking in the morning, one an hour too early or one that would mean arriving after 9. Otherwise I'd have to change at Surbiton which makes it about 10 minutes longer than going into Waterloo.

Best option (least time spent) so far looks like Clapham -> Earls -> Hammersmith but to get the stopper from Woking it seems I have to set off and arrive earlier, I can live with that I guess, it'll make me look eager ;^). My options appear to be...

zone 2
07:00) Woking to clapham (19m) to west brompton (8m) to earls (3m) to hammersmith (6m) = total 1:03 - 08:03

Zone 1 & 2
07:35) Woking to waterloo (28m) to picadilly (5m) to hammersmith (17m) = total 1:11 - 08:46
07:27) Woking to surbiton (24m) to wimbledon (12m) to earls (22m) to hammersmith (6m) = total 1:22 - 08:49

Zone 2, 3 & 4
07:00) Woking to clapham (19m) to richmond (9m) to hammersmith (15m) = total 1:11 - 08:11

I'll probably aim for one of the first three and see what time I make it to the station each morning. Roll on moving to Kew is all I can say.

So I'm now left with the idea of getting a season ticket for "London terminals", does that allow me to get off at Clapham or Subirton(?), then using an oyster card for the rest so that I can either jump off at Clapham or go into Waterloo. It's £27 extra for that flexibility but given I'm starting a new job and I have some mates in central London I imagine I'm going to get dragged out for drinks all over the place.

The season ticket calculator offers me "WOK to 2-6" is that likely to be cheaper than an Oyster?

This is amazingly complicated, cheers guys!

 

[yorkie]

So I'm now left with the idea of getting a season ticket for "London terminals", does that allow me to get off at Clapham or Subirton(?),

Yes, you can use any of the permitted routes between Woking and London Terminals and get on/off as you like for any journey at any intermediate station.

then using an oyster card for the rest so that I can either jump off at Clapham or go into Waterloo. It's £27 extra for that flexibility but given I'm starting a new job and I have some mates in central London I imagine I'm going to get dragged out for drinks all over the place.

Yes, you can.

The season ticket calculator offers me "WOK to 2-6" is that likely to be cheaper than an Oyster?

Woking to Zones 2-6 is effectively Woking to the Zone 6 boundary, plus a Zones 6-2 (ie, excluding Zone 1) Travelcard. (I believe, however, this can be used on buses in Zone 1 - can someone confirm?)

Oyster is not a product, it's a medium, however I do not believe that you can have "out boundary" Season tickets (e.g. Woking to Zones 2-6, 1-6 or whatever) loaded on to Oyster. However you can have a Zones 2-6 or 1-6 Travelcard season loaded on to Oyster (you would need a separate paper season ticket to somewhere like Surbiton, although there may be a question over whether or not the train needs to call, strictly speaking I believe it would do, however FCC have stated that trains do not need to call, and SWT may also allow it but I do not know), alternatively you can use PAYG (Pay as you go) on Oyster.

This is amazingly complicated, cheers guys!

No problem Indeed it is complicated, and I feel that public transport users are discriminated against in this country. I wouldn't mind if it was a level playing field, and if car drivers had to state their destination when buying petrol and had to faff about getting combinations of petrol to make their travel affordable

 

[t0ffeeman]

ANY Travelcard can be used on any TFL bus regardless of zones.

 

[yorkie]

ANY Travelcard can be used on any TFL bus regardless of zones.

Excellent, thanks. That's what I thought

 

[MikeWh]

Yes, you can use any bus in any zone with any travelcard. So buses across zone 1 would be fine on a 2-6 travelcard.

 

[John @ home]

The difficulty with commuting in the London area is that everything is geared to provide for travel to and from central London, and this priority makes journeys like Woking - Hammersmith much more difficult.

It's actually quite an easy journey off-peak, when there is a regular fast service Woking - Clapham Jn, but during the peak none of the fast trains stop at Clapham Jn.

My advice would be to buy a weekly season ticket for the most flexible option, and during your first week at work try a range of different routes. For example, buy a £75.50 Woking - London Zones 1-6 weekly Travelcard and during the the week try a return journey on each of the following routes:

• Woking - Waterloo - (Northern Line) - Embankment - (District Line) - Hammersmith
• Woking - Waterloo - (Jubilee Line) - Westminster - (District Line) - Hammersmith
• Woking - Clapham Jn - Kensington O - (walk or bus) - Hammersmith
• Woking - Wimbledon - (District Line) - Earls Court - (District Line) - Hammersmith
• Woking - Wimbledon - (District Line) - Earls Court - (Piccadilly Line) - Hammersmith

Review the position after a week and buy the cheapest ticket for the journey which suits you best.

It takes a while to work out how to respond to all the difficulties and delays but regular commuters have it honed to a fine art, e.g. if the 0832 is at least 2 but not more than 5 minutes late, take it, otherwise wait for the 0839.

 

[philip.mather]

I wouldn't mind if it was a level playing field, and if car drivers had to state their destination when buying petrol and had to faff about getting combinations of petrol to make their travel affordable

Just wait until they privatise the roads and put tolls on them! Then you'd be close to having the same situation.

It's actually quite an easy journey off-peak, when there is a regular fast service Woking - Clapham Jn, but during the peak none of the fast trains stop at Clapham Jn.

This is what lulled me into a false sense of security, working in Woking I'd occasionally go into London but only at or just after 9 for a meeting or whatever and by that time the stopping services have become more frequent again.

My advice would be to buy a weekly season ticket for the most flexible option, and during your first week at work try a range of different routes. For example, buy a £75.50 Woking - London Zones 1-6 weekly Travelcard and during the the week try a return journey on each of the following routes

Best idea of the lot I think, it'll give me a chance to work out whether to stick with jumping off at Clapham or to go all the way in and see if going via if Wimbledon would work.

Right, cheers guys, I'll try and let you know how it goes if I'm not buried up to my eyeballs the moment I start

 

[yorkie]

Yes please do let us know

Also the Kenny O trains call at West Brompton, if that's of any use. There is a 190 bus toward Hammersmith from there.

There are good bus maps available here:-

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/

You can search for a place (e.g. Hammersmith) and it will list the bus routes, you click on a route and it highlights the route on a map.