Southampton Airport to Reading return via Salisbury

[dcd]

Hi,
My partner wants to go to Reading from Southampton Airport on Wednesday 1st Oct arriving about 10:00 and returning about 17:00 but instead of going directly back to Southampton Airport she wants to change a Basingstoke and go via Salisbury , breaking the journey there for a couple of hours then continuing back to Southampton Airport via Romsey.

What is the best ticket or combination of tickets to achieve this please.

She has a Senior Railcard by the way.

 

[Romilly]

If your partner is happy to travel out on the 0922 (arrives 1003) or any later train, then I would suggest the following (prices reflect any available Senior Railcard discount):

Southampton Airport-Reading £12.30 offpeak day return

On the way back, use that ticket as far as Basingstoke, then:

Basingstoke-Chandlers Ford £7.85 anytime day single (valid for a break of journey at Salisbury and then for continuing to Romsey and then direct to Chandlers Ford, i.e. not via Southampton)

Chandlers Ford-Eastleigh £1.45 anytime day single

Then use the original return ticket for the final Eastleigh-Southampton Airport leg.

The problem is that Basingstoke-Southampton tickets are not valid via Salisbury, and Basingstoke-Salisbury tickets are not valid via Southampton.

Total: £21.60

 

[adrock1976]

1) Southampton Airport (SOA) to Andover (ADV) Off Peak Day Return £11.05 (valid both routes via Basingstoke and Salisbury).

2) Basingstoke (BSK) to Reading (RDG) Off Peak Day Return £3.95.

For the SOA - RDG outward leg, the outward portion of the first ticket can be used on the 09:22 departure (XC Manchester train) to RDG, arriving 10:03. At BSK, your partner would remain on the same train she boarded at SOA, and would switch to the outward portion of the second ticket.

For the return leg, your partner would use the return portion of the second ticket from RDG on the 12:07 local FGW service to BSK and would change trains there, departing BSK at 12:38 to Salisbury arriving 13:20. She would then switch to the outward portion of the first ticket at BSK to continue. After the call at ADV, she would then switch to the return portion of the first ticket (all trains between BSK and SAL call at ADV).

Departure from SAL is at 15:56 to SOA, which is a direct train calling all stations, arriving SOA at 16:45. A word of warning here - as this is the service to Romsey via Romsey, Southampton Central (SOC), and Eastleigh, I am not sure how the destination at Salisbury is displayed or announced. When the train reaches Romsey, your partner should remain on the train to continue to SOA via SOC. Or alternatively, at SAL, check the next direct departure screens (summary of common destinations) for "Southampton Airport Parkway". It should display the 15:56 on the board. Also, she can continue her journey from SAL to SOA after the break by using the return portion of the first ticket.

Hope this is of some help to you.

NB In regards to the SAL - ROM service, could somebody who has more knowledge than me of that area let us know how the destination is announced on the train and at SAL station?

In peace

Adam

 

[Kite159]

IIRC The SAL-ROM is advertised as heading to Chandlers Ford via Southampton Central from Salisbury. Normally departs from platform 6. 2-car 158 unit

 

[dcd]

Thanks for this, very useful replies.

 

[swt_passenger]

Basingstoke-Chandlers Ford £7.85 anytime day single (valid for a break of journey at Salisbury and then for continuing to Romsey and then direct to Chandlers Ford, i.e. not via Southampton)

NREs does not validate your Basingstoke to Chandlers Ford (CFR) via Salisbury - it shows multiple tickets required, totalling £25.80 via Southampton, or £19.40 via Romsey and direct to CFR.

 

[Romilly]

I see what you mean.

But the East Coast website will sell me the ticket with an itinerary, and the ticket shows up on BRfares.

Actually, sites with mixing decks will only offer the £7.85 fare if a "via" option is selected (Salisbury or Romsey or Eastleigh all seem to work, although obviously via Eastleigh is not what the OP's partner needs). And as you say, NRE will offer the fare but only with itineraries via Eastleigh.