Southeastern question

[Islineclear3_1]

Good afternoon

In terms of ticketing, what is the natural route for a passenger travelling from New Beckenham (on the Hayes line) to Tunbridge Wells? This is a serious question, reasons I will disclose once people start giving answers.

 

[tractakid]

Whatever Journey Planner says.

Seems to default towards the walk between Clock House and Kent House.

 

[island]

I'd have thought in terms of changes at Lewisham and Orpington, or perhaps walk Catford Bridge-Catford and change at Orpington or Sevenoaks.

 

[bicbasher]

BRFares.com is only showing NOT VIA LONDON tickets for New Beckenham, which would suggest either a Catford/Catford Bridge interchange, then Orpington or Lewisham with a change at Orpington.

If you can travel to Beckenham Junction instead, the CDR is only £13 with a simple change at Orpington with more frequent services.

Beckenham Hill also offers the same £13 CDR with a change at Bromley South for Orpington or a longer ride to Sevenoaks.

 

[tractakid]

Lets not forget, if you are travelling at 0930 you can get the train to Beckenham Junction

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Thanks guys.

Why not via London Bridge - which is the easiest route as it only involves 1 change....!?!?

I had to travel yesterday and as bicbasher says, the ticket machine said "Not via London". And the ticket office is closed on Sundays

With respect to yesterday, there were replacement buses between Orpington (or Sevenoaks) and Tonbridge and getting a train from New Bec to Lewisham, wait for another train to Orpington, bus to Tunbridge and another train to Tunbridge Wells - would have taken us all day!!!!

Hence it was easier (and quicker) for me to travel via London and get the direct train that ran via Croydon and Redhill.

 

[island]

Hence it was easier (and quicker) for me to travel via London and get the direct train that ran via Croydon and Redhill.

I assume you spoke to a member of staff on one of the trains or on arrival to pay an excess fare or purchase a new ticket as you did not have a valid ticket to do this?

 

[yorksrob]

Thanks guys.

Why not via London Bridge - which is the easiest route as it only involves 1 change....!?!?

I had to travel yesterday and as bicbasher says, the ticket machine said "Not via London". And the ticket office is closed on Sundays

With respect to yesterday, there were replacement buses between Orpington (or Sevenoaks) and Tonbridge and getting a train from New Bec to Lewisham, wait for another train to Orpington, bus to Tunbridge and another train to Tunbridge Wells - would have taken us all day!!!!

Hence it was easier (and quicker) for me to travel via London and get the direct train that ran via Croydon and Redhill.

When visiting the in laws in Catford Bridge (from Ashford) I always used to go via London Bridge - seemed the natural route. But then again, we used a one day travelcard.

Ultimately London to Tunbridge Wells via Redhill is still London to Tunbridge Wells, so I don't see how that would be different to going via Sevenoaks. Strange it gave you "route not London" though. Was there a via London option ?

 

[RJ]

There is a more comprehensive selection of routes available from stations between Hayes and Clock House and also from Ladywell and Bellingham. I will email Southeastern regarding this today and see how long it takes them to fix the fare options.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I assume you spoke to a member of staff on one of the trains or on arrival to pay an excess fare or purchase a new ticket as you did not have a valid ticket to do this?

That's a bit accusative Island.... Why on earth are you assuming I didn't have a valid ticket...???

The train from New Beckenham to London Bridge is a Metro suburban train that is DOO so there are no staff on the train.

And yes, I did have a valid ticket ... I brought a day return to London, stayed on the train to Charing Cross, wife went and got coffee whilst I bought our tickets to Tunbridge Wells.

20min into Charing Cross, no change, no fuss. About an hour to Tunbridge Wells, 1 train, no fuss with rail replacement buses etc.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Ultimately London to Tunbridge Wells via Redhill is still London to Tunbridge Wells, so I don't see how that would be different to going via Sevenoaks. Strange it gave you "route not London" though. Was there a via London option ?

yorksrob... As I mentioned in my opening post, the ticket machine gave no option via London.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There is a more comprehensive selection of routes available from stations between Hayes and Clock House and also from Ladywell and Bellingham. I will email Southeastern regarding this today and see how long it takes them to fix the fare options.

Thanks RJ, that would be really useful. In terms of customer convenience, it is far better to get the train direct to London Bridge and change there.

Whatever happened to "passenger choice" (?), perhaps Southeastern have forgotten who pays for their services

 

[island]

There is always the choice, which you exercised, of buying two tickets.

Apologies if my post read accusatively; I misunderstood from yours that you had purchased a NOT VIA LONDON ticket and travelled via London nonetheless.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Apologies if my post read accusatively; I misunderstood from yours that you had purchased a NOT VIA LONDON ticket and travelled via London nonetheless.

No worries.

But I did not purchase a "Not via London" ticket as I/we made the choice to travel via London - hence buying two tickets.

But I do wonder, had we travelled on the Saturday, when the ticket office was open, would the ticket person have sold me two return tickets VIA LONDON? I'm fairly confident he would have. I was just surprised that the VIA LONDON option was greyed out (i.e. not available) on the ticket machine on the Sunday.

When I get time, I'll try and delve into this further as I'm sure we'll make the journey again.

 

[zoneking]

I always travel to Tunbridge Wells via Redhill, unless that line is closed for works. In fact, last Monday, the Tunbridge Wells to London Bridge services were diverted via Redhill (not stopping). As I have a zones 1-6 season ticket, it is cheaper to buy a boundary zone 6 to TBW than a named station (except Knockholt).