Understanding the Brighton group stations

[ianBR]

I understand Brighton, Hove and London Road are all part of the Brighton stations group.

If this means they are considered the same station from a routing perspective…. does this mean if you have a London to Brighton ticket you’d be able to travel

London -> Brighton -> Hove

As opposed to the more normal route of London -> Hove -> Brighton

 

[transportphoto]

No, if you have a London to Brighton ticket - your ticket validity ends on arrival at Brighton.

I don’t know the geography amazingly, and I’m happy to be corrected, but you may travel via Brighton on a London to Hove ticket.

 

[jfollows]

No, the instructions for the routeing guide (http://iblocks-rg-publication.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/nrg_instructions.pdf) state (my bold):

GROUP STATIONS
Some stations are grouped together to improve interchange between trains by offering
customers access to a wider choice of train services and station facilities. A customer may travel
via any station in such a group, including doubling back, provided that the group is on one of the
permitted routes between their origin and destination stations. This extended availability is for
interchange purposes only and does not apply where the origin or destination stations are part
of a group.

A London-Hove ticket will be valid via Brighton, of course. But not a London-Brighton ticket valid to Hove via Brighton.

 

[Haywain]

I understand Brighton, Hove and London Road are all part of the Brighton stations group.

If this means they are considered the same station from a routing perspective…. does this mean if you have a London to Brighton ticket you’d be able to travel

London -> Brighton -> Hove

As opposed to the more normal route of London -> Hove -> Brighton

No, they are a routeing group but not a fares group.

 

[ianBR]

Ok thanks.

And if you have a season ticket from Brighton to London Victoria am I right in thinking there is no issue in travelling between Brighton and Hove in either direction at any point

(Or are you always better buying a season ticket from Hove for the same price to give you that added flexibility)

 

[jfollows]

Ok thanks.

And if you have a season ticket from Brighton to London Victoria am I right in thinking there is no issue in travelling between Brighton and Hove in either direction at any point

(Or are you always better buying a season ticket from Hove for the same price to give you that added flexibility)

Yes, that’s fine, because London-Hove-Brighton is fine as a route, and you can use a season ticket as often as you like over a valid route or part of a route.

 

[Watershed]

There are different 'group' station definitions for routeing purposes, and for fares purposes. The two sometimes overlap, but this is not always the case.

There hasn't been a "Brighton Stations" concept for fares purposes since 1989 - tickets are issued to specific stations of either Brighton, Hove, or London Road (Brighton).

There is a "Brighton Routeing Point Group" concept for routeing purposes, which means that you can double-back between members of the Group for interchange purposes only. But this only applies at an intermediate part of your journey, e.g. if you were travelling from London to Barnham, you could double back between Hove and Brighton. Can't see a scenario where it would help given the current timetable but if, for example, London-Brighton trains were diverted via Hove, and Brighton-Barnham trains didn't stop at Hove, that's the kind of scenario where it might be useful.

Buying a season ticket from Brighton is, for most intents and purposes, going to give you the same validity as one from Hove. This is because season tickets are valid for unlimited travel, including break of journey at intermediate stations. The "3 mile rule" allows you to travel via alternative routes within 3 miles of the shortest route, and Hove is within 3 miles of the shortest route to Preston Park and northwards.

Also, when tracing a mapped route you can use any route to the next Routeing Point that doesn't involve doubling back, so Brighton-Hove-Wivelsfield would be fine even if it were more than a 3 mile detour.

 

[jfollows]

That's a good explanation from Watershed, better than I would have done.

Also, nothing to do with any kind of group, a London-Brighton season ticket is valid Brighton-Lewes and intermediate stations also, so it's kind of a regional rail rover for the Brighton area stations.