Cheapest ticket from Luton to Sunbury Monday to Friday?

[faringdon]

Hi,
Please advise about the cheapest way to get from Luton to Sunbury (return) for work travel monday to friday. (i work 830 to 1730) I have an oyster card. I also have a national rail photocard.

It looks like the prospective routes are...(please advise if you know cheaper)

1...Train Luton to West hampstead thameslink------>
Train West Hampstead overground to Richmond------>
Train Richmond To Feltham------->
Bus from Feltham to Sunbury

2.....Train Luton to West hampstead thameslink------>
Train West Hampstead overground to Richmond------>
Train Richmond To Sunbury------->

3....Train Luton to St Pancras------>
Tube St Pancras to Vauxhall
Train Vauxhall to sunbury

4 ...Train Luton to St Pancras------>
Tube St Pancras to Vauxhall
Train Vauxhall to Feltham
Bus from Feltham to Sunbury

 

[infobleep]

What is the national rail photo card for as that will tell other when it's valid.and help with the advice.

 

[Haywain]

What is the national rail photo card

A National Rail photocard is what is required to accompany a season ticket.

It looks like the prospective routes are...(please advise if you know cheaper)

Option 5 would be train from Luton to Blackfriars, walk to Waterloo, and train from Waterloo to Sunbury.

I have an oyster card. I also have a national rail photocard.

Do you qualify for a railcard?

 

[infobleep]

A National Rail photocard is what is required to accompany a season ticket.


Option 5 would be train from Luton to Blackfriars, walk to Waterloo, and train from Waterloo to Sunbury.

Thanks for that. Makes sense now.

 

[faringdon]

Thanks, and i like that "walk from Blackfriars to Waterloo" option.
Sunbury is not actually on the oyster network.....so it looks like using oyster to get to Feltham is going to be the way.
Then Bus from Feltham to Sunbury using oyster card is £1.75 one way.

Does anyone know the price of a ...
a)...7 day season ticket from Luton to West Hampstead Thameslink
b)...7 day season ticket from Luton to Blackfriars

3 months ago a 7 day season ticket from Luton to St Pancras was £131.
But i think it has just gone up?

(As you kindly confirm, the photocard is necessary for buying the 7 day season ticket)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Does anyone know the price of a ...
a)...7 day season ticket from Luton to West Hampstead Thameslink
b)...7 day season ticket from Luton to Blackfriars

3 months ago a 7 day season ticket from Luton to St Pancras was £131.
But i think it has just gone up?

From next week will be £118.60 and £137 per week respectively.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

Is Sunbury now in the contactless area? I know that this doesn't include oyster.

 

[faringdon]

I think it is in contactless area....(does that mean you can use your debit card?)
I dont have a smartphone.
I think oyster is cheaper than contactless but not sure?

So each week its
£118.60 to get Luton to West Hampstead Thameslink
5 x £10.60 to get West Hampstead Rail to Feltham Rail
5 x £3.50 to get from Feltham to Sunbury via bus

Thats £189.10 per week
£37.82 per day.
I think thats the cheapest?

 

[4COR]

Thanks, and i like that "walk from Blackfriars to Waterloo" option.
Sunbury is not actually on the oyster network.....so it looks like using oyster to get to Feltham is going to be the way.
Then Bus from Feltham to Sunbury using oyster card is £1.75 one way.

Does anyone know the price of a ...
a)...7 day season ticket from Luton to West Hampstead Thameslink
b)...7 day season ticket from Luton to Blackfriars

You can look them all up at: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tickets-railcards-and-offers/ticket-types/season-ticket-calculator/

If you are happy to do the last Feltham-Sunbury bit on bus, then a Z1-6 travelcard would be valid on any TFL service. Weekly Z1-6 from Luton is £164.90

A 7 day season Luton - Feltham is £137, but is only valid via City Thameslink - so If you walked Blackfriars - Waterloo, that would work (or it's awkward going to London Bridge, back to Waterloo East, then to Waterlooo...). Add £17.50 for 10 bus fares and it's £154.50, but you lose the ability to go anywhere in London zones, and to use the buses and tubes using the ticket.

 

[Haywain]

I think oyster is cheaper than contactless but not sure?

It should be the same unless a railcard is loaded to Oyster.

 

[4COR]

Thats £189.10 per week
£37.82 per day.
I think thats the cheapest?

I think a Luton - Z1-6 is cheaper, and *way* more flexible - see above. If you buy monthly (or longer) it will also save money, but is a bigger outlay.

 

[faringdon]

Thanks for saving me at least £30!
You kindly say..."A 7 day season Luton - Feltham is £137, but is only valid via City Thameslink".
Though please advise since i think the "City Thameslink" bit is only between Luton and West Hampstead Thameslink?

 

[Haywain]

Weekly Z1-6 from Luton is £164.90

This could also cover the rail journey to Sunbury as far as Hampton, with a weekly season from Hampton to Sunbury coming in at £21.20, or £6.80 for a Day Return.

Having said that, Luton to Hampton, route via City Thameslink, is £143.30 for a week, which would also be suitable with the Hampton to Sunbury season above giving a total of £164.50 a week for rail all the way to Sunbury, and likely by the fastest route.

 

[4COR]

City Thameslink is a station between Farringdon and Blackfriars right in the centre of London - the route you take between Luton and Feltham on that ticket must go on a permitted route via that station.

So it would be: Luton - Blackfriars (using the Thameslink services between St Pancras and Blackfriars). Then either Blackfriars - London Bridge (same train), London Bridge - Waterloo East, walk across the bridge to Waterloo, then Waterloo - Feltham. Or (since you can break journey anywhere on route) a walk from Blackfriars to Waterloo and carry on.

The via City Thameslink ticket is less flexible but cheaper than the Z1-6. Using the bus at the end from Feltham avoids the need for the extra cost for the Sunbury-Hampton part as @Haywain suggests, but it depends on your appetite for spending longer commuting, as compared to the extra cost for doing it all by rail (albeit this is still without the benefit of a Z1-6 travelcard).

 

[Haywain]

Using the bus at the end from Feltham avoids the need for the extra cost for the Sunbury-Hampton part as @Haywain suggests,

With a Luton to Feltham season the bus will still have to be paid for, so the saving will be rather small.

 

[4COR]

With a Luton to Feltham season the bus will still have to be paid for, so the saving will be rather small.

If doing it without the Z1-6 ticket yes, true.

 

[paul1609]

If time is no object:
Luton to Elstree & Borehamwood 7 day season £86.00
Elstree & Borehamwood to Feltham 7 day season Route "Richmond" £37.40 (changing at West Hampstead, then Richmond)
£123.40
Bus to Sunbury

 

[4COR]

Amazingly, FastJP tells me that route to Feltham is almost the same time as going via central London... (but potentially slower than going by train all the way to Sunbury as there is 40min of Feltham-Sunbury and vice-versa bus journey at the end...)

Planner - Results - FastJP

www.fastjp.com

vs

Planner - Results - FastJP

www.fastjp.com

 

[faringdon]

Thanks all!....Luton to Borehamwood for £86 on 7 day season....wow thats good!...less than £100! ..didnt think that was possible.

Also , thanks for this.... "A 7 day season Luton - Feltham is £137, but is only valid via City Thameslink - so If you walked Blackfriars - Waterloo, that would work."

...This sounds like a great idea, its only a very short walk from Blackfriars to Waterloo....but i am surprised that they actually sell such a ticket, where one has to walk between certain of the stations?.........or is it that that is just an option, and they expect you to go Luton------>London Bridge------>Waterloo East------->Walk to Waterloo----->Feltham
(actually i think thats what you were kindly inferring anyway?)

Woops, i remember now "City Thameslink" is indeed a station...i should have known that i gave someone directions to it once. A day ticket from Luton to Feltham would be around £38/day so these are great savings

 

[MikeWh]

...This sounds like a great idea, its only a very short walk from Blackfriars to Waterloo....but i am surprised that they actually sell such a ticket, where one has to walk between certain of the stations?.........or is it that that is just an option, and they expect you to go Luton------>London Bridge------>Waterloo East------->Walk to Waterloo----->Feltham

They allow you to go via London Bridge, but they also allow you to make any subset of the full journey as many times a day as you like, so you can leave out the Blackfriars - London Bridge - Waterloo (East) bit if you want.

 

[faringdon]

Thanks..

If time is no object:
Luton to Elstree & Borehamwood 7 day season £86.00
Elstree & Borehamwood to Feltham 7 day season Route "Richmond" £37.40 (changing at West Hampstead, then Richmond)
£123.40
Bus to Sunbury

Thanks for this....do you think i would also be able to buy the "Elstree & Borehamwood --> Feltham" 7 day season ticket at Luton Railway station?

 

[4COR]

You should be able to yes

 

[Watershed]

Thanks..


Thanks for this....do you think i would also be able to buy the "Elstree & Borehamwood --> Feltham" 7 day season ticket at Luton Railway station?

Yes, you would. You could also buy it online and collect it at a ticket machine, although this only works for weekly season tickets. Monthly and longer ones have to be bought at a ticket office for paper/Smartcard fulfilment, or bought online/through an app for Smartcard/posted (paper) fulfilment.

Another option would be to buy an Elstree to Sunbury season ticket outed "not via London", costing £62.50 per week. This would involve changing at West Hampstead and either Clapham Junction or Richmond (possibly also Teddington, if there's no direct Richmond to Sunbury train at the time you travel).

At £148.50 a week (when combined with a Luton to Elstree season) this would cost only marginally more than taking the bus from Feltham, and you may find it more convenient.

If you buy Luton-Elstree, Elstree-Hampton (the last station in Zone 6 on the Sunbury line) and Hampton-Sunbury season tickets then the cost reduces further to £143.60 a week.

 

[30907]

Stating the obvious perhaps, but with so many options to choose from you could try a week at a time (cheapest first?).

 

[faringdon]

Thanks very much to all!, these options are all fantastic.!...i think i will start the first week with the Luton to Z1-6 season ticket which is £164.50.
This will get me to Feltham from where i can get the (10 minutely) 15 min bus to Sunbury.
The reason i take this in the first week is that i can go Luton->West Hampstead -> Richmond -> Feltham ->Bus to sunbury.
.....and there are loads of trains from Richmond to Feltham and they only take 10 mins.

However, if i can negotiate a later start time for following weeks, then i will look at some of the cheaper but longer options.
Thanks again.

Also for the first week, 7 day season Luton ->Feltham (Walk Blackfriars to Waterloo) also looks good at £137. (Because theres loads of fast trains from Waterloo to Feltham)
....also, i can cheat now and again on this route and get off at St Pancras and take Victoria Tube to Waterloo if im pushed for time. (ill just have to take the £2.80 hit on my oyster card for St Pancras to Waterloo, but i likely wont do this every day so its ok)

 

[paul1609]

The Luton to Z1 to 6 season has gone up to £172.50 today with the price increase. If you're considering this what about a Sunbury to Z1 to 6 season £93.90 plus a Elstree to Luton Season £90.00 Total£183.90 for an extra £11.40 you can get the train to Sunbury (assuming you work near Sunbury Station) and have total flexibility through central London.

 

[faringdon]

Thanks, that £183.90 sounds a bit pricey. More pricey than my top post unfortunately.
I am now thinking Luton to Feltham season for £137 then bus Feltham to Sunbury.

I may also buy a Twickenham to Sunbury "7 day Season" in the first week, such that if i happen to make good timely connections...then i can just use the Twickenham to Sunbury season to get straight to Sunbury? (not have to bother with the bus from Feltham to Sunbury).

I dont really know how time will get me whilst making all these interconnections.

Also, how do you find out these "7 day season ticket" costs please may i ask?...EDIT...ok found it now.
I am not sure how much a Twickenham to Sunbury 7 day season would cost?

Alternatively could do Luton to West Hampstead Thameslink 7 day season for £118.60...then walk to west hampstead rail...then oyster to feltham or sunbury depending on how the time and connections work out.....i think that may well be the one. £173.60 to Feltham total.

Though 7 day season West hampstead to Feltham is £39.10 ("not passing through London terminals"..whatever that means...presumably not Pancras/Liverpool st/waterloo etc)
____
Its confusing because Luton to Feltham 7 day season on the web comes up as £143.30 (but via city thameslink)
and..
Luton to Zones 5-6 7 day season comes up as £122.70 (presumably this would be ok for Luton to Feltham via West Hampstead-> Richmond?)
EDIT...woops no...West hampstead is zone 2 ...sorry.

...that seems odd that the latter is cheaper?

 

[Watershed]

Thanks, that £183.90 sounds a bit pricey. More pricey than my top post unfortunately.
I am now thinking Luton to Feltham season for £137 then bus Feltham to Sunbury.

I may also buy a Twickenham to Sunbury "7 day Season" in the first week, such that if i happen to make good timely connections...then i can just use the Twickenham to Sunbury season to get straight to Sunbury? (not have to bother with the bus from Feltham to Sunbury).

Yes, that would be fine. It would restrict you to travelling via Richmond and Twickenham though - you couldn't go via Clapham Junction and Wimbledon if that happened to be faster/more convenient.

I dont really know how time will get me whilst making all these interconnections.

Also, how do you find out these "7 day season ticket" costs please may i ask?
I am not sure how much a Twickenham to Sunbury 7 day season would cost?

The traditional method would be to look on a ticket buying website/app such as Thameslink/SWR etc. However I find that it's easier to look up the raw fares data on BR Fares (see for example here). It can be a little confusing seeing all the options but once you make sense of it, it's very useful.

Another option that just occurred to me would be to buy a Sunbury to Zones 2-6 Travelcard Season in addition to the Luton to Elstree season, for a total cost of £159.80 a week. This would give you the choice of either taking the train to Sunbury, or the train to Feltham and then the bus (as Travelcards are valid on all London buses). You could also travel via Clapham Junction as wel as Richmond.

 

[Haywain]

then oyster to feltham or sunbury

You cannot use Oyster at Sunbury.

 

[Watershed]

You cannot use Oyster at Sunbury.

(Only contactless)