Cheapest Ticket from Wokingham to London

[Brown]

Hi All,

I recently moved to Wokingham and regularly commute to the city for work. Can anyone suggest/advice how the cheap tickets work ? Looks like season ticket is the only option.

Also, Why the trains are really slow from Wokingham to London ? What are the reasons for not having fast trains.

Sorry for silly questions as I am really new.

Thanks in advance
B

 

[Via Bank]

Hi All,

I recently moved to Wokingham and regularly commute to the city for work. Can anyone suggest/advice how the cheap tickets work ? Looks like season ticket is the only option.

A season ticket is the cheapest option if you are going there in the morning and coming back in the evening, every day from Monday to Friday. If you are going only two or three times a week, or travelling outside the busiest times (the peak), it may be cheaper to buy return tickets for each journey you want to make.

Also, Why the trains are really slow from Wokingham to London ? What are the reasons for not having fast trains.

Most of the railway between Wokingham and London only has two tracks (one track in each direction), so if there were 'fast trains', they would just get stuck behind the slow trains that stop at every station.

As you get closer to London, there are more tracks. So the trains from Wokingham to London then start to skip stop once you reach Twickenham and Richmond, while there are other trains that stop at the smaller stations in London.

 

[Hartington]

How old are you? If you're under 26 and you travel "off peak" look into this www.16-25railcard.co.uk/. Be VERY careful you understand the rules. The card isn't valid at all times and those times don't directly relate to when certain fares may, or may not, be valid. If you use www.nationalrail.co.uk you can put in the times when you want to travel and find the "normal" fare. Then you put in the same times again but this time add the fact that you have a 16-25 card and you'll see when it's valid and what it saves you. Then you can work out if it's worth buying one.

 

[coppercapped]

Hi All,

I recently moved to Wokingham and regularly commute to the city for work. Can anyone suggest/advice how the cheap tickets work ? Looks like season ticket is the only option.

Also, Why the trains are really slow from Wokingham to London ? What are the reasons for not having fast trains.

Sorry for silly questions as I am really new.

Thanks in advance
B

Via Bank has explained the reason why trains seem slow from Wokingham to Waterloo - but it is still quicker than driving! This is the reason why many people drive to Twyford and take a train to Paddington from there. The Paddington line is being electrified so within a year or so the service will be greatly improved. Depending on where in London your work is, it might be that Paddington is more convenient than Waterloo.

 

[FenMan]

Hi All,

I recently moved to Wokingham and regularly commute to the city for work. Can anyone suggest/advice how the cheap tickets work ? Looks like season ticket is the only option.

Also, Why the trains are really slow from Wokingham to London ? What are the reasons for not having fast trains.

Sorry for silly questions as I am really new.

Thanks in advance
B

The fastest route to London is normally Wokingham - Reading- Paddington, however, this ticket - the Any Permitted - is sold at a significant premium.

The cheapest ticket is the direct train to Waterloo via Ascot, which stops at many stations en route.

There's a middle ticketing option where you could travel via Ascot or Guildford (some of the via Guildford timings are as good as taking direct trains, but you'd struggle to get a seat from Guildford to Waterloo in the morning peak).

A classic case of yer pays yer money and makes yer choice.

 

[soil]

The direct train to Waterloo is £92/week, less over longer periods, and the ticket valid via Reading is £108.10/week, again less over longer periods.

A daily direct ticket is £28.60 to Waterloo, and a ludicrous £45.50 via Reading.

It's not clear if anyone is expected pay that, though note that the fare from Reading is even higher, at £46.

A ticket to West Ruislip is 'only' £34.50, yet is also valid via Reading to end a journey at Paddington.

 

[cactustwirly]

Via Bank has explained the reason why trains seem slow from Wokingham to Waterloo - but it is still quicker than driving! This is the reason why many people drive to Twyford and take a train to Paddington from there. The Paddington line is being electrified so within a year or so the service will be greatly improved. Depending on where in London your work is, it might be that Paddington is more convenient than Waterloo.

I think the fares are cheaper from Twyford, but the parking is a nightmare so I would advise against it unless you're willing to get up early to get a parking space

 

[Brown]

A season ticket is the cheapest option if you are going there in the morning and coming back in the evening, every day from Monday to Friday. If you are going only two or three times a week, or travelling outside the busiest times (the peak), it may be cheaper to buy return tickets for each journey you want to make.

It looks like season ticket is the only option

Most of the railway between Wokingham and London only has two tracks (one track in each direction), so if there were 'fast trains', they would just get stuck behind the slow trains that stop at every station.

As you get closer to London, there are more tracks. So the trains from Wokingham to London then start to skip stop once you reach Twickenham and Richmond, while there are other trains that stop at the smaller stations in London.

Thank you so much... I sensed that there cis only 2 tracks available. I dont know why there are only 2 tracks for such a busy route. that train is ridiculously slow.

How old are you? If you're under 26 and you travel "off peak" look into this www.16-25railcard.co.uk/. Be VERY careful you understand the rules. The card isn't valid at all times and those times don't directly relate to when certain fares may, or may not, be valid. If you use www.nationalrail.co.uk you can put in the times when you want to travel and find the "normal" fare. Then you put in the same times again but this time add the fact that you have a 16-25 card and you'll see when it's valid and what it saves you. Then you can work out if it's worth buying one.

I am 32. Don't think I am eligible for any railcards except Network Rail card.

Via Bank has explained the reason why trains seem slow from Wokingham to Waterloo - but it is still quicker than driving! This is the reason why many people drive to Twyford and take a train to Paddington from there. The Paddington line is being electrified so within a year or so the service will be greatly improved. Depending on where in London your work is, it might be that Paddington is more convenient than Waterloo.

Thank you. I have only two options. Either driving to Twyford and get the train to Paddington and goto Bank. This would be a feasible option when the cross rail starts. If not, just get the trains grom wokingham to waterloo and get the waterloo & city line.

The fastest route to London is normally Wokingham - Reading- Paddington, however, this ticket - the Any Permitted - is sold at a significant premium.

The cheapest ticket is the direct train to Waterloo via Ascot, which stops at many stations en route.

There's a middle ticketing option where you could travel via Ascot or Guildford (some of the via Guildford timings are as good as taking direct trains, but you'd struggle to get a seat from Guildford to Waterloo in the morning peak).

A classic case of yer pays yer money and makes yer choice.

I got the point. But its better to stay on the same train rather than jumping of it and change at Guildford. even the fastest train from Guildford is 35 muinutes to Waterloo.

The direct train to Waterloo is £92/week, less over longer periods, and the ticket valid via Reading is £108.10/week, again less over longer periods.

A daily direct ticket is £28.60 to Waterloo, and a ludicrous £45.50 via Reading.

It's not clear if anyone is expected pay that, though note that the fare from Reading is even higher, at £46.

A ticket to West Ruislip is 'only' £34.50, yet is also valid via Reading to end a journey at Paddington.

True.. Tickets from Reading are higher than from WKM to Waterloo

 

[30907]

Thank you so much... I sensed that there cis only 2 tracks available. I dont know why there are only 2 tracks for such a busy route. that train is ridiculously slow.

In the early 1970s one offpeak train per hour was fast from Bracknell with only a Staines stop, and booked in 45 minutes via Hounslow. It was an exciting ride on a 4-COR which easily kept time on my one journey! It would have been impossible even then to fit in such a train in the peak hours.

I agree that today's train service is slow but:
you have the misfortune to live at the end of the line, and SWT and Government policy rightly is to carry whole train loads of passengers, not run half-full expresses.
you also live on a line that is riddled with level crossings, and there would be an outcry from motorist and local authority alike if more trains were introduced through Egham in particular - I can assure you that road traffic has increased enormously since 1971!
and you live on a line where there are significant intermediate commuter flows, so non stopping trains would cause aggro.
So I fear not much is likely to change!

 

[JamesRowden]

Thank you. I have only two options. Either driving to Twyford and get the train to Paddington and goto Bank. This would be a feasible option when the cross rail starts. If not, just get the trains grom wokingham to waterloo and get the waterloo & city line.

The Wokingham - London via Staines ticket is valid through to Cannon Street. This would normally mean changing at Waterloo East and London Bridge. The ticket is presently valid on the Underground between Waterloo and Cannon Street as a result of Cannon Street services not presently stopping at London Bridge.

 

[dmncf]

A daily direct ticket is £28.60 to Waterloo, and a ludicrous £45.50 via Reading.

It's not clear if anyone is expected pay that, though note that the fare from Reading is even higher, at £46.

A ticket to West Ruislip is 'only' £34.50, yet is also valid via Reading to end a journey at Paddington.

That's a surprising fair anomoly that I hadn't heard of before - perhaps I've missed it being discussed on this forum previously. From what I can see, the anomoly doesn't apply to fares priced from Reading to West Ruislip (or vice versa) but Reading travellers could still save money by buying fares priced from Wokingham to West Ruislip (or vice versa). I wonder if many travellers do this.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Reading travellers could still save money by buying fares priced from Wokingham to West Ruislip (or vice versa). I wonder if many travellers do this.

Is it wise to highlight this on here?

Next week's easements list might put a stop to it!

 

[Doctor Fegg]

That's a surprising fair anomoly that I hadn't heard of before - perhaps I've missed it being discussed on this forum previously. From what I can see, the anomoly doesn't apply to fares priced from Reading to West Ruislip (or vice versa) but Reading travellers could still save money by buying fares priced from Wokingham to West Ruislip (or vice versa). I wonder if many travellers do this.

I certainly knew someone years ago who did a London - Wokingham commute via Paddington on an SWT-priced Any Permitted ticket. They were genuinely starting/finishing their daily journey at the origin station and AIUI never had any issues with guards or barriers.

 

[swt_passenger]

In the early 1970s one offpeak train per hour was fast from Bracknell with only a Staines stop, and booked in 45 minutes via Hounslow. It was an exciting ride on a 4-COR which easily kept time on my one journey! It would have been impossible even then to fit in such a train in the peak hours.

The upcoming franchise is supposed to be reintroducing a 4 tph Reading service from Dec 2018 isn't it, half of which will be faster than the others?

 

[Brown]

In the early 1970s one offpeak train per hour was fast from Bracknell with only a Staines stop, and booked in 45 minutes via Hounslow. It was an exciting ride on a 4-COR which easily kept time on my one journey! It would have been impossible even then to fit in such a train in the peak hours.

I agree that today's train service is slow but:
you have the misfortune to live at the end of the line, and SWT and Government policy rightly is to carry whole train loads of passengers, not run half-full expresses.
you also live on a line that is riddled with level crossings, and there would be an outcry from motorist and local authority alike if more trains were introduced through Egham in particular - I can assure you that road traffic has increased enormously since 1971!
and you live on a line where there are significant intermediate commuter flows, so non stopping trains would cause aggro.
So I fear not much is likely to change!

Thank you very much for the detailed info. I will continue being optimistic and hope one day it will change to faster trains. Also, Any idea about the new train station behind the new constructions in London Road ?

The Wokingham - London via Staines ticket is valid through to Cannon Street. This would normally mean changing at Waterloo East and London Bridge. The ticket is presently valid on the Underground between Waterloo and Cannon Street as a result of Cannon Street services not presently stopping at London Bridge.

Thank you.

The upcoming franchise is supposed to be reintroducing a 4 tph Reading service from Dec 2018 isn't it, half of which will be faster than the others?

Is that mean another track being built ?

 

[swt_passenger]

Is that mean another track being built ?

Not at all. I should probably have said faster, rather than fast!

But a few stations will only see 2 tph, so the likelihood is that they'll not run at 15 min intervals from Reading, but the faster will set off just before an all stations and catch the preceding train up somewhere.

Details of how it would be operated are not really available yet, but DfT specified frequencies of service in an Excel spreadsheet format here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...tachment-a-part1-train-service-provision.xlsx

 

[Andrewlong]

Are you driving to the railway station ? If you are you need to factor in car parking too.

 

[Brown]

Are you driving to the railway station ? If you are you need to factor in car parking too.

I am walking to the station. If it is Twyford, obviously I would drive and park closeby

 

[Brown]

Not at all. I should probably have said faster, rather than fast!

But a few stations will only see 2 tph, so the likelihood is that they'll not run at 15 min intervals from Reading, but the faster will set off just before an all stations and catch the preceding train up somewhere.

Details of how it would be operated are not really available yet, but DfT specified frequencies of service in an Excel spreadsheet format here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...tachment-a-part1-train-service-provision.xlsx

Ah Make sense now. That would be helpful. That spreadsheet look like worst than my java coding. lol. That means by Dec '18 atleast semi fast trains are possible. Do you think they are scheduled to reach around atleast within 45 mins to waterloo ?

 

[JamesRowden]

Ah Make sense now. That would be helpful. That spreadsheet look like worst than my java coding. lol. That means by Dec '18 atleast semi fast trains are possible. Do you think they are scheduled to reach around atleast within 45 mins to waterloo ?

The only fastest journey time saving between Wokingham and Waterloo would be 2tph not stopping at Martins Heron.The other stations which the 2tph semi-fast service would skip which the present 2tph service stops at are those between Reading and Wokingham.

 

[Brown]

The only fastest journey time saving between Wokingham and Waterloo would be 2tph not stopping at Martins Heron.The other stations which the 2tph semi-fast service would skip which the present 2tph service stops at are those between Reading and Wokingham.

Is this going to be the same from dec18 ?

 

[JamesRowden]

Is this going to be the same from dec18 ?

The service provision requirement doesn't exclude the possibility of services running non-stop between Staines and Clapham Junction. This is due to it showing that of the 8tph running from Reading/Windsor to Waterloo, at least 4tph need to stop at stations via Richmond, and at least 2tph need to stop at stations via Hounslow. I think that this requirement is shown in this way so that the TOC can decide which route the trains take rather than suggesting fast services since fast services wouldn't be able to pass the metro services on a 2 track railway.

So in summary the greatest number of stops which can be removed from the fastest services between Wokingham and Waterloo is 4, but I suspect it will be 2 at the most.

 

[Brown]

Thanks all for your valuable information. Any one have idea on the new rail station in Wokingham behind the new constructions in London Road.

 

[CatfordCat]

I am walking to the station. If it is Twyford, obviously I would drive and park closeby

A lot of Twyford is on 'residents parking' or '2 hours maximum' or similar restrictions (weekday daytimes at least) to stop rail commuters clogging up local streets all day. I'm not sure how far away you would have to park if you're hoping for free on-street parking.

Thanks all for your valuable information. Any one have idea on the new rail station in Wokingham behind the new constructions in London Road.

There have been encouraging noises about a station somewhere between Wokingham and Bracknell for some years, as both towns are expanding towards a point where you'll not be able to see the gap.

Bracknell Forest Council have made noises about a station in the Amen Corner area, Wokingham have made noises about one to serve the Montague Park development. I think having both would be impossible, and not sure whether the two councils and developers would come to a compromise.

And even less sure where the money would come from.

I can't see it happening any time soon.

 

[Brown]

A lot of Twyford is on 'residents parking' or '2 hours maximum' or similar restrictions (weekday daytimes at least) to stop rail commuters clogging up local streets all day. I'm not sure how far away you would have to park if you're hoping for free on-street parking.



There have been encouraging noises about a station somewhere between Wokingham and Bracknell for some years, as both towns are expanding towards a point where you'll not be able to see the gap.

Bracknell Forest Council have made noises about a station in the Amen Corner area, Wokingham have made noises about one to serve the Montague Park development. I think having both would be impossible, and not sure whether the two councils and developers would come to a compromise.

And even less sure where the money would come from.

I can't see it happening any time soon.

I am not driving yet. Possibly from this summer. Yeah that new line doesnt seems to be reality.

 

[CatfordCat]

The cheapest ticket is the direct train to Waterloo via Ascot, which stops at many stations en route.

There's a middle ticketing option where you could travel via Ascot or Guildford (some of the via Guildford timings are as good as taking direct trains, but you'd struggle to get a seat from Guildford to Waterloo in the morning peak).

Missed this yesterday...

Is this a different ticket option?

I commute from a station between Wokingham - Reading to a London suburban destination which is on the SW main line side. My season ticket for this costs the same as a season from my home station to Clapham Junction.

Under 'route' it shows 'Not via London', no mention of travelling via Staines (I'm sure in the past, before current job, I've bought single / return tickets to Waterloo which have said 'via Staines')

I usually change at Clapham Junction, as the connection between Reading trains and the Twickenham - Kingston - Wimbledon trains is usually about minus 2 minutes or 28 minutes at Twickenham in each direction.

A while back, I tracked down the national fares manual online (can't find it now so not sure if it's still in the public domain) and I am sure that Guildford was shown as a permitted point (or some such - I can't remember the exact term) - and I have travelled via Guildford on a few occasions (when there's been a minor problem on the Windsor lines, and when there has been rugby at Twickenham) and the GW guards have not questioned it (not that this proves a lot)

I'm not sure that a journey via Ascot and Ash Vale would ever be quicker (except perhaps if there's engineering works) and while I seem to remember that Virginia Water - Weybridge was also an acceptable route, the interchange time at Virginia Water is usually a bit tight for comfort.

 

[FenMan]

Missed this yesterday...

Is this a different ticket option?

I commute from a station between Wokingham - Reading to a London suburban destination which is on the SW main line side. My season ticket for this costs the same as a season from my home station to Clapham Junction.

Under 'route' it shows 'Not via London', no mention of travelling via Staines (I'm sure in the past, before current job, I've bought single / return tickets to Waterloo which have said 'via Staines')

I usually change at Clapham Junction, as the connection between Reading trains and the Twickenham - Kingston - Wimbledon trains is usually about minus 2 minutes or 28 minutes at Twickenham in each direction.

A while back, I tracked down the national fares manual online (can't find it now so not sure if it's still in the public domain) and I am sure that Guildford was shown as a permitted point (or some such - I can't remember the exact term) - and I have travelled via Guildford on a few occasions (when there's been a minor problem on the Windsor lines, and when there has been rugby at Twickenham) and the GW guards have not questioned it (not that this proves a lot)

I'm not sure that a journey via Ascot and Ash Vale would ever be quicker (except perhaps if there's engineering works) and while I seem to remember that Virginia Water - Weybridge was also an acceptable route, the interchange time at Virginia Water is usually a bit tight for comfort.

The Wokingham - London ticket I'm referring to explicitly states Route ASCOT/GUILDFORD.
http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=WKM&dest=WAT&grpd=1072&rte=640&tkt=SDR

As far as I'm aware, this ticketing option is not available from Winnersh or Earley. I'll leave it to the Routeing Guide experts to advise if, say, a ticket from Winnersh to Wimbledon is valid for travel via Guildford.