Eastbourne to London Bridge Season Ticket

[Linsey]

Hi there Happy New Year to you all. Hope someone can assist me I currently use a split ticket (season ticket) for my journey to London Bridge. Eastbourne to Epsom then Clapham Junction to London Terminals. The first ticket currently costs £2476 but will go up to £3536 in a couple of days does anyone know of a cheaper option?

 

[John @ home]

Hi Linsey. Welcome to the forum.

I can't think of a cheaper alternative immediately, and if I do think of one it would be likely to last longer if I sent it by private message.

In 2013, two types of Eastbourne - Epsom season tickets were available

• route NOT VIA CLAPHM J - 7 days £60.00. Annual £2,400.00.
• route NOT VIA LONDON - 7 days £61.90. Annual £2,476.00.

For 2014, there is

• route NOT VIA CLAPHM J - 7 days £61.80. Annual £2,472.00. (+3.0%)
• route NOT VIA LONDON - 7 days £88.40. Annual £3,536.00. (+42.8%)

Whether Southern, the company which sets these fares, is allowed to impose a 42.8% increase appears to depend on whether it is a protected and regulated fare. That seems to depend on whether a particular fare existed at a particular date some years ago.

I think a spreadsheet containing the protected and regulated fares was posted some months ago, but I can't find it right now.

 

[Linsey]

Hi John - many thanks for replying - it seems really unfair to have such a huge price increase :cry: I'm hoping someone may have an alternative route they can suggest. Welcome a PM if you find anything.
Linsey

 

[bangor-toad]

Hi there,
Just follow the line outwards from London. Have you looked at the next fare group away from London (Leatherhead).

You may be cheerful!
Jason

 

[bb21]

Well, I don't know if routing permissions have changed for the Leatherhead Route Not Via London ticket, but it appears that the price has gone down considerably (£85.90 weekly at 2013 prices, £65.50 weekly at 2014 prices). (See below.)

How do you get from Clapham Junction to London Bridge?

 

[John @ home]

Have you looked at the next fare group away from London (Leatherhead).

Agreed. There is a mapped permitted route Eastbourne - Lewes - Three Bridges - Croydon - Clapham Jn - Wimbledon - Epsom - Leatherhead using map combination LB+DK.

At 2014 rates, a season ticket Eastbourne - Leatherhead route Not Via London appears to be £65.50 for 7 days, £2,620.00 for 12 months. (2013 rates £63.70 and £2,548 if you can buy today, 1 January 2014. But if you could buy today, the Eastbourne - Epsom route Not Via London should still be available at £2,476 for the period 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014. Eastbourne ticket office is normally open until 21:15. I don't know whether it closes early on bank holidays.)

 

[Linsey]

I will checkout the Leatherhead route many thanks.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
My ticket runs out a beginning of Feb 2014 and need a season ticket loan from work this month before I can buy one so it will be new prices for me!

 

[John @ home]

for the Leatherhead Route Not Via London ticket ... it appears that the price has gone down considerably (£85.90 weekly at 2013 prices, £65.50 weekly at 2014 prices).

brfares.com is (for a few more hours) showing me a price of £63.70 weekly.

2013 prices
EASTBOURNE - LEATHERHEAD route NOT VIA LONDON SEVEN DAY STD (7DS) £63.70

How do you get from Clapham Junction to London Bridge?

See PM.

 

[bb21]

brfares.com is (for a few more hours) showing me a price of £63.70 weekly.

Now how did I get the £85.90 price?

I am unable to reproduce it now. Oops.

 

[south_coast]

Hello, new user... long time commuter from Eastbourne into London.

Currently I'm using the Uckfield to London Bridge route, and driving the first part as I quite like the drive and the parking (at the moment) is free in Uckfield. The season ticket it somewhat favourable too.

Wasn't aware of the split ticket method until the other week when I used the Eastbourne route a few times again and it was mentioned by a few of the regulars.

I see the Epsom Downs option is now way more expensive, but Eastbourne to Leatherhead, not via London, seems a good option for a season ticket at £2620.

National rail enquiries site lists this under: Available Standard Class Adult Season Tickets (Not valid for travel via (changing trains or passing through) London Terminals.)

So... my question is, what's the best option for the second season ticket to get me into London Bridge? Also does the 'changing trains' part above make this tricky?

Guessing a PM maybe more appropriate reading earlier posts, so I won't list out what I think works just yet (letting a potential cat out of a bag would be poor form for a first post!).

Many thanks for any pointers!

Cheers, SC

 

[Romilly]

south_coast, welcome to the forum. When combining two (or more) season tickets, you have probably already read that the station where you switch from one season ticket to the other has to be a station at which the train you are on makes a timetabled stop, whether or not you are getting off at that station. This follows from condition 19 of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.