Norwood Junction to Orpington - best route

[beanwalls]

Hi All,

I’ve potentially got to go to Orpington from Norwood Junction, pick up my child from the station and then come straight back again.

Any thoughts on the fastest way to do this?

I’m walking distance from Norwood Junction or Elmers End stations, and can also tram/ bus to Penge or Beckenham Junction - or even East Croydon (but that feels like it’s the wrong direction so no help).

I’m going round in circles about best and cheapest route, so advice appreciated!

 

[Mike99]

Maybe 75 bus to Penge East Station then train to Orpington

 

[Bensonby]

Norwood junction to Penge West, walk to Penge East, then train to Orpington?

 

[Trainguy34]

Team to Beckenham Junction, Train to Orpington?

 

[beanwalls]

Team to Beckenham Junction, Train to Orpington?

This is the quickest route I think. It’s just frustrating that tram journeys are separate costs to train - so I’ll pay tram fare twice with train fare twice in the middle.

And I’m not even leaving the station at Orpington. Just collecting child and heading back again.

 

[greenline712]

Does contactless work at Orpington yet??
Tram-Train might yet be the best.

 

[beanwalls]

Does contactless work at Orpington yet??
Tram-Train might yet be the best.

Apparently yes!

 

[beanwalls]

I’ve also now been potentially offered Bromley South or London Victoria as alternative options.

And am confused again. Bromley South seems like the best of the bunch, going same tram-train route I think.

 

[BRX]

Just use https://citymapper.com/london

And see what it tells you.

 

[beanwalls]

I’ve tried that. Citymapper is somewhat hit and miss, giving different routes depending on exact time stated, and often ignoring great routes altogether.

I was looking for potentially better routes from the experts!

 

[BRX]

I’ve tried that. Citymapper is somewhat hit and miss, giving different routes depending on exact time stated, and often ignoring great routes altogether.

I was looking for potentially better routes from the experts!

I used to think that I could beat citymapper with my own knowledge... But have accepted this is hardly ever the case now.

That it gives different routes depending on the time stated is one of its strengths - because this reflects reality.

 

[beanwalls]

I used to think that I could beat citymapper with my own knowledge... But have accepted this is hardly ever the case now.

That it gives different routes depending on the time stated is one of its strengths - because this reflects reality.

Not my experience. I’ve been using it since it started and it’s okay, but you have to be careful with it - adjust leaving times by 5 minutes here and there to make sure you get all options. And adjust where it starts from to force it to take certain routes - if I put in my postcode as a start point, it often doesn’t give the best options but just the most obvious. On top of that, it exaggerates walking and transfer times - so total travel times are longer than reality. It’s fine, but needs some trial and error to get the best out of it I think.

 

[Mike99]

Are you near to Elmers End Road, Bus 358 serves the Elmers End Green and goes to Orpington Station £1.75 bus fare each way.

 

[Bensonby]

Wouldn’t my route be the cheapest as it’s an OSI? (I’ve not run all the numbers)

 

[30907]

Are you near to Elmers End Road, Bus 358 serves the Elmers End Green and goes to Orpington Station £1.75 bus fare each way.

And of course you can use another bus. But the 358 goes all round the world!

Wouldn’t my route be the cheapest as it’s an OSI? (I’ve not run all the numbers)

OSI - out of station interchange. Cheaper than Tram though not the 358.

 

[beanwalls]

And of course you can use another bus. But the 358 goes all round the world!

OSI - out of station interchange. Cheaper than Tram though not the 358.

Yes, the 358 takes a very long time!

Similar idea is to take tram to Beckenham Junction station then 162 bus from there to Bromley South.

Still £1.75 and much quicker, if transfer time isn’t horrendous!

Much cheaper than £5.15 taking tram+train, and potentially only 11 minutes longer journey.

Thank you!

 

[30907]

Yes, the 358 takes a very long time!

Similar idea is to take tram to Beckenham Junction station then 162 bus from there to Bromley South.

and then to Orpington? Another bus?

 

[PGAT]

Surely up to London Bridge and back down? Norwood Junction and Orpington both receive fast trains with no intermediate stops

 

[beanwalls]

and then to Orpington? Another bus?

Sorry - that’s if I was to do the pick up at Bromley South, which was another option.

 

[beanwalls]

Surely up to London Bridge and back down? Norwood Junction and Orpington both receive fast trains with no intermediate stops

Wouldn’t that cost a fortune though? This would be at rush hour so extra pricey!

 

[PGAT]

Wouldn’t that cost a fortune though? This would be at rush hour so extra pricey!

Perhaps but I reckon it is probably one of the fastest

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Wouldn’t that cost a fortune though? This would be at rush hour so extra pricey!

Possibly, but you did ask in post #1 for the fastest way!

 

[PGAT]

On the TfL single fare finder it says the journey would be £3.80, but £8.10 of going through Zone 1. I’m no expert on fares but would they assume you go through Zone 1 (thus needing to tap a pink oyster for the lower fare) ?

 

[etr221]

On the TfL single fare finder it says the journey would be £3.80, but £8.10 of going through Zone 1. I’m no expert on fares but would they assume you go through Zone 1 (thus needing to tap a pink oyster for the lower fare) ?

£3.80 is the default fare (so pink reader not required, or shown on fare finder). The fare of £8.10 requires your journey to be detected as going via Zone 1, e.g. by using an Out of Station Interchange.

Using the TfL Journey Planner it quotes Norwood Jn to London Bridge via Southern, then South Eastern to Orpington, for £3.80 - I don't know London Bridge well enough to know if this change can be done from Southern platforms without having to go through barriers (meaning an OSI) (it can be done from the Thameslink platforms)

Another route would be LO to Surrey Quays, then LO to New Cross for South Eastern to Lewisham (though I doubt I'd recommend it)

 

[PGAT]

Yes so you can interchange at London Bridge without exiting through the barriers