St Pancras to Brighton (Not Underground) - poss to join at London Bridge?

[Bungaroosh]

Hello,

I have the return portion of a Brighton to St Pancras (Not Via Underground) Off Peak Return. Given that there is currently no rail line between Blackfriars and London Bridge*, would I be permitted to travel from St Pancras to London Bridge at my own expense and join a Thameslink to Brighton from there?
It's just I'm on a train heading for King's Cross and if I miss the direct train, I'd get to Brighton half an hour earlier if I jump on the tube to London Bridge. I've seen the oft-discussed invalidity of using this ticket via Victoria.
Many thanks.

*anyone know when this is due to open again ?

 

[telstarbox]

Yes that's fine.

Back open in 2018.

 

[Bungaroosh]

Great, thanks. Can't wait for the quick service again between East Croydon and St Pancras!

 

[yorkie]

Hello,

I have the return portion of a Brighton to St Pancras (Not Via Underground) Off Peak Return. Given that there is currently no rail line between Blackfriars and London Bridge*, would I be permitted to travel from St Pancras to London Bridge at my own expense and join a Thameslink to Brighton from there?

Yes; you may take any GTR service (regardless of route branding), and you can of course change at East Croydon or Gatwick Airport if that helps.

It's just I'm on a train heading for King's Cross and if I miss the direct train, I'd get to Brighton half an hour earlier if I jump on the tube to London Bridge. I've seen the oft-discussed invalidity of using this ticket via Victoria.
Many thanks.

Well, my opinion on the matter is that it's valid but some GTR staff disagree.

The SVR you hold appears to be priced at £32, which isn't great value, given that a SVR to somewhere like Kentish Town is £33.10, including optional London Underground cross London transfers each way, and a guarantee that the well known GTR staff at London Victoria won't give you grief.

 

[Bungaroosh]

Very helpful tip for future use about Kentish Town -- thank you! I'd bought the Brighton to St Pancras return with a Network Railcard but for just 75p extra the Brighton to Kentish Town gives a load more flexibility.

By a similar token, would an Off Peak Single from Kentish Town to Brighton be valid to be used to start a journey at Victoria, ending at Brighton? (effectively saving £3.40 on a single from Victoria to Brighton with a Railcard)? Extra-useful tip if this is so!

 

[bb21]

By a similar token, would an Off Peak Single from Kentish Town to Brighton be valid to be used to start a journey at Victoria, ending at Brighton? (effectively saving £3.40 on a single from Victoria to Brighton with a Railcard)? Extra-useful tip if this is so!

Yes, of course.

 

[Bungaroosh]

Crikey. Just I'm surprised because e.g. an Anytime Day Return from Brighton to Victoria in the morning peak is £50.10 vs £43.60 to Kentish Town. So in essence can I view the Kentish Town ticket as a valid "bargain" alternative to tickets from Brighton to Victoria?

(please excuse my wide-eyed seeming incredulity!)

 

[gray1404]

So did Brighton to St Pancras services used to go Brighton - East Croydon - London Bridge - St Pancras? If so, where did they call between East Croydon and St Pancras exactly? I've always thought the journey currently is a bit of a drag after East Croydon. Please excuse my lack of knowledge, I've only been taking the Brighton main line the past couple of years and I think there has been engineering work throughout.

 

[Bungaroosh]

So did Brighton to St Pancras services used to go Brighton - East Croydon - London Bridge - St Pancras? If so, where did they call between East Croydon and St Pancras exactly? I've always thought the journey currently is a bit of a drag after East Croydon. Please excuse my lack of knowledge, I've only been taking the Brighton main line the past couple of years and I think there has been engineering work throughout.

Used to be East Croydon - London Bridge - Blackfriars then the usual from there.
The current East Croydon to Blackfriars section trundles through Crystal Palace - West Norwood - Tulse Hill - Herne Hill - Elephant & Castle all without stopping. But very slowly. The fast line from East Croydon to London Bridge is... fast!

 

[yorkie]

Crikey. Just I'm surprised because e.g. an Anytime Day Return from Brighton to Victoria in the morning peak is £50.10 vs £43.60 to Kentish Town. So in essence can I view the Kentish Town ticket as a valid "bargain" alternative to tickets from Brighton to Victoria?

(please excuse my wide-eyed seeming incredulity!)

Train companies often increase the price of particularly lucrative flows, to the point that the fares may become more expensive than the fares which are valid for longer distance journeys. There are numerous examples all over Britain.

 

[maniacmartin]

Take the advice in this thread at your own risk.

As you summised, this is basically the same issue as the previous threads discussing using NOT UNDERGROUND tickets at Victoria.

My experience in using these tickets is that you'll have no hassle at London Bridge, but will have issues at the gateline if trying to go via Victoria. I do not recommend using this ticket from Victoria.

 

[swt_passenger]

So did Brighton to St Pancras services used to go Brighton - East Croydon - London Bridge - St Pancras? If so, where did they call between East Croydon and St Pancras exactly? I've always thought the journey currently is a bit of a drag after East Croydon. Please excuse my lack of knowledge, I've only been taking the Brighton main line the past couple of years and I think there has been engineering work throughout.

In addition to the earlier reply at post#9, Thameslink's service through London Bridge couldn't run at its usual off-peak frequency in the peaks anyway, most were diverted via the current temporary "all day" route as there were no paths for them east of London Bridge. Which of course is one of the major problems for which the Bermondsey diveunder, the Borough Viaduct, and the additional through platforms provide the solution..

 

[greatkingrat]

The difference is that Kentish Town - Brighton tickets are routed "+Any Permitted", rather than "Not Underground".

Or you could buy a ticket to/from Blackhorse Road instead for the same price which is perhaps more obviously valid via Victoria.

 

[gray1404]

In addition to the earlier reply at post#9, Thameslink's service through London Bridge couldn't run at its usual off-peak frequency in the peaks anyway, most were diverted via the current temporary "all day" route as there were no paths for them east of London Bridge. Which of course is one of the major problems for which the Bermondsey diveunder, the Borough Viaduct, and the additional through platforms provide the solution..

Sounds like this will be all solved once the engineering work is complete.

 

[Ianno87]

Sounds like this will be all solved once the engineering work is complete.

Yes, full services restored (peak and off-peak) from May 2018