Taplow-Hassocks

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Good morning all, after a bit of advice - I am visiting a friend in Hassocks next weekend travelling Saturday, returning Sunday- being quoted £51.40 return via London - not a trip I have made before but it just seems really expensive - don't seem able to split.

Any thoughts? Am I missing something?

[ChrisB]

Agree that splitting doesn't appear possible to save anything & that £51.40 is the fare.

Buy a Network Card?.....it'll last you a year.

[Mark A]

£34.20 with an annual Network Railcard (£35), so that initial journey will cost you £69.20 but after that, you and up to 3 accompanying adults then have 363 days use of your shiny network railcard.

As well as the generous benefits, be aware of the subtle and not-so-subtle restrictions.

https://www.network-railcard.co.uk/about-the-railcard/using-your-railcard/

A thing: the Network Map on that link cannot be displayed at a resolution at which the information on it is readable. The linked PDF is better though took me a moment to notice the link - and it would be straightforward to provide a graphic on the page itself at a resolution that can be read which would be useful for users of mobile devices.

Mark

[Timmer]

Split ticketing doesn’t tend to work very well when the journey is entirely in the old Network Southeast area.

[TaplowGreen]

Many thanks for sharing your knowledge/advice.

[CyclingSid]

Possibly a not very helpful multi-modal option. It is normally cheaper not to go via London. The Wexham Park to Bracknell bus (53?) and then a Reading Buses 4 to Wokingham station, then the Noth Downs line to Gatwick and change for Hassocks. Depends on how much time you have to waste. Also check service 53 because I believe it doesn't run seven days.

Sorry I am used to doing odd multi-modal things with the Brompton.

[bobm]

Reminds me of one of my grandfathers.   His chosen cuss word in front of the children was "Oh Hassocks!".   

[Chris from Nailsea]

I think TaplowHassocks could be a rather good username. 

[stuving]

Possibly a not very helpful multi-modal option. It is normally cheaper not to go via London. The Wexham Park to Bracknell bus (53?) and then a Reading Buses 4 to Wokingham station, then the Noth Downs line to Gatwick and change for Hassocks. Depends on how much time you have to waste. Also check service 53 because I believe it doesn't run seven days.

However, in this case possibly not. From Taplow the two fares (both priced by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) are £51.40  via London and £57.80 via Reading. From Wokingham not via London (GWR) is £46.50 (and the any permitted/via London (SWR) is £59.40, not that it's relevant here). Standard SVR full fare in each case. So it is a bit cheaper, but not enough to make it worthwhile (unless you want to go multimodal for other reasons).

[nickswift99]

As a former resident of Hassocks, this thread intrigued me. (I used to commute on one of the services with a 4BIG - the slice of hot toast puts GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) catering today to shame)

I've not checked, but there might be some opportunities around Southern Advances and possibly some PAYG^▸ (Pay as you go) tapping in/out somewhere.

There were some historic fare anomalies that I remember using in my youth around ticket validity to Lewes and some other local stations too but I suspect the Routing Guide will have put paid to those.

[TaplowGreen]

Thanks again all, paid the £51.40 in the end.

Meeting an old schoolfriend from Plymouth who's living down there now, we're visiting a new(ish) craft ale Tap room which comes highly recommended, will report back!