Comments on: How to get cheaper train fares between Brighton and London – train hacking!

By: Nick S

Nick S — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:38:01 +0000

I’ve done this successfully a few times, it works best if you but the ticket from a different station from one on the London-Brighton route as it doesn’t raise suspicion. However I tried this tonight, 8PM from Clapham Junction to get to Brighton. The cheapest “normal” ticket is a Clapham Junction to Brighton Off-Peak Return for £18.60 (cheaper than a single). The ticket seller got very agitated and suspicious and went to get her manager, a very passionate and loud carribean lady who started screaming her head off at me and telling me what I was doing was illegal etc! In the end it was so embarrasing I just said forget it and got a normal ticket. Looks like they are wising up. Expect to be challenged if travelling late in the day!

By: daveph

daveph — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:21:11 +0000

“What you’re essentially buying is two one-way tickets, it doesn’t matter which order you use them in. ”

I don’t have a copy of the terms and conditions to hand, but if memory serves, this is incorrect. The terms of sale of a return ticket is that you must use the outward portion *before* the return portion.

The major issue here is that the dumb ticket gates don’t have any concept of this, so the rail network can’t enforce it except by refusing to sell you a ticket. Since they don’t know your intent is to use the ticket in breach of T& Cs, they should still sell you the ticket (as Josh points out, you can buy a ticket from anywhere to anywhere, though I’d be suprised if you bought a day return from Glasgow to Edinburgh while in corwall, for example).

Of course, it’s your choice to use the ticket in breach of the T&Cs, and as long as you haven’t told the poor schmuck at the ticket counter this, then they shouldn’t refuse the sale.

By: Mark Ford

Mark Ford — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:41:14 +0000

That Day Save is worth knowing about. A peak day return Worthing London is usually £42.

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:25:44 +0000

Just had an argument at Victoria. Totaly refusing to sell it on the grounds of "wrong procedure". Some sort of adviser called Sybil served me – she refused to give her last name or call anybody senior. Is that legal?

By: jimbob

jimbob — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:56:19 +0000

Does anyone know whether buying a ticket to eastcroydon and then getting travel card zones 1-5 added, is a valid way of getting to london bridge and london victoria?

By: Sus

Sus — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:59:45 +0000

We have managed to book cheap tics to Brighton from London, now we are trying to work out the cheapest way to get to Falmouth from Brighton and back again the next day..does anyone know a way of doing this online or on the day of travel?
thanks

By: k dowd

k dowd — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:18:16 +0000

Cheaper monthlies – ask for a monthly to City Thameslink not London Bridge.
Current cost as of 12/2008 is £283.

The special bit is that these on these tickets the default route is “ANY PERMITTED”.

This of course means you can use any Southern or Thameslink train – using Southern trains into LBridge is normally something like £310 I think.

er.. thats it

By: Sus

Sus — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:46:11 +0000

Is there any cheap tickets leaving Victoria before 9am?

By: Job Abijah

Job Abijah — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 17:06:45 +0000

Dude, that’s genius – I’m going to try it next week!

Thanks very much for posting this – do I have to give you 10% commission on the money I save? :)

By: Mat

Mat — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:10:48 +0000

@Remy Sharp. Its the same price with a Railcard.