As it looks like I am going to be a student again (part-time, evening lectures), I need to get myself into London, from West Sussex. The town I live in is on a direct line into Victoria, so that isn’t a problem, but I need to get myself to near Russell Square.

I am too old for a young person railcard, and don’t qualify for a student r/card as I am part-time. What, would you suggest, is the cheapest way to travel by train and then tube?

I’m guessing Oyster card/contactless payment within London?

Evening lectures should enable you to get advance tickets, which should be significantly cheaper. Just need to purchase 24 hours in advance. Usually about £10 if you’re alright committing yourself to a specific train, then yes, Oyster/contactless when you’re there.

Failing that, make sure you get Super Off Peak tickets – a Travelcard from Billingshurst (no idea if that’s near you…?) is £20 a day, actually cheaper than a return without the tube. They’re not always on the machines, you have to go via “Other Fares”.

You can save some money by not tubing it at the other end and cycling- either fold up bike, boris special or leave something suitable crappy locked up at Victoria

I am too old for a young person railcard, and don’t qualify for a student r/card as I am part-time. What, would you suggest, is the cheapest way to travel by train and then tube?

Brompton. 🙂 Especially if over a long period of time, and including any other travel within Zones 1-2.

I took mine in to town today, dashing from meeting to meeting, then on to lunch, then another meeting, then back to Waterloo. Far better than being on the tube!

Yeah, I did think about that. I don’t have a fold-up but I could take my cheap cx bike. I’ve never ridden in London, though 😯

I’d still like a public transport option, though.

Ignore the inevitable naysayers, riding in London is a doddle.

dead easy cycle to russell sq from victoria, leave a beater bike at victoria is cheapest way to do it

Funnily enough, the last time I was hit by a car, the doctor I saw (I had a compartment injury) had just moved down from London where she cycled everywhere. She said she tried cycling here for a couple of weeks and gave up as it was too scary.

Decathlon do a nice cheap as folder if you don’t fancy bring a full size bike. You should be OK heading into London though and have space on the train?

There are carriages that take bikes so that shouldn’t be a problem.

I commute into Victoria daily with a foldingbike. No full size bikes are permitted on trains arriving London from 7-10am, or departing 4-7pm. Even during the permitted hours, a full size bike is a pain in the butt. There used to be a bike rack between platforms 7 and 8 where you could leave a beater, but it’s been removed. I’m not sure if there’s a rack on the Southern half of the station. I do notice some of the same bikes lockedup around Victoria, and most seem to remain intact.

If you’re locking up outside the station steer clear of the racks outside the side entrance near platform 1 as there’s often bikes that have had the wheels flattened chained up to it. Victoria is a bit crap for bike storage at the moment while the works are still going on outside the front of the station – no idea when it’s due to complete or if there’s plans for more bike spaces once done.

depending on who you work for, if you can get an easeit card it gets you 20% off of southern rail.

linky

don’t forgot Boris bikes or Brompton dock depending what station you are coming in from.

So how much would the tube be using Oyster/contact less payment?

Travelling regularly on trains with a full size bike is a massive PITA, even when there’s a dedicated bike area. The day it broke me was the day I got out of my seat to get my bike a few mins before my stop and it has been completely buried by a carriage full of exchange students’ suitcases. Took me about two more stops after that to dig it out. People generally don’t respect bike storage areas on trains and use them as a general dumping area for whatever they can’t be arsed putting in the overhead racks.

I ended up getting a charge plug off eBay for £50 and leaving it at waterloo and that was ideal.

Check southern rails bike policy. If you’re getting on a train further out from London, (eg East Sussex!) you might be OK with a full size bike at peak time.

SW trains let you get on trains to London with a full size bike at all stops until Guildford. And get on with a full size bike at London as long as you don’t get off until after Guildford.

If you’re not travelling in peak times a network railcard costs £30 and gives you 30% of all fares in the area
details here http://www.network-railcard.co.uk/

Check southern rails bike policy. If you’re getting on a train further out from London, (eg East Sussex!) you might be OK with a full size bike at peak time.

Not an issue off peak anyway, but Southern can be quite belligerent about it. Agree it’s a PITA though, I’d not want to do it every day. YMMV.

Curto, I’ve got a snapped crank on my station bike, so I’ve been taking my road bike on to Waterloo for the past few weeks. It’s been absolutely fine. Apart from one day where the trains were messed up and people were cramming on. I got a coffee and got on the next one.

look at the possibility of using split rail ticketing

on lots of Lines its worth getting an ticket to a train station on a mid point into london then another one on it to london and you can often save loads (30+% on my journeys)

just ensure your train stops at that station you do not need to leave the train or reboard etc

Fair enough, njee, you’re on Southern and that’s what mikey will be using, so it being easy for me isn’t especially useful.

“mikey74 – Member
So how much would the tube be using Oyster/contact less payment?”

£4.60 a day (£2.30 each way)

Useful pdf

BBK?

beater bike is good but may depend on how often you have classes

Yep, BBK 🙂

Although it’s not confirmed, it looks like two evenings a week.

Oh, and thanks for the input all.

I’ve spoken to one of the guys here at work who often travels back into London with another colleague who cycles and he reckons he’s never had an issue with taking a full-sized bike on the train. Actually, come to think of it, I’ve done that journey with my cycling colleague once as well. There were no issues then.