Travelling from London to SOUTHEND, CROYDON AND BROMLEY

Thomask

Hi

I need to travel return from Islington to the following areas this week:

Fri - Southend
Sat – Croydon
Sun – Bromley

At this stage it looks as if I'll be travelling during peak time to Southend. How can I make this fare as cheap as poss?
Croydon and Bromley will of course be off-peak due to it being the weekend.

I have a Young Person's railcard.

What is the cheapest way to reach these destinations? I'm happy to take buses if required.

I remember often when I used to travel to various places I would take the tube to the closest zone (e.g. 5 or 6) before it was classed as 'out of London' and then buy a ticket from that station in soze 5 or 6 to the destination. In fact, from memory I used to do this with a Travelcard instead of my Oyster (can't remember exactly why).

Thanks in advance

chuckley

1 day 1-6 travel card (off peak) £4.70 with ypr.

check tfl journey planner for the southend cheapest option. depends on it u have a time frame.

Lemmy_Caution

Bromley and Croydon are in London. You will be able to use a card for those places. For Southend, it is cheaper to pay all the way from somewhere like Highbury and Islington, rather than go to Barking and pay from there. Have a look at the National Rail Enquiries website.

Thomask

thanks guys. when you say use a card do you mean oyster or travelcard?

Lemmy_Caution

Travelcard. You can not use Oyster at Bromley or Croydon train stations.

Thomask

Ok, how much will a travelcard for Bromley then Croydon the next day cost me with a Young Persons Railcard? Will be travelling in Off-Peak.

And does anyone know the cost to get to Southend? Again, with a Young Persons Railcard (what are the restrictions on Fridays to get the cheapest fare?).

gner_ex

Cheap day return (or rather, off-peak day return) from Highbury & Islington to Southend with railcard £8.90. The easiest way to go is on the overground to Stratford, then on the national express east anglia service to Southend Victoria, though you could also go from Stratford to West Ham on the jubilee line and then get the C2C service to Southend Central (that fare is valid to either station).

For your days in Bromley and Croydon, can either get a zone 1-6 travelcard (on paper) for £4.80 or direct tickets.

Highbury to Bromley North is £2.85, Highbury to Bromley South is £3.30, and Highbury to Croydon stations (west or east croydon) is £3.30.

All these fares are railcard, and all are rail only (NOT tube or docklands).

I _believe_ that you can go from Highbury to Finsbury Park on the Victoria line (on a rail only ticket) - you can certainly go Kings Cross to Finsbury Park.

I assume you would have to get the Thameslink from St. Pancras to London Blackfriars or London Bridge and then go from there.

Note that if it is a weekend that the Thameslink is closed, your rail only ticket _will_ be valid on the Northern Line or Circle Line.

Double-check the routings with Highbury ticket office though, as I am not 100% sure.