How to save money for this journey?

LeFigaro

Hello!
I live in central Essex and I will need to commute to Baker Street / Regent's Park for the next 14 weeks, once per week and be there at 18:30. I can travel from Basildon or Grays or anywhere really with my car.

What would be the cheapest way to do it?

Should I use car, train, tube, what?

is there a discount or anything?

thanks!

wealdroam

LeFigaro wrote: »

Hello!
I live in central Essex and I will need to commute to Baker Street / Regent's Park for the next 14 weeks, once per week and be there at 18:30. I can travel from Basildon or Grays or anywhere really with my car.

What would be the cheapest way to do it?

Should I use car, train, tube, what?

is there a discount or anything?

thanks!

Hi, welcome to the forums.

What have you found so far?

I ask so that I, and others, don't waste our time writing out stuff that you already know.

martindow

Should 18.30 be 08.30 or are you travelling in the evening and coming back late at night or the following morning? The time you want to travel can make a big difference to the cost.

jbuchanangb

Central Essex is a big place, you could be in Colchester or Braintree, or Chelmsford, so why suggest travelling from south Essex, I.e. Grays or Basildon. Can you be more specific. One journey per week will be best done with individual tickets on the day of travel. And it makes a big difference whether you have to get there by 18.30 or 08.30. With more info, someone here will be able to help.

LeFigaro

martindow wrote: »

Should 18.30 be 08.30 or are you travelling in the evening and coming back late at night or the following morning? The time you want to travel can make a big difference to the cost.

I will return after 21:30!

LeFigaro

I have to get there by 18:30 and return just after 21:30.
I live in Grays and work in Basildon, that's why I suggested that.
I haven't found anything so far, just that Grays costs £10 return and from Laindon £13, I think.

LeFigaro

any hint?????

jbuchanangb

The best journey route is C2C to West Ham, then Jubilee line to Baker Street. The question is where to catch the C2C. If you can drive to Upminster and catch the 17.38 you will get to Baker Street at 18.25. The Off-peak single fare using Oyster or contactless for this journey is £3.10.

There is a good car park at Upminster station. Cost £2.30 off-peak

So I recommend drive from work in Basildon to Upminster. Spend £6.20 on your train fares plus £2.30 for the car park, and drive home from Upminster to Grays afterwards. Journey cost £8.50 plus your petrol.

Not sure where you found the fares you mentioned, all I can see in the way of return fares from C2C stations like Grays or Basildon to Zone 1 are off-peak travel cards which are well over £15 depending on station.

LeFigaro

jbuchanangb wrote: »

The best journey route is C2C to West Ham, then Jubilee line to Baker Street. The question is where to catch the C2C. If you can drive to Upminster and catch the 17.38 you will get to Baker Street at 18.25. The Off-peak single fare using Oyster or contactless for this journey is £3.10.

Well, I made that exact journey today.
I arrived 16:30 at Upminster and I got to Baker Street at 18:10!!!
That is 1h40min!!!

Also, I am not sure I paid only £3.10. That is because I checked out at Fenchurch street and then I took the Circle Line to Baker street, which seems it costs £2.40. So in total I am charged 2x3.10+2x2.40=£11

With my car, Google Maps showed 1h20min and I calculated fuel to be around £10 given my 45mpg.

wealdroam

LeFigaro wrote: »

Well, I made that exact journey today.
I arrived 16:30 at Upminster and I got to Baker Street at 18:10!!!
That is 1h40min!!!

Also, I am not sure I paid only £3.10. That is because I checked out at Fenchurch street and then I took the Circle Line to Baker street, which seems it costs £2.40. So in total I am charged 2x3.10+2x2.40=£11

With my car, Google Maps showed 1h20min and I calculated fuel to be around £10 given my 45mpg.

Changing at Fenchurch Street, presumably to Tower Hill?, does not make that two journeys.
Upminster to Baker Street via Fenchurch Street and Tower Hill is one journey and costs £3.10 off peak unless you took over twenty minutes getting from Fenchurch Street to Tower Hill.
Check your Oyster/contactless account.

martindow

LeFigaro wrote: »

Well, I made that exact journey today.
I arrived 16:30 at Upminster and I got to Baker Street at 18:10!!!
That is 1h40min!!!

Also, I am not sure I paid only £3.10. That is because I checked out at Fenchurch street and then I took the Circle Line to Baker street, which seems it costs £2.40. So in total I am charged 2x3.10+2x2.40=£11

With my car, Google Maps showed 1h20min and I calculated fuel to be around £10 given my 45mpg.

1h 40 is a long time - were there delays on one of the lines? It should be under an hour I would have thought and quicker to change at West Ham onto the Jubilee line.

If you drove where would you park and would you need to pay? If your car does 45mpg on average you are going to use more than that in town. I'm not sure your car expenses are accurate.