London to IOW via hovercraft
Shelldean
Forumite 2.4K Posts
I've got a return ticket from London to IOW, the journey shows train to Portsmouth and Southsea, then hovertravel bus to hoverport. Then hovercraft.
However today's service is currently suspended due to adverse weather.
As we're supposed to be going to tomorrow, when the predicted weather is no better, how will we cross the Solent?
Can we simply go to Portsmouth harbour and use the fast ferry, (which is running normally today) or do we now need to purchase tickets for the ferry?
If we can't use the hovercraft, and do have to purchase ferry tickets, can we claim back the extra we've had to to pay? Or would it be a case that we just claim back from the train company we purchased the original tickets from, the unused portion?
Probably not worth it, but I assume we could claim on our travel insurance,for our extra costs?
Am also concerned that if we do need to purchase ferry tickets, do we purchase singles at a cost of £31.20(for both) and hope we can use the return portion of the hovercraft ticket?
But if the weather doesn't improve we'll need to use the ferry to return as well, spend another £31.20
But a return is £58 so a slight saving, but a concern that we'll not the return portion!!!
Can anyone advise what my best course of action is??
However today's service is currently suspended due to adverse weather.
As we're supposed to be going to tomorrow, when the predicted weather is no better, how will we cross the Solent?
Can we simply go to Portsmouth harbour and use the fast ferry, (which is running normally today) or do we now need to purchase tickets for the ferry?
If we can't use the hovercraft, and do have to purchase ferry tickets, can we claim back the extra we've had to to pay? Or would it be a case that we just claim back from the train company we purchased the original tickets from, the unused portion?
Probably not worth it, but I assume we could claim on our travel insurance,for our extra costs?
Am also concerned that if we do need to purchase ferry tickets, do we purchase singles at a cost of £31.20(for both) and hope we can use the return portion of the hovercraft ticket?
But if the weather doesn't improve we'll need to use the ferry to return as well, spend another £31.20
But a return is £58 so a slight saving, but a concern that we'll not the return portion!!!
Can anyone advise what my best course of action is??
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Not that I doubt you....but how do you know? I couldn't find anything today. And southern and national rail were equally useless. Just told me to contact Hovertravel. And I can only do that via email. Can't find a number for them, apart from service updates
Service has now been resumed today. So fingers crossed for tomorrow!
Well not that whole route, but bought a ticket and gone over on the hovercraft and had to come back on the fast cat
There is also live chat available on their website, have you tried that?
https://twitter.com/HovertravelLtd/status/1104721561871896576
For some bizarre reason, the live chat doesn't exist for me!! Maybe as I use a kindle fire for internet?
But they have now replied via email saying the same as PDC found.
I can claim a refund for the unused portion of my ticket from the rail company I brought my tickets from
Apparently my issue is my ticket says "Ryde hoverport" And Wightlink won't accept tickets with this as a destination.
Also asked what their best guess for travel tomorrow is?
And her response was not looking good until about 17.00. Although that could obviously change!!
Not sure what to do now?
Rock up and just see what the weather is doing. It has to be pretty rough for the hovercraft not to "sail" and the storm cleared here this morning so I reckon by tomorrow all could be fine.
Thanks. We are going to just 'rick' up. And see what happens. Today the crossings restarted at 15.15 from Ryde. And 15.30 from Southsea.
Have got kinda back up plan, that will save a few £££ on the Wightlink fares.
Will report back once home what actually happened and see if we can't use hover whether or not we can use the ferry
Apparently it's the only passenger hovertravel in the UK. After the channel crossings switched to catamarans.
Well so says Wikipedia!!
Did they stop it and then reinstate it?