vicki.dietz wrote:
"MIG" wrote in message
ups.com...

vicki.dietz wrote:
Hello Everyone,

I'm planning a trip to England, will be there very soon and was trying to
figure a way into the city without having to take the rail (4 of us costs
over 30 pounds) or drive all the way there, since parking can be either a
nightmare, very very expensive, or just plain impossible.

Can anyone (or everyone) suggest to me the best way to drive to let's say
to
a distant tube station, park for the day, and take the tube into the city?

I'm coming from the Dorking area and would greatly appreciate cost
effective
ways to get as close to London as possible without hitting its main
congestion.

How much more is a day travelcard from Dorking (ie including return
from Dorking to Boundary Zone 6 and an all zones travelcard) than an
all zones day travelcard from wherever you can drive to?

I just think that you would spend quite a lot of the £30 on travel
within London anyway, even having driven part of the way (with all the
hassle of parking instead of just staying on a train).

That's a very good question. Sorry I didn't mention. We will also be
buying Travelcards (an additional 25 pounds) regardless if we take the rail
or drive and park. This is because once we get into London, we plan on
doing a lot of sightseeing and traveling around (which would require
Travelcards). Am I correct in this reasoning?

Day Travelcards from Dorking are £11.40 (offpeak). A travelcard from
somewhere within London's six zones, like Chessington South, would be
£6.30 off-peak.

There aren't really any Tube stations near enough to Dorking to be worth
travelling to over a suburban railway station - and the ticket price
would be pretty similar.

However, there is a group discount called GroupSave available on tickets
from outside London (e.g. Dorking) - 3 or 4 adults travel for the price
of 2, which would make the total cost from Dorking £22.80 or £5.70 per
person (i.e. cheaper than driving somewhere else, even without taking
into account the cost of parking). Given that you need to buy
travelcards upon arrival in London anyway, this is by far the best
option - it is almost certainly the cheapest and most hassle-free.

Details of the GroupSave discount are available at
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/groupsave.aspx

It's worth noting that you can also get 2 for 1 entry at a number of
attractions in London from that website.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

Thank you, David. Much appreciated.

-D


"Dave Arquati" wrote in message
...
vicki.dietz wrote:
"MIG" wrote in message
ups.com...

vicki.dietz wrote:
Hello Everyone,

I'm planning a trip to England, will be there very soon and was trying
to
figure a way into the city without having to take the rail (4 of us
costs
over 30 pounds) or drive all the way there, since parking can be either
a
nightmare, very very expensive, or just plain impossible.

Can anyone (or everyone) suggest to me the best way to drive to let's
say to
a distant tube station, park for the day, and take the tube into the
city?

I'm coming from the Dorking area and would greatly appreciate cost
effective
ways to get as close to London as possible without hitting its main
congestion.

How much more is a day travelcard from Dorking (ie including return
from Dorking to Boundary Zone 6 and an all zones travelcard) than an
all zones day travelcard from wherever you can drive to?

I just think that you would spend quite a lot of the £30 on travel
within London anyway, even having driven part of the way (with all the
hassle of parking instead of just staying on a train).

That's a very good question. Sorry I didn't mention. We will also be
buying Travelcards (an additional 25 pounds) regardless if we take the
rail or drive and park. This is because once we get into London, we plan
on doing a lot of sightseeing and traveling around (which would require
Travelcards). Am I correct in this reasoning?

Day Travelcards from Dorking are £11.40 (offpeak). A travelcard from
somewhere within London's six zones, like Chessington South, would be
£6.30 off-peak.

There aren't really any Tube stations near enough to Dorking to be worth
travelling to over a suburban railway station - and the ticket price would
be pretty similar.

However, there is a group discount called GroupSave available on tickets
from outside London (e.g. Dorking) - 3 or 4 adults travel for the price of
2, which would make the total cost from Dorking £22.80 or £5.70 per person
(i.e. cheaper than driving somewhere else, even without taking into
account the cost of parking). Given that you need to buy travelcards upon
arrival in London anyway, this is by far the best option - it is almost
certainly the cheapest and most hassle-free.

Details of the GroupSave discount are available at
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/groupsave.aspx

It's worth noting that you can also get 2 for 1 entry at a number of
attractions in London from that website.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

Dave,

I can't seem to locate where i would make a purchase using the Groupsave.
it discusses it, but where do I actually purchase tickets?


Thanks,
-D





"Dave Arquati" wrote in message
...
vicki.dietz wrote:
"MIG" wrote in message
ups.com...

vicki.dietz wrote:
Hello Everyone,

I'm planning a trip to England, will be there very soon and was trying
to
figure a way into the city without having to take the rail (4 of us
costs
over 30 pounds) or drive all the way there, since parking can be either
a
nightmare, very very expensive, or just plain impossible.

Can anyone (or everyone) suggest to me the best way to drive to let's
say to
a distant tube station, park for the day, and take the tube into the
city?

I'm coming from the Dorking area and would greatly appreciate cost
effective
ways to get as close to London as possible without hitting its main
congestion.

How much more is a day travelcard from Dorking (ie including return
from Dorking to Boundary Zone 6 and an all zones travelcard) than an
all zones day travelcard from wherever you can drive to?

I just think that you would spend quite a lot of the £30 on travel
within London anyway, even having driven part of the way (with all the
hassle of parking instead of just staying on a train).

That's a very good question. Sorry I didn't mention. We will also be
buying Travelcards (an additional 25 pounds) regardless if we take the
rail or drive and park. This is because once we get into London, we plan
on doing a lot of sightseeing and traveling around (which would require
Travelcards). Am I correct in this reasoning?

Day Travelcards from Dorking are £11.40 (offpeak). A travelcard from
somewhere within London's six zones, like Chessington South, would be
£6.30 off-peak.

There aren't really any Tube stations near enough to Dorking to be worth
travelling to over a suburban railway station - and the ticket price would
be pretty similar.

However, there is a group discount called GroupSave available on tickets
from outside London (e.g. Dorking) - 3 or 4 adults travel for the price of
2, which would make the total cost from Dorking £22.80 or £5.70 per person
(i.e. cheaper than driving somewhere else, even without taking into
account the cost of parking). Given that you need to buy travelcards upon
arrival in London anyway, this is by far the best option - it is almost
certainly the cheapest and most hassle-free.

Details of the GroupSave discount are available at
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/groupsave.aspx

It's worth noting that you can also get 2 for 1 entry at a number of
attractions in London from that website.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

You buy them at Dorking station on the day - there's no point in buying
in advance. They are no cheaper and there's a hefty admin/refund fee if
your plans change. Just turn up 15 minutes early in case there's a queue

wrote in message
oups.com...

You buy them at Dorking station on the day - there's no point in buying
in advance. They are no cheaper and there's a hefty admin/refund fee if
your plans change. Just turn up 15 minutes early in case there's a queue



I see. Where did you and David get specific pricing information? Even if I
buy them at the station, I would like to price various trips. Could you
direct me to a website?

Thanks,

-D

vicki.dietz wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

You buy them at Dorking station on the day - there's no point in buying
in advance. They are no cheaper and there's a hefty admin/refund fee if
your plans change. Just turn up 15 minutes early in case there's a queue



I see. Where did you and David get specific pricing information? Even if I
buy them at the station, I would like to price various trips. Could you
direct me to a website?

Thanks,

-D

http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/co...nID=buyTickets

will give you the fares and offers the one day travelcard option where
it's available. The travelcard option only shows up a month in advance
so it's no good for a long way ahead. For planning purposes just put a
nearer date if this is the case. The trains won't change much if at all
- but bear in mind that Saturdays and Sundays have separate timetables
to the rest of the week.

David gave you a website about groupsave - it will be difficult to get
more than just general information on line about this.
Don't worry about it being Chiltern Railways - it will give you any
journey.

Thank you very much for the information. I have but one more question I'll
ask you, as I don't want to be too much of a bother.

I think I'll by the Day Travelcards from Dorking to London as Dave suggested
using the Groupsave. I'll buy them at Dorking rather than online, as you
suggested.

Will I buy the return ticket at Dorking as well, or must I wait until I'm at
the station in London to buy the return ticket and would this be a Day
Travelcard ticket as well?

Thanks,

-D



wrote in message
ups.com...

vicki.dietz wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

You buy them at Dorking station on the day - there's no point in buying
in advance. They are no cheaper and there's a hefty admin/refund fee if
your plans change. Just turn up 15 minutes early in case there's a
queue



I see. Where did you and David get specific pricing information? Even
if I
buy them at the station, I would like to price various trips. Could you
direct me to a website?

Thanks,

-D

http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/co...nID=buyTickets

will give you the fares and offers the one day travelcard option where
it's available. The travelcard option only shows up a month in advance
so it's no good for a long way ahead. For planning purposes just put a
nearer date if this is the case. The trains won't change much if at all
- but bear in mind that Saturdays and Sundays have separate timetables
to the rest of the week.

David gave you a website about groupsave - it will be difficult to get
more than just general information on line about this.
Don't worry about it being Chiltern Railways - it will give you any
journey.

"vicki.dietz" wrote in message
news:spdsg.10626$Nv.3173@fed1read10...

Thank you very much for the information. I have but one more question
I'll ask you, as I don't want to be too much of a bother.

I think I'll by the Day Travelcards from Dorking to London as Dave
suggested using the Groupsave. I'll buy them at Dorking rather than
online, as you suggested.

Will I buy the return ticket at Dorking as well, or must I wait until I'm
at the station in London to buy the return ticket and would this be a Day
Travelcard ticket as well?

Thanks,

-D

The Day Travelcard covers your journey from Dorking into London, travel
around London, and your return journey back to Dorking.
--
David Biddulph

Dave Arquati wrote:

However, there is a group discount called GroupSave available on tickets
from outside London (e.g. Dorking) - 3 or 4 adults travel for the price
of 2, which would make the total cost from Dorking £22.80 or £5.70 per
person (i.e. cheaper than driving somewhere else, even without taking
into account the cost of parking). Given that you need to buy
travelcards upon arrival in London anyway, this is by far the best
option - it is almost certainly the cheapest and most hassle-free.

Details of the GroupSave discount are available at
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/groupsave.aspx

It's worth noting that you can also get 2 for 1 entry at a number of
attractions in London from that website.


I didn't know GroupSave applied to Travelcards (I hardly even have the
need to buy a Travelcard outside of London), this is a new thing right?
It's a pretty good deal.

Of course it would become less of a bargain if any other train
companies decide to follow First Capital Connect's evening rush-hour
restrictions on off-peak tickets. I'm merely speculating as I've heard
nothing nothing of the sort, but once the taboo has been broken by one
operator, then it becomes easier for the others to follow.

On 9 Jul 2006 17:00:11 -0700, Mizter T wrote:

I didn't know GroupSave applied to Travelcards (I hardly even have the
need to buy a Travelcard outside of London), this is a new thing right?
It's a pretty good deal.

Of course it would become less of a bargain if any other train
companies decide to follow First Capital Connect's evening rush-hour
restrictions on off-peak tickets.

Indeed - all the more so as there's no GroupSave on SDRs, even after
10am.