Buy rail ticket ahead of time or at Gatwick - I'm getting nervous!

[enchantingeyes]

Hello All!

 

Like the silly newb cruiser that I am, I booked our inbound flight to London the DAY OF our cruise, I found CC a day too late unfortunately...

 

Provided that our flight is not delayed (pray for us, it is our honeymoon cruise!) we should land in Gatwick at 7:00AM, ship leaves Southampton at 5:00pm. We plan on using the rail as funds are limited and we don't want to pay for a private car service (RCCL transfers were just as expensive!).

 

Should I book our one way rail on the net today (ahead of time?) And if so, for what time? I was thinking a 10am outgoing train would give us enough time to clear customs and get our baggage together.

 

Or can I just buy the ticket at Gatwick? This would make it much easier for us, so if we are ready to go earlier, we can. Or if our flight is delayed, we can catch a later train. But will tickets be sold out? And where do I buy the tickets? (We are flying Delta, once we clear customs and grab our bags, what's the best way to get to the rail station?)

 

Also, will our luggage fit comfortably on the train (one carry and one check per person)? Is there any risk of theft?

 

I'm stressing over this, and considering putting down a lot of money for a private car. I don't want to miss the ship, but money on a private car will mean less money once we dock.

 

Thanks all and I apologize if this sounds frantic!!

[NorbertsNiece]

Hi,

AFAIK the cheapest way to purchase tickets would be through www.trainline.com however I believe you have to specify time. I've not looked into what happens if you miss that train.

You can buy tickets at the ticket office at the station on the day. I'm not aware of any issues regarding lack of space for luggage or security. You will have to get transport from Southampton station to the quay as there's no direct train that I am aware of. There is a direct train from Gatwick airport to Southampton just follow the signs.

[ta tommy]

The first time we cruised from Southampton, I bought the rail tickets just as you exit the arrivals in Gatwick. The tickets were cheap and we were meant to change trains only once. We waited for the train and it was delayed by 30 minutes, then 50 then 1h 20 until it was finally cancelled. To cut a long story short we had to change platforms and take another train where we ended up changing 3 trains to get to Southampton. No need to say how our mood was when we got to the Hotel ( We always get there a day before, just in case of delays )

 

Since then I have always booked a chauffered taxi. Very reliable....true it costs 120 Sterling to get there but I will never go through that hassle again. I am sure that there are many others who have had good experiences travelling by rail but I just felt I should tell you my experience.

[NiceGuy47]

Don't stress!!!:)

Buy your ticket at Gatwick after 9:30am, it should be cheaper then, get on any train you like, there will be plenty of room for you and your luggage, you've no need to feel unsafe or in fear of having your things stolen, but just like anywhere, keep things close by and in sight.

You should not need to change trains, choose a direct service. I think at that hour of the morning, these services leave Gatwick at 09 minutes past each hour. If you dopn't manage to board a non stop service, there are 'one stop' trains, these will be heading to London Victoria and you'll need to change trains at Clapham Junction, change platforms and wait 10 minutes for the Southbound service that will take you to Southampton. The whole journey time should be around 1hr 45 mins and cost around £25 per person. You may be able to purchase a ticket that will include your return for not much more than the single fare, ask about this when you buy your tickets.

You will of course need to drag your bags around and as a previous post mentioned, get a cab to the cruise terminal, this takes about 5 minutes.

 

Here's a link that you might find helpful...http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/gatwick_southampton.htm

 

Lastly, if you want to specify your dates, I'll do a little research for you.

Just the type of guy I am. ;)

 

Good luck and have a great cruise.

 

Just to add having read previous post...

The trains services during the working week in the UK I think are generally very good, the previous post mentioned a bad experience but this is certainly not the norm and if a train is cancelled, just hop on the next one.

[Globaliser]

Or can I just buy the ticket at Gatwick? This would make it much easier for us, so if we are ready to go earlier, we can. Or if our flight is delayed, we can catch a later train. But will tickets be sold out? And where do I buy the tickets? (We are flying Delta, once we clear customs and grab our bags, what's the best way to get to the rail station?)

Yes, you can just buy the tickets at Gatwick. It'll be easiest. The train to Southampton is fundamentally a commuter service, so tickets will not sell out - there is no reservations system for these trains. And if you are travelling from Gatwick to Southampton in the morning, you will be going against the flow of any commuter traffic (obviously only on Monday to Friday), so there won't be any real pressure on space.

 

One thing you might want to check, though, is whether there are any cheap advance purchase tickets. But even if there are, you might want to read the restrictions very carefully. Because you're arriving by air, you'll want flexibility and it's no good if the cheap tickets restrict you to only one train. The walk-up tickets you buy on the day should be valid on any train, at least if you stick to the most direct route. Either use the Southern Railway website (that's the train operating company that does Victoria-Gatwick-Southampton), or use the National Rail website.

 

Delta operates to the North Terminal at Gatwick. After you exit from Customs, follow the signs for Trains. You will have to take the lift (elevator) up one floor to the mezzanine, and then walk to the platform where the inter-terminal transit operates. Get on this; it will take you to the South Terminal in a matter of about 60 seconds. Then keep following the signs for Trains; you will go down a short corridor with travelators, and then turn left into the railway station's ticket hall. Just go to the ticket office and buy your tickets.

 

It will help to know in advance whether you are going back to Gatwick, and whether it would be cheaper to buy return tickets, so that there is one step less for you when you get back from the cruise. Also, make sure you know the timetable for the day that you travel, particularly whether there are direct trains that day (normally yes, once an hour) and whether there are any engineering works that might affect your travel, particularly if you are travelling at the weekend or on a Bank (public) holiday.

 

If your travel will be affected by engineering works, post again and we'll see what the workarounds are.

 

On the train, luggage stowage is a matter of improvisation. But you won't have any real difficulty finding space for one suitcase each. Just try to make sure it's somewhere you can keep an eye on it. One good way is to put it in the luggage space between the seat backs of rows of seats that are back-to-back - many carriages have a number of these spaces deliberately designed into the carriage. If the carriage is pretty empty, then you may be able to use the space of four seats (two facing two) for yourselves plus all your luggage.

[Globaliser]

You will need to change trains, choose a service that requires one change rather than two. I think at that hour of the morning, these services leave Gatwick at 38 minutes past each hour. The 'one stop' trains will be heading to London Victoria and you'll need to change trains at Clapham Junction, change platforms and wait 10 minutes for the Southbound service that will take you to Southampton.

Normally (ie Monday to Saturday) there is no need to change trains at all. There is a direct service from Gatwick to Southampton once an hour.

 

If anyone has luggage, I would not recommend changing at Clapham Junction. This is not a luggage-friendly station, because many of the stairs are steep, and many (most?) of the platforms have no mechanical assistance for getting up and down the stairs. Hauling luggage up and down those stairs is no fun.

[NiceGuy47]

Thanks for that Globaliser, I just had realised that myself and was ammending my post as you posted. :rolleyes:

[insidecabin]

Start with the daysave tickets at £10pp then look for a cheaper options,

 

With specific dates someone could try and see what might be cheaper or give advice when to look.

 

 

http://www.southernrailway.com/main.php?page_id=189

http://www.southernrailway.com/buytickets/daysave/DaySave.php?sEvent=TicketDetails

 

They will deliver to the US.

 

Restriction is not before 10am Mon-Fri. anytime Sat, (sun no direct service)

 

The 10:09 will do the job arrive southampton 12:01

[enchantingeyes]

Everyone here is so kind and patient, and even after scouring the net, I couldn't get the quality of answers I've just gotten (like the tip about keeping your luggage between two b2b seats, or not changing stations in Victoria).

 

We are arriving in Gatwick on May 13 - just around the corner! There is a train that travels non-stop to Southampton past :09, as mentioned! I feel confident about booking the ticket right when we get there, it's not worth it to save on a saver ticket if it has time restrictions.

 

Also, on the Southern railway site I see three trains that go into Southampton Airport, Central and Parkway. I have been searching with the Central line train, is this correct?

 

Also, I don't mind your being brutally honest, but is it too risky to take the train? Am I playing with fire here?

 

Thank you all again, you are all so helpful and kind :)

[scottbee]

We are arriving in Gatwick on May 13 - just around the corner! There is a train that travels non-stop to Southampton past :09, as mentioned! I feel confident about booking the ticket right when we get there, it's not worth it to save on a saver ticket if it has time restrictions.

 

Also, on the Southern railway site I see three trains that go into Southampton Airport, Central and Parkway. I have been searching with the Central line train, is this correct?

 

There are two stations "Southampton Airport Parkway" and "Southampton Central".. You want "Southampton Central" (actually there are a bunch more, not called Southampton but now that's more info that you need. The Southern rail train is clean easy and quick, and Southampton Central is the end of the run for the train (from Gatwick), so impossible to get confused.

 

Also, I don't mind your being brutally honest, but is it too risky to take the train? Am I playing with fire here?

You'd be playing with fire doing it any other method than the train in my mind.

[Globaliser]

Also, I don't mind your being brutally honest, but is it too risky to take the train? Am I playing with fire here?

I absolutely agree with scottbee here. The direct train is the way to do it (unless you are rolling in money and can afford a private car transfer, which is out of the question here). It's definitely the least risky method. Of all the things that might go wrong on your journey to the cruise, the train is the least likely to cause you problems.

The Southern rail train is clean easy and quick, and Southampton Central is the end of the run for the train (from Gatwick), so impossible to get confused.

In looking at the timetable, I did notice one thing: Many of these trains actually divide at Horsham. Part of the train goes to Bognor Regis, and the other part goes to Southampton Central. I didn't know this before. It'll be worth the OP making sure that they're on the correct part of the train. But there is no drama about this. If a train divides en route, there are endless announcements about it at every station. And the staff on the platform at Gatwick will know, and will help if you ask.

[enchantingeyes]

In looking at the timetable, I did notice one thing: Many of these trains actually divide at Horsham. Part of the train goes to Bognor Regis, and the other part goes to Southampton Central. I didn't know this before. It'll be worth the OP making sure that they're on the correct part of the train. But there is no drama about this. If a train divides en route, there are endless announcements about it at every station. And the staff on the platform at Gatwick will know, and will help if you ask.

 

Oh my, these trains actually divide? I apologize for my naivety, I am from the land of SUVs and 8 lane highways; I've never lived in a city with any sort of public transportation to speak off. Thanks for the heads up, we will certainly keep that in mind.

 

I feel much more comfortable now!

 

One last question, I am assuming we can buy our rail tickets by using our credit card, since our stay in England is so short, I don't see the need to hit up a currency exchange. However, I will need to have some pounds on hand for the taxi driver from Southampton Central to the port, correct?

 

Thank you all again, sending good wishes your way for all your help!

[insidecabin]

The gatwick southamptom direct is by far the best option in terms of value and comfort(no changes). it is what we would try to use if we did a cruise that had a fly option into gatwick.

 

Private car wins on time(25-30min shorter) a bit but can take longer if the traffic is bad, but not price.

 

There are plenty of trains(1 per hr) clean, unlikely to be busy, plenty of space not quite door to door.

 

A regular single peak trains will be £25 so the daysave(£10) is a lot cheaper and the most time you will save is an hour unless you get lucky on the flight and it is early(happens quite a lot) and you can get the 8:59 train.

 

(voyager ends the trip in Barcelona so no return savings)

 

city terminal walkable from the station or short taxi ride £6-£7.

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=50.899975,-1.412687&hl=en&geocode=FdzHCAMdYm_q_w%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=15&dirflg=w&sll=50.904197,-1.411443&sspn=0.014371,0.027466&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=15

 

 

Delta uses the north terminal so you will need to get the transit train to the south terminal and this stops right next to the gatwick train station.

 

This is well sign posted, as you come out of arrivals in the north terminal look for south terminal transit, Trains.

[Globaliser]

One last question, I am assuming we can buy our rail tickets by using our credit card, since our stay in England is so short, I don't see the need to hit up a currency exchange. However, I will need to have some pounds on hand for the taxi driver from Southampton Central to the port, correct?

You can certainly buy train tickets with a credit card, so no difficulty there.

 

But you're right about the taxi. You'll need to have some sterling for that. Either use an ATM at Gatwick when you arrive, or (if the charges for doing that are disproportionate because you only need such a small amount) try to see if you can change a small amount of cash without being hit for extortionate fees.

[enchantingeyes]

You have all put me to ease!

 

Thank you for your help and advise :-)

 

And yes, the Voyager disembarks from Barcelona. Good detective work :)