Travel advice please

scousefan · Mar 6, 2015

I'm bringing the family down for the Bournemouth match on 10 April. We booked our non-refundable) rail travel as soon as the tickets became available. Then the match got moved from Saturday to Friday :-(

Because we are staying in Hove I booked rail tickets via London Bridge on the train that gets into hove at 6pm. We were going to then drop our bags at the hotel and rush over to the Amex.

However I've been reading dire stories about delays at Lindon bridge recently. Are we at serious risk of being delayed? Should i buy a new ticket straight to Brighton from Victoria?

dazzer6666 · Mar 6, 2015

I commute daily into London Bridge.....when it's been bad it's been awful, but generally the trains are running more or less on time. If you've already got a ticket I wouldn't spend any more by changing. Is the ticket for a specific train though ? If not, I would just try to get an earlier one (just get anything to somewhere like Haywards Heath and then change to a Hove train if there is no direct Hove service leaving London Bridge as you'll be able to pick up services coming out of Victoria too) if you can to reduce the risk of being delayed significantly.

scousefan · Mar 6, 2015

I booked an advance ticket for a specific train to link up with a train from Liverpool to euston. We can't get to London any earlier (Arriving at euston at 4pm)

Notters · Mar 6, 2015

Is there a big gap between arriving and departing London? As you could probably get an earlier train from London Bridge? Don't think the specifictrain matters for the london to Sussex bit but someone else will confirm.

AnotherArch · Mar 6, 2015

Notters said:
Is there a big gap between arriving and departing London? As you could probably get an earlier train from London Bridge? Don't think the specifictrain matters for the london to Sussex bit but someone else will confirm.

Agree. Normally the mandatory train is the Liverpool to London part (Virgin?), and the southern end is not detailed.

Notters · Mar 6, 2015

Edit. Probably not enough time then but don't forget you'll have free travel to Haywards heath with your match ticket so you only need a ticket from Victoria to HH

8ace · Mar 6, 2015

I'd walk from Euston to St Pancras and get the train to Brighton/Hove from there myself.

Vegas Seagull · Mar 6, 2015

Get to LB as early as you can & then get the 1st train to East Croydon if no brighton showing (I'm not sure direct start earlier than you're booked as I never was there early enough unfortunately!) so by doing this you can catch the next fast to Brighton that leaves from either LB or LV

Uncle Buck · Mar 6, 2015

8ace said:
I'd walk from Euston to St Pancras and get the train to Brighton/Hove from there myself.

Just do this.

Good advice there.

Ernest · Mar 6, 2015

You can catch any train on the leg from London to Hove as it is non restricted, Victoria to Hove would be your best bet

dazzer6666 · Mar 6, 2015

Uncle Buck said:
Just do this.

Good advice there.

Not so sure - The old Thameslink service is the most susceptible to cancellation and general crappiness. Victoria Line to Victoria and then direct to Hove is probably the safest bet.......good that there are lots of options, on the day any one of them might be grim......

scousefan · Mar 6, 2015

Thanks to all for the really helpful advice

Bozza · Mar 6, 2015

Getting to Hove around 6 and then having to go to a hotel, back to the station and then onto Brighton could take up a fair bit of time, and won't leave you much contingency if the worst happens with the train.

I'd probably be looking to pack light and head straight to the Amex. If it all goes well then you get a pint or two and get to enjoy the build-up and not in a mad rush to make kick-off.

If you do this, it might be worth a cheeky email to the club, explaining how the fixture change has really stuffed up your plans and could you stow your bag(s) somewhere during the game.

Munkfish · Mar 6, 2015

scousefan said:
I'm bringing the family down for the Bournemouth match on 10 April. We booked our non-refundable) rail travel as soon as the tickets became available. Then the match got moved from Saturday to Friday :-(

Because we are staying in Hove I booked rail tickets via London Bridge on the train that gets into hove at 6pm. We were going to then drop our bags at the hotel and rush over to the Amex.

However I've been reading dire stories about delays at Lindon bridge recently. Are we at serious risk of being delayed? Should i buy a new ticket straight to Brighton from Victoria?

If you are getting to hove at 6 you will be getting the 16.57 from london bridge, I try and aim to get away on this train as its generally the last one before the rush.

I actually caught this train Tuesday when they had all the trouble and got into Hove just gone 6.10 home and changed and back to Hove station for 6.30. you can easily make it to the stadium if you leave Hove about 7 but it will be a bit of a last minute job but nothing to worry about.

The train from Hove to brighton is 4 minutes and trains from Brighton are usually pretty well run on a tuesday night and are direct to the AMEX from Brighton.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Mar 6, 2015

Munkfish said:
The train from Hove to brighton is 4 minutes and trains from Brighton are usually pretty well run on a tuesday night and are direct to the AMEX from Brighton.

Assuming OP and family travel light and advises the hotel they'll be arriving late, and they go straight to the Amex from Hove, I'd suggest this is by far the best option. National Rail Enquiries has earliest post-6pm trains leaving Hove for Brighton at 18:05, 18:14, 18:24 etc. (all covered by match ticket), then train from Brighton to Falmer (ditto). Even allowing time for light luggage to be searched at the Amex, should leave plenty of time for pies and pints.

Merseyside Seagull · Mar 6, 2015

Hi mate,

I travel Liverpool to Brighton for the match quite regularly. Your best bet is to go to Victoria. If you're on the 13.47 out of Lime Street, and it arrives into Euston on time, you could, if you're quick across the station and the tube is kind, just get the 16.16 Hove train from Victoria. You'll probably have to run to be fair!!! But it's definitely do able.
More often than not I have a fixed time ticket for the Victoria to Brighton train, but get an earlier train. You won't get through the barriers, but go through the gate on platform 15 (I think) and you should be fine.

father_and_son · Mar 6, 2015

Munkfish said:
If you are getting to hove at 6 you will be getting the 16.57 from london bridge, I try and aim to get away on this train as its generally the last one before the rush.

I actually caught this train Tuesday when they had all the trouble and got into Hove just gone 6.10 home and changed and back to Hove station for 6.30. you can easily make it to the stadium if you leave Hove about 7 but it will be a bit of a last minute job but nothing to worry about.

The train from Hove to brighton is 4 minutes and trains from Brighton are usually pretty well run on a tuesday night and are direct to the AMEX from Brighton.

[MENTION=13728]scousefan[/MENTION]
Likewise... this is my "usual" train and is rarely subject to the issues that make the front page of the Evening Standard which seem to build up between 5:30-7pm

The only thing I'd add is that, at the moment, make sure you are on the platform when the train pulls in because it is close to capacity when it leaves LB and, because of the timing, gets worse as it comes down the line, easing only from HH. LB to Hove is a long way to be stood up, especially if you have any luggage/backpacks/whatever.

scousefan · Apr 10, 2015

Thanks for all the advice on here. From what I can see there is no major disruption at london Bridge at the moment. Is that right -or should we go via Victoria?

Beach Hut · Apr 10, 2015

scousefan said:
Thanks for all the advice on here. From what I can see there is no major disruption at london Bridge at the moment. Is that right -or should we go via Victoria?

I would always go to Victoria rather than London Bridge given recent events

AlbionPics&SouthCoastTwit · Apr 10, 2015

London Bridge--it's always been the place to be hung up!

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