Quick clarification round-trip London-Dover
May 4th, 2014, 06:09 PM
#1
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Quick clarification round-trip London-Dover
Have read tons of threads on London-Canterbury-Dover day trips. I think I've gleaned that if I buy a round-trip train ticket from London to Dover I will be able to get off in Canterbury for some exploring, then reboard with same ticket and go on to Dover, visit the castle, then reboard the train back to London. Please confirm or deny.
May 4th, 2014, 08:46 PM
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The English for a ticket in one direction is "a single": for a ticket there and back, "a return". British websites are written only in our language.
On many railway routes from London (but not to most places within 100 miles of the city, and at present not to Dover), there are substantial discounts available by booking ahead. These discounts work only on the specified train, so breaking a journey (as you intend) isn't possible without buying a new ticket.
Since advance booking carries no discount on London-Dover trains, breaking your journey is fine. BUT:
Travel is generally cheaper outside peak times, and on Monday-Friday, peak refers to travel before around 0930. Though it's generally cheaper to buy a return ticket, it may be cheaper in to buy two singles if you want to start your journey early in the morning (as is pretty much essential if you want to cram in a trip to Canterbury as well as to Dover).
Trains from St Pancras take about half the time that trains from Charing Cross or Victoria take, but cost more. Only you can decide on the tradeoffs.
On many railway routes from London (but not to most places within 100 miles of the city, and at present not to Dover), there are substantial discounts available by booking ahead. These discounts work only on the specified train, so breaking a journey (as you intend) isn't possible without buying a new ticket.
Since advance booking carries no discount on London-Dover trains, breaking your journey is fine. BUT:
Travel is generally cheaper outside peak times, and on Monday-Friday, peak refers to travel before around 0930. Though it's generally cheaper to buy a return ticket, it may be cheaper in to buy two singles if you want to start your journey early in the morning (as is pretty much essential if you want to cram in a trip to Canterbury as well as to Dover).
Trains from St Pancras take about half the time that trains from Charing Cross or Victoria take, but cost more. Only you can decide on the tradeoffs.
May 5th, 2014, 04:16 AM
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Thanks, Flan. I read posts that seemed to indicate one could do a day trip London-Canterbury-Dover by buying London-Dover return tickets. I feel really stupid asking this then, but how would you purchase the tickets for the three legs of a London-Canterbury-Dover day trip by train? Would you need three tickets, London to Canterbury, Canterbury to Dover, Dover to London, and would you buy them all in London the morning of departure? I know the answer to this is probably painfully obvious to most people ...
May 5th, 2014, 05:22 AM
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You can buy an Anytime or Off-Peak Day Return to Dover and break your journey in Canterbury.
Confirmation here to show we're not making this up
http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk...k-tickets/178/
Yes, you buy this ticket on the day at your departure station.
Play around with the website to see if buying a single to Canterbury, then another to Dover works out cheaper. Look for trains that go to Canterbury East as that's the station on the line to Dover.
And if all this sounds too complicated just go to Victoria and get a day return to Dover.
Confirmation here to show we're not making this up
http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk...k-tickets/178/
Yes, you buy this ticket on the day at your departure station.
Play around with the website to see if buying a single to Canterbury, then another to Dover works out cheaper. Look for trains that go to Canterbury East as that's the station on the line to Dover.
And if all this sounds too complicated just go to Victoria and get a day return to Dover.
