Question about train travel through London

If you have bought a specific train ticket all the way from York to Portsmouth then your train ticket DOES cover the tube transfer.

If you're using a multi journey rail pass, however, you'll need to buy a tube ticket.

It takes a little longer but much simpler is a Cross Country train from York to Basingstoke and a simple change onto the South West trains train at Basingstoke, straight on to Portsmouth. If you have luggage that may be easier than onto and off the Tube in London. If you are using Victoria Line to Victoria and the slower Southern train to Portsmouth it is only one tube train; if going to the faster South West train from Waterloo you will need two tube trains - various options for the connection - and with luggage these can be tougher than the simple change at Basingstoke, albeit a bit faster.

We have a rail pass. The York to Basingstoke is an interesting option. When I looked at train schedules I didn't see that as an option. I assume it avoids London? I just looked at the trip via Basingstoke and it seems longer. Is there a website that gives calling points and other details?

If you add an appropriate 'via' point into the search, such as 'via Reading' these will come up (not via Basingstoke as this is on the route from Waterloo).

The actual recommended changing point the timetable appears to come up with is Winchester rather than Basingstoke, but there isn't much to choose between them.

You will also get routes suggesting a change at Reading and Guildford, but these are more difficult stations to navigate.

Takes about an hour longer though, but that might be a good trade for the convenience of a simple change or two..

Use national rail to plug in your journey from York to Portsmouth and click Go

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk

You’ll then see an option to Edit journey / add return.

Choose that option then click Advanced Search and choose Avoid London. Update the results.

You can then drill down on the details of various journeys from York to Portsmouth that avoid London.

The trip might seem longer, but I bet that is mostly eaten up by the time you would spend switching between stations in London (as Nigel indicates). Nigel knows whereof he speaks.

I.e. it might take marginally longer, but with a whole lot LESS hassle! I know what I would do.

The tube journey from Kings Cross to Waterloo isn't too bad - there's cross-platform interchange between the Victoria Line and the Bakerloo Line at Oxford Circus.

Go via Reading. No brainier.