Three adults, 2 of us are seniors. Plan to take Gatwick to Victoria, cab to Paddington and train to St Ives, Cornwell.
And return back to london and then Gatwick express
Should we buy one way singles, or pass, i.e. Brit Rail London Pass????
Posted by
Charlotte, NC, USA
3428 posts
First- DON'T do a cab! Take the Tube to Paddington. Very easy from Victoria. If this all the train travel you'll do in the UK, don't fool with a pass. If you are doing other train travel, then consider it.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
First of all, the territory covered by the BritRail London Plus pass doesn't extend as far as Cornwall.
Second, you don't need to take a taxi from Victoria to Paddington. You can take Great Western trains all the way from Gatwick to St. Ives with a minimum of two changes, one at Reading and the other at St. Erth. (Depending upon the time of day, you might also have to change at Plymouth.)
Third, if you book far enough in advance (60-90 days), you can get a fare as low as £22.50. (Walk up fares are very expensive for a trip this long.)
For timetables and fares use the Journey Planner at www.nationalrail.co.uk. You can book your tickets on that site by following the link to the Trainline booking service.
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Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
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Fourth, a ticket on the Gatwick Express costs £16.90, but you can get an up-to-4-for-the-price-of-2 special. However, if you book a minimum of 14 days in advance on the Southern train Web site, you can get Day Save tickets allowing up to four people to travel anywhere in the Southern network, including Victoria-Gatwick, for a total of £20. See here: http://tinyurl.com/2h3ojz.