enviroian

I plan to take the fast train from St Pancras to Ashford International on Monday. My plane gets in at 9 then HEX to Paddington then taxi to St Pancras so I'm guestimating a 1100 train.

The advance purchase appears to be time specific at 13.40 quid. There seems to be a fast train every 30 minutes or so. What happens if I don't make the 1100 train? Is that 1100 ticket only valid for that time? I bolded the break of journey below. Is that their way of telling me if you miss your ticketed time your f'd?


Advance Single
£13.40
London Terminals*
Ashford International
In addition to the normal permitted routes, this ticket is also valid for travel on Southeastern high speed services.
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1 Adult
£13.40
Valid dates
OutwardMon 19 Dec 2016
Break of journey
OutwardYou cannot break and resume your journey

Super Off-Peak Day Single
£29.70
Flexible ticket valid on off-peak trains only
London Terminals*
Ashford International
In addition to the normal permitted routes, this ticket is also valid for travel on Southeastern high speed services.
Show ticket details
Std

Off-Peak Day Single
£33.40
Flexible ticket valid on off-peak trains only
London Terminals*
Ashford International
In addition to the normal permitted routes, this ticket is also valid for travel on Southeastern high speed services.
Show ticket details
Std

Anytime Day Single
£35.60
Flexible ticket with no time restrictions on when you can travel
London Terminals*
Ashford International
In addition to the normal permitted routes, this ticket is also valid for travel on Southeastern high speed services.
Show ticket details

Ldnn1

Advance tickets are totally inflexible - booked train only. So yes, if you want flexibility, you'll need a superOP ticket.. Or just risk the advance, and if you miss it you can just buy a new superOP on the day - the price of those doesn't go up.

Also I wouldn't bother with taxi from Paddington - just take the H&C/Circle line. Or Piccadilly line straight from LHR.

UKtravelbear

Don't even bother with the HEX.

also you can get trains to Ashford from Victoria or Charing cross.

Look at the entire length of the trip not just one part of it.

enviroian

I already bought my hex single. I value the 37 minute fast train from st pancras.

alanR

Using HEX / taxi to St Pancras takes longer than the direct Tube from Heathrow.

rcspeirs

I'm not sure I follow your logic. You're happy to pay for HEx/taxi (at ten times the cost of the Piccadilly line) for no noticeable time saving, but then you're trying to save a tenner on the SouthEastern ticket?
In any case, I'd never advise an "advance" rail ticket after a flight - as it has zero flexibility yet you can't guarantee the exact time you'll get to the station, so a high chance you're either hanging around or (if late) you're ticket is worthless. I would just walk to the ticket window at St Pancras, and they'll sell you the cheapest available walk up ticket (which will vary by time of day, peak/off peak rules).

Mizter T

What rcspeirs said. If the OP wants flexibility for the St Pancras-Ashford leg of the journey, it's simply a case of stumping up for it.

nux

Have you done this journey before? The tube from LHR to St Pancras is possibly quicker and more reliable than the HEX and a taxi. The tube from Paddington to St Pancras is probably more reliable as well.

If your flight is scheduled to land at 9, you may not actually get off the plane until 9:20, add 20-60mins to get through non-UK/EU immigrations, meaning you may not even get the 10:12 HEX from T1/2/3, if you do you may not get in a taxi until 10:40, from there the journey can take anywhere from 15-30+ minutes depending on traffic, then get to the right platform/train.

All going well it is possible, but I wouldn't rely on it.

enviroian

I've done it once before and it all worked out but more so likely due to good luck.

That being said looks like taking the tube to kings cross and walking across the street to st pancras is the way to go. You locals obviously know your stuff. I just remember accessing the tube was a pain from T3 and the damn tube train is so hot inside...ugh...

That being said I already bought my 23 quid HEX ticket so I'm locked in. Perhaps next time I'll follow the sound advice given here.

Ldnn1

You don't need to walk across the street - the tube station feeds you up directly into St Pancras - just follow the signs.

mad_rich

Only one thing to add: yes that Advance Single is inflexible, but not because of the 'Break of Journey' restriction - that is something else (which is only really relevant to flexible tickets and stopping off en-route).

It's inflexible because it's an Advance.

Your journey may not be the cheapest or quickest option, but it's perhaps the most relaxing. St Pancras is a very pleasant station, so no harm in hanging around there for a coffee and croissant if need be.

Swanhunter

Take the HEX but use the tube from Paddington. The tube trains used from Paddington have AC, not that its needed right now. Most reliable combination by far. Would totally use the fast train from St Pancras is it is significantly more comfortable than the Electrostars used on the conventional line.

11am is, depending on your passport, a bit ambitious if LHR is a having a bad day for weather/ATC.

stut

Agree - even though I know the Tube is direct, I find it a painful journey for the full hour to King's Cross St Pancras from Heathrow, so I usually get the HEX+Tube combo (or change at Hammersmith if I'm feeling brassic).

The high-speed service from St Pancras is excellent - very comfortable and very speedy. It's also an impressive station, with quite a lot to keep you going (not to mention good places to grab a take-away meal to eat onboard). Personally, for the sake of less than £20, I'd opt for the peace of mind of a flexible ticket. That way you can turn up, stretch your legs, get some food and a coffee, and hop on whatever train you feel like to Ashford - they run every 15 minutes, after all.

enviroian

Well in lieu of the winter weather advisory in the NE USA this weekend I was able to change my flight to lhr out of sfo now. I now arrive at 1405. Is that st Pancras station going to be total chaos at say 1600?

UKtravelbear

chaos yes. total no.

4pm is before the commuter peak hours. St Pancras is always a busy station simply because of the various services that start / run through it.