SE22 to Brighton by rail - best way?

[Nero]

Hello

I'd like to travel with a friend and their 6 year old to Brighton on a Friday in December. I'm minded to take the bus to Forest Hill, then the Overground to West Croydon and then to East Croydon to pick up the train to Brighton. I don't fancy schlepping all the way in to Victoria from up near the Goodrich School, hence my southern trajectory. Good idea? How is the interchange from W to E Croydon? Or is it best to go to London Bridge and do it that way? Any tips welcome. Thanks.

[SeanMacGabhann]

When I lived near you Nero, I sometimes used to get the 197 bus from the library to East Croydon - it does drag, and isn't pretty but has the benefit of being close to home and avoiding schleppage

But usually just went to London Bridge and then changed - ultmately it's just easiest. Travelling to Forest Hill, Change, West Croydon, Change, East Croydon, Change and the Brighton has too many steps that can go wrong for me

[giggirl]

Trains from Forest Hill station to East Croydon are frequent. Change at East Croydon for fast train to Brighton. There is an hourly train from East Dulwich to East Croydon but you're screwed if you miss it. Best go to Forest Hill instead.

[Loz]

If you do go the way as planned, the transfer from W to E Croydon is fairly painless - take the tram.

[DulwichFox]

185 to Victoria, Then Direct to Brighton.

....and you get a seat.

[ontheedge]

Forest hill get london overground change norwood junction for east croydon no steps other side of same platform east croydon brighton simple no steps anywhere other than forest hill

[philiphenslowe]

Trains from Forest Hill to East Croydon are at 19 + 49 past the hour, then train from E Croydon to Brighton. If steps are an issue there is a lift at Forest Hill station now.

[louisiana]

Goodrich? Get a 197 all the way to East Croydon station where you hop onto the Brighton train.

Once you've faffed at Forest Hill station with tickets and changing platforms there, and then W>E Croydon again, you're no faster going by train than by bus. And if the 197 is the first Forest Hill-bound bus that comes along, all the better.

[coopsy76]

Bus to forest hill ,then either train to east Croydon or new cross gate. U can pick up fast Brighton trains from both

[scotslass]

train from East Dulwich to London Bridge (12mins) then LB to Brighton - done this route many times

[Totoro]

think you can get a 176 to Elephant and go direct to Brighton from Elephant and castle rail station.

[Medley]

Surely going to LB or Vict is madness when you can get fast trains from E Croydon or N C Gate?

And as for getting the 197 to E Croydon, forget it. I did it once in the dead of night and it STILL took absolutely forever.

[coopsy76]

Bus to forest hill takes 5 mins. Train to new cross takes 5 mins and u pick up the train to Brighton that left LB. I find it quicker than either ED to LB or bus to Denmark Hill then train to Victoria as I live near the Plough.

[Nero]

Ta. Is it New X or New X Gate I should go to?

[Medley]

coopsy76 Wrote:

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> Bus to forest hill takes 5 mins.

Doubt it v. much. Maybe 5 mins actually on the bus from southern end of LL to FH. But that's not end to end journey time.

Train to new

> cross takes 5 mins

No it doesn't! New X is on the other branch of the ELL so you'd have to go to S Quays and change. If you mean New X Gate it still doesn't - and again this is on the train timing, not inc the time you've had to wait for it.

and u pick up the train to

> Brighton that left LB. I find it quicker than

> either ED to LB or bus to Denmark Hill then train

> to Victoria as I live near the Plough.

I'm not surprised as both those options have you heading north when Brighton is due south!

[mlteenie]

Train to London Bridge 12 mins - train from London Bridge to Brighton 1 hour.

[OutOfFocus]

Nero Wrote:

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> Ta. Is it New X or New X Gate I should go to?

Neither. There may be a few trains from NX Gate but not enough to plan a journey round. Ditto Elephant

[Medley]

mlteenie Wrote:

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> Train to London Bridge 12 mins

on the train, yes, but that's only one portion of your journey time.

- train from London

> Bridge to Brighton 1 hour.

same point. and they generally take 1h10 or 1h15.

[oldnewromantic]

I really think London Bridge is quickest. Although having said that, my closest station is Queen's Road Peckham which is 6 mins to London Bridge.

Or you could just ignore everyone and go to the nationalrail.co.uk website. They also have a good, but expensive iphone app.

[Nero]

With me it is more to do with the lack of faffage than speed, especially when I have an out-of-towner and their child with me. Something in me can't avoid the feeling that going south (ie to Croydon) is the logical thing to do rather than getting a bus and then a train to London Bridge. Anyway, we shall see...Thanks to all.

[simonethebeaver]

Honestly, going from Forest Hill to E Croydon, and sometimes changing at Norwood Junction which is very easy, is FAR less faff than LB. Also cheaper-you pay more to go from central London.

[ASR]

I travel to Uni in Brighton every day from Dulwich, and the way I go is the quickest I think. I get a lift to Clapham Junction or take the 37 and then catch the Southern Express Service which calls at East Croydon and then goes straight to Brighton. It takes about 45 mins, so very fast.

[rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrqwef43]

Can somebody summarise this? Seems remarkably complex for something so straightforward...

[rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrqwef43]

rubsley Wrote:

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> Can somebody summarise this? Seems remarkably

> complex for something so straightforward...

Sure man, no worries...

1. Forget about changing from West to East Croydon - no need.

2. Bus to Forest Hill and then train to Brighton changing at either East Croydon (19 or 49 past the hour) or Norwood Junction and East Croydon (25 or 55 past the hour) seems easiest. It's ?19.50 for an adult day return and - according to nationalrail.co.uk (which may be an online only thing) - ?1 for a child and takes either an hour and five minutes or an hour and twenty.

3. If you're going to travel by train more than three times a year you might want to have a look at buying either a family & friends railcard or a network railcard, which'll cost you ?26/25 and save ?10.60/?13 on this journey alone.

4. If you want to be really smart, go to southernrailway.com and buy your tickets there: you can go Forest Hill-Brighton-Forest Hill for ?3.75 each way.

5. Going to Clapham Junction isn't the worst idea in the world - but it does take 35-40 minutes by bus to get there, and only cuts the train travel time down by 20 minutes.

6. Going to London Bridge/Victoria isn't the world's worst idea either - but it is longer and possibly more expensive so why would you?

7. Finally, you can go East Dulwich-Streatham Common-East Croydon-Brighton, which takes about an hour and a half all in and costs from ?3.75 at southernrailway.com. No idea how convenient/inconvenient the changes are though.

In a nutshell: go to southernrailway.com, buy some tickets from Forest Hill to Brighton and back, and go and have a jolly nice time.

Cheers!

Rory

[peterstorm1985]

Great summary. I'd advise against suggestion 7 at this time of year. If you come back via Streatham Common at the wrong time of day the waiting room may be shut and it's far too cold on that platform for what can be a twenty minute wait.