AIBU to not know what I'm doing with my train times? Help!

[oursofas]

Does anyone know why Im getting different train times coming up?

I want to travel from London Fenchurch Street to Holyhead. This means I have to change at Euston.

If I put that I'm going from Fenchurch to Euston (as opposed to Holyhead), I get different departure times. I would need to get the 1621 train which says I would arrive at Euston at 1655. However, this doesn't show when I searched for Fenchurch to Euston to see if there was a platform number listed.

Any ideas? Im probably missing something obvious!

Are they a mixture of underground and normal rail services?

So I'm slightly confused too, but I don't actually think there's a 1621 train. I'm on my phone so it looks different, but it appears to be saying to walk to Tower Hill at 1621.

The 1622 suggestion also appears to include walking....

Is it because one is on a cheaper ticket, so the times are restricted?

So overall, I think it depends on the detail of the route, which may include some walking depending on the time.

If you click on details, it'll give you more information.

I think this is because the app doesn't actually have access to the tube timetable (and there is no way to go from Fenchurch street to Euston without walking a bit) so it makes estimates about how long it will take you to get there. One screen is showing you how to get to Euston by a certain time, and one to Holyhead by a certain time, so the estimates of the tube to get are different.

I got confused by the walking thing, too. Surely they wouldn't give a time to walk all the way to another station, though? The details for the walk show how to walk to Euston

If it is because of the ticket type, it would go in my favour because it's a ticket to Holyhead I'd be buying.

Oh, I hadn't realised there was no way to get straight to Euston from Fenchurch...I'm a country bumpkin

So I have to go Fenchurch to Tower Hill to Euston Square to Euston? Does that sound right?

Walk to Monument, take the circle to Euston Square, walk the 3 mins to Euston station.

From Fenchurch St., I'd walk to Bank then get the Northern line straight to Euston. Download Citymapper onto your smartphone & follow the route shown.

Fenchurch street doesn't directly connect with the underground. You have to leave the station and walk around the corner to the tube.

Are you arriving into London Fenchurch street beforehand? If so, then the tube is well signposted from FC Street station.

If you have just looked on a map/ the tube map and determined that Fenchurch street is your nearest station, then in fact your nearest station is probably Tower Hill (but possibly another tube) and you should just get on there.

Additionally, I would recommend buying your ticket from Euston to Holyhead, and just using PAYG from the tube to Euston. You can get the circle line to Euston Square and walk across the road to Euston station - this will be the easiest route as the others would require a change/ navigation of Bank station which is always best avoided.

Right, from my starting point it's either a five-minute walk to Tower Hill (yes, I did just look at a map and assumed Fenchurch was closest!) or a sixteen-minute walk to Bank, but then I can go straight to Euston.

I just need to figure out if I'd prefer a longer walk to chopping/ changing.

Phewf! Many thanks for your help. There's no way on this earth I'd have figured this out on my own.

If your ticket doesn't include the tube (most through tickets changing stations in London do) it is may be worth getting an Oyster card, even if you just put a fiver on it. I was horrified when I forgot mine and had to pay full whack, it was so expensive for a short journey!

If you have a bank card with touch pay you can use that like you would an oyster

That's really good to know, spugzbunny. I was a bit dubious about how the whole Oyster thing worked.

I'm hoping that I'll be covered by my ticket if I book from one of the Undergound stations to Holyhead, not sure how it works.

Can't believe I'm so clueless TBH! I need to travel more.

Personally I would always avoid Bank if I could - very busy and not so easy if you have any luggage.

Do you have seat reservations on the Holyhead train? If so would suggest you leave plenty of room in your schedule so you are one of the first to board. Especially if you’re in 1st.

If not

That's really good to know, spugzbunny. I was a bit dubious about how the whole Oyster thing worked.

Just make sure you tap with the same card in and out.

Some tickets are also only valid on certain services. Basic tickets are often not valid on Virgin trains.. Be careful that what you buy is valid either for all services or for whatever specific train you intend to catch.

There’s no tube station at Fenchurch St which is why it’s telling you to walk to the nearest one at Tower Hill.