Understanding Southeastern Trains and the TfL Buses
Most people using public transit either go on the train or use the buses. So, what does each option entail?
The Southeastern Trains
These trains have stops across Bromley and Chislehurst stations, which makes them ideal for you if you want to cover a large distance. You can pay for your fare through bank cards, the Southeastern Key Smartcard, paper tickets, or an Oyster card.
It is important to note that the fares for these trains vary based on the distance covered, the time of travel, and the ticket type. How so? When it comes to time, off-peak fares are much cheaper than peak fares. As for the distance, people travelling longer distances are subject to higher fares. And for the ticket types, you get the following options:
- Pay as you go (Oyster or Contactless). This option is best for people who use the train daily, as it comes with a daily price cap, thus reducing the total cost of the fares. Please note that when using this option, you must tap in when you board the train and tap out when you get to your destination.
- The flexi season ticket. This is best for people who travel on the train twice or thrice a week, as it offers you 8 days of travel in 28 days between two named stations. You get to spend less money than you would if you were to pay for daily return tickets between the said stations.
- The season tickets. These vary from weekly to monthly to annual, and they are best for people who use the train for five or more days on the same route. The longer the period, the higher the discount.
Given that these tickets offer you a discount between named stations, can you cross boundary zones and still enjoy the reduced fares? Yes! When travelling across boundary zones, you can buy an excess fare, which will still be much less than you would have spent on a full-price ticket.
You can learn more about these trains and the current fares here.
TfL Buses
These buses operate throughout the Bromley Borough and are a great alternative to trains. To use these buses, you must make your payment through a contactless bank card, Oyster card, or bus and tram pass. Cash is not accepted, and you must tap in upon boarding. Tapping when getting off is not required.
How about the fare – does it vary like with trains? Not quite. With buses, a flat fare exists for all passengers regardless of the distance covered, such that you pay for every single journey you take with them. However, there are exceptions as follows:
- Hopper fare. If you use the Pay as you go option (Oyster and contactless pay), you are eligible for an hour of unlimited bus and tram journeys for the price of a single fare. However, this is only available within the first hour of tapping in.
- The bus and tram pass. You can get this pass that allows you to enjoy unlimited travel on buses and trams for a given period, which can be a week, a month, or a year. This pre-payment goes on your Oyster card, which you can tap in whenever you are using these services.
- The children's discounts. Children under the age of 5 are eligible for free bus and tram travel. Additionally, those aged 5 to 17, as well as students, are eligible for discounted fares.
For more on these buses, you can explore this website.
Understanding Delays and Refunds
While buses do not offer refunds on delays due to external factors, did you know that you can have your train fare refunded if there is a delay in your journey by 15 minutes or more due to a train operator’s fault? But how much do you get in return? It all comes down to the time spent waiting, as follows:
- 15 to 29 minutes late - 25% of the cost of the single fare.
- 30 to 59 minutes late – it increases to 50%.
- 60 to 119 minutes - 100% of the single fare back.
- 120 or more minutes - 100% of the return fare.
To get your refund, you must make your claim through the Southeastern website within 28 days of the delayed journey.
A Note on Accessibility
The good news is that most of the major southeastern stations, such as Bromley South, are easily accessible and have staff on standby for help. However, smaller stations may have limited staff and accessible platforms. If you need assistance in these smaller stations, please make this request at least two hours before your journey starts – you can do this through the Southeastern enquiries on their website. As for the buses, all of them come with ramps, wheelchair spaces, and priority seating.