a bus is not a train
Train to Gatwick, no rail works. Relief short lived. Rail works from Gatwick to Brighton. Journey that would take 20 mins fast train, 30 minutes slow train, now over an hour if train and bus, or hour and a half by train.
Train from Gatwick to Three Bridges, then bus.
Chaos at Gatwick. Screens not working properly. Kept flashing on and off, no time to read the information. Three pages of information scrolled through one screen. Can they not afford three screens?
No announcements. I knew had to change at Three Bridges, I saw a train was leaving for Portsmouth, stopping at Three Bridges, so hopped on.
Chaos at Three Bridges. Platform heaving with people. An accident waiting to happen. But at least they announced find your way to the buses in the car park.
Five minutes walk, out of station, through car park, to find buses.
No coaches, the double-decker buses that serve Brighton.
Buses left promptly, so promptly that passengers were left behind.
Return journey as bad. Had no idea what bus to catch. Turn up at station and hope for the best.
At Brighton, one screen scrolling five or maybe six pages.
Again a double-decker bus. Total inadequate luggage space for people with roll-on hand luggage. Would have been even worse if normal luggage.
Chaos at Three Bridges. At least people kept to one side through subway, but at the top, massive jam of people, people trying to climb out of subway over the rails because of the jam.
At Gatwick, further chaos.
I arrived at Gatwick to see the train I wished to catch running ten minutes late just leaving. Hour wait for next train.
Gatwick is a major international airport, is seeking a second runway, and yet the rail connections are a nightmare and unable to cope now.
We pay for a train, but get a bus. Journey takes much longer, but not classed as delayed, due to amended timetable in force. No compensation is offered let alone paid.
Rail works on this route has been ongoing for a decade.
Tags: Brighton, Gatwick, rail works, Three Bridges
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