Step 3 – choose your options

Means of Transport

The ticked boxes indicate which means of transport will be used for your journey. If you would like to exclude a specific means of transport in your search, simply untick the box next to it. However you must have at least one means of transport selected – and remember that some journeys may be difficult or impossible to make if certain means of transport are excluded.

Journey Type

The following journey types are available:

Set the journey type by clicking on the button to the left. Only one journey type can be selected per journey.

Avoid Central London

Tick the box if you would like to avoid central London. This can be particularly relevant if you expect to be able to travel more cheaply if you avoid Central London.

Walking preferences

Allow walk to best stops is a setting which affects the planning of journeys which start or end at a stop or station. The normal setting is to allow walk to best stops – so your journey may start or end with a walk to another stop or station if this offers the fastest overall journey.  If this setting is “off” then the planner will plan your journey from the specific stop or station you have asked for – but this may result in strange solutions being offered.

You can select your preferred walking speed and a time limit for walking to, from or between stations or stops. Changing the walking speed and time limit will affect the distance you can cover, and may increase or decrease the number of connections that can be found. For example, a person walking at an average speed who is willing to walk up to 30 minutes between stations or stops may find more connections than someone walking at the same speed but only willing to walk up to 20 minutes.

Walking time and speed

Enter the maximum walking time you want to allow at the start, at the end and at each interchange on your journey. You can also change your walking speed from average (4km/hour) to either slow (2km/hour) or fast (6km/hour).  Where a journey cannot be made within the limits specified, then the planner may ignore these settings in order to find a solution.

Cycle options

Tick the allow bike box to plan a journey with your bike. Enter the maximum cycling time in the appropriate box and the desired speed. You can choose from the cycle only option, the leave bike at station option in which you ride to a train station as the first part of your journey or the take bike on public transport option.  But  non-folding bikes are not generally permitted on buses, and the rules for taking bikes on trains are complicated – whilst we may offer a plan which shows this option we cannot confirm that you will be allowed to take your bike on the train – check this at www.nationalrail.co.uk.