London Travelcards

[whole diary]

[Brucey]

I've got some Southern advance tickets for later in the year.  I'm looking for the cheapest way to buy a London Travelcard, valid for Zones 1-4.  The TfL^» (Transport for London - about) sites says ^6.30.

I've just keyed into the NFM^▸ (National Fares Manual): LONDON TERMINALS (1072) to LONDON ZONES 1-6 (0035) with a 16-25 Railcard and it comes up as ^5.00.

Is it possible to just visit a railway station and ask for a ticket from 1072 to 0035 with a railcard?  Or would this need to be purchased with a ticket to London?  SN said you can't add travelcards onto their advance fares.

I haven't used public transport in London for over 10 years (good old Shank's pony!) and don't plan to again in the near future, so an Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card isn't much use.

TIA^▸ (Transient Ischemic Attack (aka "mini-stroke"))

[JayMac]

You can only get a Railcard discount for One Day Travelcards if you purchase them from National Rail outlets - underground stations and underground TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine)'s will not give the discount.

If you can't get one on departure (although I've never had a problem requesting one at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) with my DSB railcard - without needing to show my ticket to London), then on arrival at your London Terminus (Victoria?) just go to a National Rail TVM, you should be able to purchase a One Day Travelcard with the railcard discount from there.

You may as well get a Zones 1-6 with your Railcard - It's still a fiver.

If you are travelling to London more than a couple of times a year it may be worth getting an Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card and having your Railcard discount loaded onto it. Daily price capping means if you only need to travel Zones 1-2 you'll pay ^3.70, Zones 1-4 ^4.15. Zones 1-6 is the same as the paper Travelcard - ^5.00

[Brucey]

Thanks - just had a look at the Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card.  They only want a ^3 refundable deposit, so I'll probably go for this.

[devon_metro]

I was impressed with the price of ^5 valid all zones 1-6 when last in London with my railcard.

[Phil]

I see there's talk of introducing a Zone 7 now.


http://www.wharf.co.uk/2010/02/mayors-office-considers-zone-7.html

[JayMac]

There's already Zones 7,8,9 in the north-west corner of the TfL^» (Transport for London - about) network. So more a case of extending the coverage of zone 7 perhaps?

[paul7575]

The problem they'll have, as usual, is that the current zone 6 is (in general terms) the outer limit of the GLA's responsibilities. Obviously for historic reasons in the NW of London, the underground happened to go over the 'political' boundary, which is why there are zones 7 8 and 9. But there are other anomalies such as Watford Junction, which is zone 'W' - it appears on the tube map as 'special fares apply'.  There is also a zone G - where there are a few stations on the c2c lines just outside the zone 6 boundary.  Anywhere the zonal area steps 'over the border', the GLA are no longer responsible for subsidies, and you can bet the likes of Surrey CC aren't going to cough up. How many boundary transport authorities are there - I wonder?

A good example of the arbitrary nature of the existing boundary is at Epsom, where the main station is a junction between two lines, basically SWT^▸ (South West Trains) and SN routes, and it is the obvious route between zonal stations such as Ewell East and West, but paper tickets are needed... 

Paul

[Tim]

Thanks - just had a look at the Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card.  They only want a ^3 refundable deposit, so I'll probably go for this.

For only ^3 the Oyster card is worth having.  Appart from being slightly cheaper for many tickets, its also a lot easier to use (just remember to touch in and out even when barriers are abscent or open).

Buy one from the tube ticket office at Victoria.  It will only take them half a minute to issue it.   IIUIC, you can "load" your rail card onto the Osyter card so you get RC discounts automatically when applicable.  (ask when you buy it).

 

[Deltic]

I live just outside the Greater London boundary in Potters Bar.  Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) cards can be used on LT buses in most of Potters Bar.  It cost me an extra ^1.10 yesterday to travel the extra two stops to the one at the end of my road.  It would be handy to be able to use it on rail between Potters Bar and London.