Is this a scam or just accepted practice?

[whole diary]

[NickB]

My question relates to the difference in price between an annual season ticket to Paddington, and the additional TFL^▸ (Transport for London) 1-6 travelcard.  Specifically the cost of the TFL 1-6 addition between TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s.

For example:

Maidenhead to Paddington = ^2840
Maidenhead to Paddington + TFL 1-6 = ^3604
Difference in price = ^764

Watford Junction to Euston = ^2852
Watford Junction to Euston + TFL 1-6 = ^3268
Difference in price = ^416

It doesn't even work out on a % basis where FGW^▸ (First Great Western) charges 21% extra and the Watford line = 13%.
The same variations apply when looking at Southeast Train to London Bridge and Southwest trains to Waterloo.

Last time I checked I was travelling in the same tube trains as my esteemed Watford commuters, and in fact can travel LESS as they have zones 7-9 included too, so why am I paying ^350 more?

Thanks

[didcotdean]

Start from Tring or Milton Keynes and the difference is ^900.

[NickB]

The variation is immense.  Completely confused by this.

[ChrisB]

Why would anyone pay more than TfLs^» (Transport for London - about) own Z1-6 Travelcard on Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)?

Then buy your Z1-6 on Oyster & a point-to-point season.....

[didcotdean]

That would be ^2288.

Watford Junction probably comes out anomalously low because it is actually a TfL^» (Transport for London - about) zone all of its own, although this doesn't explain the variations of the others. Now speculate on the impact of Crossrail on all of this ....

[ChrisB]

Extra zones, definitely. That'll be interesting to see where the boundaries are.

[Fourbee]

Guildford to London difference is ^784.

Whilst I was looking at that I noticed a Guildford to London Terminals via Reading annual season is ^4 cheaper than a Reading to London Terminals!

[ChrisB]

ooo, cue a rush of Reading commuters getting extra value!

[SDS]

What Reading commuters do not realise is there is a wonderful bl**dy annoying Easement which can cut the difference for a Reading-London Terminals season ticket by a lot.

7DS 102.60
PSS^▸ (Provincial Sector Services (aka Regional Railways, in the latter years of BR)) 1 Month 392.50
PSS 12 Months 4,088.00

Using said easement.
7DS 90.50
PSS 1 Month 347.60
PSS 12 Month 3,620.00

That is all...

[Fourbee]

What Reading commuters do not realise is there is a wonderful bl**dy annoying Easement which can cut the difference for a Reading-London Terminals season ticket by a lot.

7DS 102.60
PSS^▸ (Provincial Sector Services (aka Regional Railways, in the latter years of BR)) 1 Month 392.50
PSS 12 Months 4,088.00

Using said easement.
7DS 90.50
PSS 1 Month 347.60
PSS 12 Month 3,620.00

That is all...

I believe I have found it, but also if you look around that easement it should be possible to do it for 3,508.00.

I am not sure I'd want to try it out though as a "St Albans" situation would probably soon arise.

[JayMac]

Unsure if we're talking about the same easement, (I think it wise they're not publicised - but I'll share details privately, unless you work for FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here)!  ) but the prices I get for a Season valid into Paddington are:

7 Days ^87.70   
1 Month ^336.80   
12 Months ^3,508.00

[Fourbee]

Unsure if we're talking about the same easement, (I think it wise they're not publicised - but I'll share details privately, unless you work for FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here)!  ) but the prices I get for a Season valid into Paddington are:

7 Days ^87.70   
1 Month ^336.80   
12 Months ^3,508.00

That is identical 

I agree about not identifying it specifically (as SDS probably intended as well). As with the St Albans case, as soon at ATOC get wind of it the drawbridge is pulled up. There may be commuters out there already taking advantage.

[JayMac]

It occurs to me that even with just the prices it may be possible to deduce the easement and thus could see ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here) et al giving some scrutiny.

Best all round if we return to the OP^▸ (Original Poster / topic starter, or Off Peak, depending on context)'s original issue - the price disparity between outboundary Season Tickets that have Zones 1-6 Travelcard validity.

It does seem perverse that there are such wide ranging price differences. A standalone Zones 1-6 Travelcard is a fixed price. That fixed price should simply be added to the Anytown to London Terminals Season.

[JayMac]

Why would anyone pay more than TfLs^» (Transport for London - about) own Z1-6 Travelcard on Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)?

Then buy your Z1-6 on Oyster & a point-to-point season.....

That then become problematical if you want to make make intermediate journeys on the line of route of your point to point season at a National Rail station which has TFL^▸ (Transport for London) interchange in the zones. No problem with a paper Anytown to Zones 1-6 Season. Big problem with a combination of Anytown - London Terminals paper Season and a separate Zones 1-6 Season loaded on Oyster. After that change you touch out at your final Zones 1-6 station, but you've not previously touched in. And you can't touch in at the interchange station without previously touching out. Either way you have, at best, a maximum fare 'incomplete journey' charge on your Oyster. At worst you encounter TFL revenue bods and have some explaining to do to avoid an ^80 Penalty Fare.

[ChrisB]

You simply remember to touch *in* when you (inter)change, surely?