Rail - London Terminals

[Stocko]

I regularly travel between Birmingham and Wimbledon, often going via Euston. I can get an Open Return ticket to Euston and then complete the journey by tube (using Oyster).

My return ticket says "From: London Terminals" and says I can use any permitted route.

Firstly, what are classed as London Terminals!? Is there a list? I can easily get a train from Wimbledon to Waterloo, or to Clapham Junction and get a route back from there. I presume Waterloo is a London Terminal. Is Clapham?

Basically, do I need to get to Euston before my ticket becomes valid??

[Browntoa]

I think London Terminals is the majors...Victoria,Kings cross, Euston, Waterloo, Charing Cross, Cannon Street ,Marlybone, London Bridge , Liverpool Street , Fenchurch Street and nothing else

[Altarf]

London Terminal tickets are valid to the first 'London Terminal' station that you arrive at (or leave from). So in your case it is valid as far as Euston and no further.

And if you want to know what a 'permitted route' is (and believe me, you probably don't) then have a look here -

http://www.on-the-train.demon.co.uk/RossRail/routeing.html
and
http://www.davros.org/rail/routeing-guide.html

[tubechallenger]

There is an easement on the South Western for that one - Vauxhall is also classed as a London Terminal so there is an easement that permits travel into London Waterloo.

[charley_17/7]

According to the NFM (National Fares Manual), London Terminals are:

City Thameslink
Kings Cross Thameslink
London Blackfriars
London Bridge
London Cannon Street
London Charing Cross
London Euston
London Fenchurch Street
London Kings Cross
London Liverpool Street
London Marylebone
London Paddington
London St Pancras
London Victoria
London Waterloo
Moorgate Underground*
Old Street Underground
Vauxhall

*not for services via Kings Cross Thameslink

[dzug]

Your ticket from Birmingham to London terminals would also be valid to Marylebone via High Wycombe or to Paddington via Oxford or High Wycombe.

It is not valid at any other London terminal or at Clapham Junction - as there is no valid route by which you can get to them.

One rather devious exception - if you get the Virgin Cross Country train that goes from Birmingham via Reading to Kensington Olympia and Gatwick you can get off at Kensington Olympia, get a local train to Clapham Junction and another to Waterloo. As you have an open ticket, you can break your journey at CJ. Is it worth it? Probably not.

[KeithP]

Could the OP perhaps get off a Euston bound train at Watford Junction, then travel via Silverlink or Southern to Clapham Junction (breaking a journey to Waterloo here)?
I don't know whether this is a valid route to London Terminals - Waterloo.

[dzug]

Could the OP perhaps get off a Euston bound train at Watford Junction, then travel via Silverlink or Southern to Clapham Junction (breaking a journey to Waterloo here)?
I don't know whether this is a valid route to London Terminals - Waterloo.

I suspect (but haven't checked) that a ticket to Clapham Junction via this route would be cheaper than the fare to Euston.....

[coral]

Indeed what you could do if it fits in with your timings is buy a ticket to Clapham Junction instead - standard open return is £93.80 - you'd need to change at Watford Jcn to the Southern service round and then buy a seperate ticket to Wimbledon which is £1.90.

If you want to save even more money then investigate other routes - either up via Northampton on Silverlink/Central or Chiltern via Marylebone - this can be done from Wimbledon for £16 return off peak.

[impy78]

I regularly travel between Birmingham and Wimbledon, often going via Euston. I can get an Open Return ticket to Euston and then complete the journey by tube (using Oyster).

My return ticket says "From: London Terminals" and says I can use any permitted route.

Firstly, what are classed as London Terminals!? Is there a list? I can easily get a train from Wimbledon to Waterloo, or to Clapham Junction and get a route back from there. I presume Waterloo is a London Terminal. Is Clapham?

Basically, do I need to get to Euston before my ticket becomes valid??

I used a London Terminal ticket the other week from and to Vauxhall, so I assume Clapham would also count.

[dzug]

I used a London Terminal ticket the other week from and to Vauxhall, so I assume Clapham would also count.


Not from Birmingham - it's not on a valid route.

[impy78]

Not from Birmingham - it's not on a valid route.

Actually, I went to Chatham from Vauxhall, for which you have to go to Waterloo.

The start and end of my journey was a London Terminal, so it doesn't matter whether I have to go to another London terminal to make the journey.

The question would just be whether Clapham counts as a London terminal.

[dzug]

Actually, I went to Chatham from Vauxhall, for which you have to go to Waterloo.

The start and end of my journey was a London Terminal, so it doesn't matter whether I have to go to another London terminal to make the journey.

The question would just be whether Clapham counts as a London terminal.

Not according to the list charley_17/7 posted above

[KeithP]

...The question would just be whether Clapham counts as a London terminal.

Or... the question could be whether it is acceptable to break a journey at Clapham Junction on the way to a valid London Terminal.