Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

starlite_2

If it's the underground that is the issue he could get an overground from waterloo to london bridge, then a thameslink to st pancras which is 5 minutes walk from Euston. A roundabout way of doing it, but quite fast.

I do this a lot as the tubes are impossible with a pram.

dzug

starlite wrote: »

he could get an overground from waterloo to london bridge

Noooooo. Yes it's a possible rail route, but it's not the 'overground', which does not serve Waterloo. It consists of only a few of the surface lines in London, not all of them. Blame Ken for allowing a misleading name.

I know it's being ultra picky on words, but it matters. A poster here got a £20 penalty fare recently for thinking something very similar, assuming his ticket was valid on the 'overground' (which it was) when he wasn't travelling on the 'overground', just a normal rail line.


It's an easy 25 minute bus journey with no changes if he doesn't like travelling underground.

starlite_2

Overground is what everyone here in London calls the trains.

But I see what you mean.

starlite_2

And don't blame Ken, bring him back!

dzug

starlite wrote: »

Overground is what everyone here in London calls the trains.

Yes I know - but it confuses the unwary - and even the wary on occasion.

Eventually it won't matter - the validity of PAYG Oyster is gradually being extended.

starlite_2

And good job too!

my friend did get caught out by this, She was visiting me from Sheffield. Tried to get a train from charing cross to Blackheath with her Oyster as she assumed she could and found out she couldn't. She had no money on her and the station manager was so rude he made her cry.

gner_ex

starlite wrote: »

Overground is what everyone here in London calls the trains.

But I see what you mean.

No it isn't. I never call it that. The correct term is "National Rail"... or even BR.

As Dzug has said, London Overground Rail Operations Ltd is just one of about ten operators who make up National Rail in London.... others are First Capital Connect, South Eastern Trains. etc etc.

Overground and overland are largely meaningless terms.

gner_ex

starlite wrote: »

And good job too!

my friend did get caught out by this, She was visiting me from Sheffield. Tried to get a train from charing cross to Blackheath with her Oyster as she assumed she could and found out she couldn't. She had no money on her and the station manager was so rude he made her cry.

Starlight, did your friends Oyster card work at the barriers at Charing Cross and let her through onto the platform?

If so, I would be happy to draft you a letter to try to get her money back.

gner_ex

starlite wrote: »

If it's the underground that is the issue he could get an overground from waterloo to london bridge, then a thameslink to st pancras which is 5 minutes walk from Euston. A roundabout way of doing it, but quite fast.

I do this a lot as the tubes are impossible with a pram.

Just as an aside, I discovered today that a ticket with the Maltese cross on allows one to travel via (selected) underground stations or via the Thameslink route:

"The via London, Maltese Cross symbol (D ) on a ticket signifies that the ticket may be used via London Underground or Thameslink services. Unless a ticket specifies that the journey must be made via London, passengers are free to use an alternative ‘permitted route’ for their journey as provided by the Routeing Guide. In some instances (particularly long distance cross country journeys) the Fares Manual will show an "any permitted" fare but without the via London, Maltese cross (D) symbol. Reference to Section C (yellow pages) may show via London to be a permitted route for this journey and in such instances travel via London to include cross-London transfer would be permitted."

Source http://www.atoc.org/rsp/_downloads/Routeing_Guide/instructions.htm

What I'm not sure of, is whether Southampton to [some place north of Preston] is permitted via London Bridge or not.

WHATAWIT - if you can find out the type or price of this ticket, I am happy to tell you all the routes he can take with it (need to know the destination station too). In general, if it is a flexible ticket I would expect it to be valid on cross country as well as on SWT/Virgin West Coast.

ticketcollector

gner_ex wrote: »

East Coast Mainline tickets to "London Terminals". A piece of advice I uncovered recently. If you have a saver or open type ticket from any ECML destination (Edinburgh, Leeds, Peterborough, Potters Bar, Herford North, Alexandra Palace) to London Terminals, it is valid on any of the following:

-a train that goes from Finsbury Park into London Kings Cross
-a train that goes from Finsbury Park into London Moorgate (you may alight at Moorgate or Old Street, all three count as a Terminal, plus alight/board at the other stations subject to normal break of journey regulations)
-a London Underground train from Kings Cross to Moorgate or vice versa (can be via Farringdon or via Angel) but you cannot alight at intermediate underground stations apart from Old Street.

This is a long-standing concession dating from the late 1970s (when trains from Finsbury Park stopped going down the widened lines to Farringdon and Moorgate and instead started going via Highbury/Old Street on the Northern City Line) note that you cannot use the National Rail (First Capital Connect) trains from St. Panc low-level to Moorgate, though these are due to cease at the end of this year anyway.

If you want to check this before you travel, then the ticket office staff should have access to the fares manual where this is stated and should show to you upon request.



Wanting a paper ticket for travel on national rail services from Finsbury Park to Kings Cross or Moorgate? Because oyster is valid on this route, you'll get charged £4 single and £7 return if you dare to purchase a cash ticket. Unless of course you know a little trick:

AT FINSBURY PARK ticket machines or ticket office
Instead of pressing "London Terminals" or "Kings Cross", type in Farringdon. Some Farringdon fares allow use on the tube, these are more expensive. What you are looking for is a button labelled Farringdon Rail Only which is £2.30 single or £4.00 return (peak or off-peak, railcard makes it even cheaper). This ticket is valid either via Kings Cross (go out the exit by platforms 9, 10 and 11 and turn right, then into St. Pancras and down to the Thameslink platforms) or via Moorgate BUT on National Rail trains ONLY and NOT the Underground. The only possible flaw with this is that National Rail trains from Moorgate to Farringdon only run Mon-Fri peaks, however this ticket _should_ let you out of the barriers at Moorgate no problem (reports please?).

AT KINGS CROSS ticket machines/office or MOORGATE ticket office
Instead of pressing "Finsbury Park" press Harringay. Ticket is £2.90 single (peak or off-peak) return is £3.80 (off-peak after 09:30, no evening restriction) or £5.00 (peak before 09:29).

The Oyster single fare from Finsbury Park to Moorgate or Kings Cross is £2.00 (touch in from 07:00 to 19:00 Mon-Fri) or £1.50 (touch-in before 06:59 or after 19:01 Mon-Fri, or on Sat and Sun), therefore if you are going both ways between 09:30 and 19:00 Mon-Fri then paper is actually cheaper!

You are aware that purchasing a ticket priced at a lower price and getting off at a station earlier (which would have cost more) can result in you being charged the difference in price. If you get caught by Fraud they will Caution you and recommend you for prosecution for fare evasion. Its in the NCoC and Ticket Examiners Handbook.