Rail Season Tickets - Cutting the Cost

cosmojohnson

iAMaLONDONER wrote: »

Tfl doesn't sell any 6 monthly travelcards as far as I'm aware

You can get 3 or 6 month travelcards via Oyster online, and this TfL document suggests an 'odd period' travelcard is available on Oyster from tube and Overground ticket offices.

aleph_0

cosmojohnson wrote: »

You can get 3 or 6 month travelcards via Oyster online, and this TfL document suggests an 'odd period' travelcard is available on Oyster from tube and Overground ticket offices.

That's a useful link! It also states you can buy "Odd period Travelcard" on on oyster, which will be the any period > 1 month tickets required (and, of course, you can buy them from NR ticket offices in paper form).

iAMaLONDONER

cosmojohnson wrote: »

You can get 3 or 6 month travelcards via Oyster online, and this TfL document suggests an 'odd period' travelcard is available on Oyster from tube and Overground ticket offices.

Interesting I've never heard of odd period TfL season tickets -TfL seem to keep it very quiet and no mention is made of this tickets in the fares list (or the cost of them!)

The_Groat_Counter

iAMaLONDONER wrote: »

Interesting I've never heard of odd period TfL season tickets -TfL seem to keep it very quiet and no mention is made of this tickets in the fares list (or the cost of them!)

Odd period Travelcards and London bus passes have always been available. The price is simply calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

The OPs saving is only £166 which isnt a great deal of money in the grand scheme of things but is a nice saving providing they remember each ticket to buy and dont simply forget and run into getting a Penalty fare if applicable.

Also there is no Gold card for the monthlies which for me gives better savings all year round for other journeys which are not part of the regular commute and could well save the OP more than they are for their season.

All depends how much travelling one would do outside the commute though as I know a lot of people just dont bother and would drive.

iAMaLONDONER

The_Groat_Counter wrote: »

Odd period Travelcards and London bus passes have always been available. The price is simply calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Hmm but I'm not sure you can purchase those at the ticket machine, can you? (Especially when 260 ticket offices will be closed next year!)

AliceBanned

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

The OPs saving is only £166 which isnt a great deal of money in the grand scheme of things but is a nice saving providing they remember each ticket to buy and dont simply forget and run into getting a Penalty fare if applicable.

Also there is no Gold card for the monthlies which for me gives better savings all year round for other journeys which are not part of the regular commute and could well save the OP more than they are for their season.

All depends how much travelling one would do outside the commute though as I know a lot of people just dont bother and would drive.

I work from home one day a week - I am now paying £18.80 daily four days a week, and have six weeks' leave plus bank holidays. It works out almost the same as having the season ticket, but I prefer not to have £260 deducted from my salary before I get it each month. I also have the option of getting a bus, despite living 31 miles outside London so the commute will take 1 hour 20 as opposed to 30 mins on train, but will cost £11 return! If work has a free parking space on any given day I can also drive in.

I really need to stop paying £18.80 per day and get the bus but haven't tried it yet; new to the area and trying to suss it all out. Driving is not too bad, I've tried it a few times but each time I do it makes the train feel like a luxury - which I guess it is at those prices. Work can't always guarantee a spot and I can only find out at 7am on the day!

Annual season ticket cost is £3140.

It is more straightforward, but more expensive up front, if I just get an annual season ticket but I'm trying to pay off debts including overdraft so am trying it this way for now.:cool:

I also have a car for weekends and evenings and don't often go out by train, just to work so I do resent paying for the annual season. I don't have any cash up front at present to buy a monthly season ticket. Lots of people are queuing up to buy the daily tickets in the morning, though never so many that I miss the train, and at the moment there is a ticket office (it is London Midland).

Jeff_Bridges_hair

I can see the season isnt good for everyone but just working out roughly you would be better off buying the annual thorugh a season ticket loan from work maybe?
You only pay for 40 weeks on the annual too.

Annual - £3140 - benefits of as many journeys asa you want between the two points plus the gold card for discounts for you and others within the NSE area.

How you are travelling now(Roughly)


£18.80 x 4 days per week x 52 weeks = £3910.40

You have 6 weeks holiday so thats -£451.20 off that which brings it down to £3459.2

Im an unsure if your bank holidays mean you work 3 days on those weeks BUT even taking those 8 off which is -£150.4 brings it down to £3308.8


So just by purchasing an annual you are already saving £168.80 over what you are actually doing now and getting the other benefits with it. Thats a pretty nice saving the other way from the OP.

AliceBanned

Thanks Jeff Bridges hair, I know what you are saying. Your calculations are correct (thanks!) although I forgot to include ten days' flexi leave per year (£18.80 x ten more to take off the cost of my travel). So there really isn't much in it, and I can get a season ticket through work.

Two reasons why not to:

1 I am looking for a new job (not sure how long it will take)
2 as you can see in my signature I have a lot of debt. This causes me a lot of anxiety and I am trying different ways to sort it out, and not having a season ticket helps me a bit psychologically as I have a bigger chunk going in each month..so some of it can go on a credit card/overdraft. I doubt it reduces the fees by much, if anything. Also it gives me the flexibility to use the bus and drive on some days, saying me £7-8 each day I do it, although causing me a bit more stress.