train travel

would_be_monty

I have to travel from essex to reading 1 or 2 random days a week for 2 months the fare is 43 pounds each day and I will have to give up a voluntary job I love I have to travel peak and can find no cheap tickets anyone have any ideas

wealdroam

would_be_monty wrote: »

I have to travel from essex to reading 1 or 2 random days a week for 2 months the fare is 43 pounds each day and I will have to give up a voluntary job I love I have to travel peak and can find no cheap tickets anyone have any ideas

Essex is a big place. Nearly seventy miles from Ilford to Harwich.

Can you tell us where you will be travelling from?

macman

Are you buying your tickets in advance or do you only know you will be travelling on the actual day of travel?
Railcard?

would_be_monty

wealdroam wrote: »

Essex is a big place. Nearly seventy miles from Ilford to Harwich.

Can you tell us where you will be travelling from?

Hi yes grays in Thurrock

would_be_monty

macman wrote: »

Are you buying your tickets in advance or do you only know you will be travelling on the actual day of travel?
Railcard?

Unfortunately I wont know until the day I travel

wealdroam

Using Oyster, or contactless payment card, the fare via zone one from Grays to West Drayton is £6.80 off peak or £7.80 peak.

By avoiding zone one, travelling via Stratford, Willesden Junc, Shepherds Bush, the above fares become £4.10 and £5.00 respectively. This route will take longer.

An Anytime Day Return from West Drayton to Reading is £20.70.

If you are returning after the evening peak, your day return fare could be as low as £29.80.

If all your travel is during peak times and via zone one, then the fare could be £36.30.

martindow

wealdroam wrote: »

Using Oyster, or contactless payment card, the fare via zone one from Grays to West Drayton is £6.80 off peak or £7.80 peak.

By avoiding zone one, travelling via Stratford, Willesden Junc, Shepherds Bush, the above fares become £4.10 and £5.00 respectively. This route will take longer.

An Anytime Day Return from West Drayton to Reading is £20.70.

If you are returning after the evening peak, your day return fare could be as low as £29.80.

If all your travel is during peak times and via zone one, then the fare could be £36.30.

I think the OP should get a boundary zone 6 to Reading ticket, otherwise he will have to use slow trains that stop at West Drayton. I think zonal tickets allow fast trains to be used.

wealdroam

martindow wrote: »

I think the OP should get a boundary zone 6 to Reading ticket, otherwise he will have to use slow trains that stop at West Drayton. I think zonal tickets allow fast trains to be used.

Yes, that is also a possibility.

But as the 'ticket' from Grays to West Drayton is also zonal, then there is no need for the train to stop there anyway.

Except of course to touch in/out whatever ticket is held, but maybe that isn't necessary in either case.

yorkie2

martindow wrote: »

I think the OP should get a boundary zone 6 to Reading ticket, otherwise he will have to use slow trains that stop at West Drayton.

You forgot to mention "and a Travelcard"

Boundary Zone tickets are Travelcard extensions. This is described in the RailUK Fares Guide - 4.4 Travelcard boundary extensions

martindow wrote: »

I think zonal tickets allow fast trains to be used.

You are correct that a combination of zonal tickets is a valid combination under Condition 19(a) of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, with no requirement for the train to call at any station.

yorkie2

wealdroam wrote: »

But as the 'ticket' from Grays to West Drayton is also zonal, then there is no need for the train to stop there anyway.

Grays to West Drayton using Pay As You Go (PAYG) pricing is not a zonal ticket, as the definition of "Zonal Tickets" in the NRCoC "are those tickets which permit travel only within a defined area".

Although a rather loose and inadequate definition, arguably a point to point PAYG fare isn't a fare valid within a defined area.

Yes, PAYG is only valid within the PAYG area, but that's not intended to be the interpretation.

That said, if anyone has a really good solicitor and is prepared to test this, feel free!

But...

wealdroam wrote: »

Except of course to touch in/out whatever ticket is held, but maybe that isn't necessary in either case.

If you use PAYG and do not touch out, you will be charged a maximum fare for an incomplete journey (in addition to being charged separately for Grays-Paddington)

On the return journey, failing to touch in would result in a maximum fare being charged on arrival at Paddington, in addition to the fare from Paddington to Grays, in addition to being liable for a Penalty Fare if caught.

jbuchanangb

The OP is looking at the Anytime return Grays to Reading which is £43.
Off peak day return would be £34.
Anytime travel card Grays to Zone 6 is £19, so depending on timing maybe combining that with an off peak return from Boundary zone 6 to Reading would save money. That ticket is £11.40, so combining an Anytime travel card with that would get Grays to Reading and back for about £30.40. It works as long as the train through West Drayton is after 9.30am and doesn't need to stop there.
If the whole journey was off-peak, I think the off peak travel card from Grays at £16.50 with the off peak ticket BZ6 to Reading does the whole job for £27.90 which is £6.10 less than the Grays to Reading Off-peak day return.