Been buying wrong train ticket for 20 months!

SavingLouLou

Hi MSE,

This is my first post!

Yesterday I realised I have been buying the wrong train ticket on my Oyster card for the 20 months I have been living in Putney, Zone 2. This is because I use the machines and Oyster (rarely a person there), and it's never been clear the best / cheapest ticket to buy! I thought buying a Travel Card Zones 1-2 for £131 a month was my only option (and cheaper than Pay As You go or weekly), whereas I now have learnt a Putney (station) to London Terminals Travel card for £72 a month is the ticket for me as I only need to get to Waterloo.

Is it worth me complaining to TFL about this? I am always frustrated and furious that our rail companies make train ticket buying so confusing! And the cheapest options are rarely clearly advertised.

Thanks in advance for the advice,
SavingLouLou

KeithP

Why would complaining to TfL be the thing to do?

You bought the wrong ticket.
Were you not sold exactly what you asked for?

Barny1979

Unfortunately I agree with the first response, you are where you are, I would have personally looked at all ticket options etc and contacted TfL originally to see what the most cost effective way was.

Barny1979

To add though, if you do contact TfL, in my one experience they were very helpful, I presume you have a TfL account as you have an Oyster card, so they can see what journeys you've taken and may give some refund as a gesture of good will?

KeithP

Also note that Putney Station is managed by South Western Railway, not Transport for London.

A question might be: who actually sold you the ticket?

SavingLouLou

Yes I did buy the wrong ticket, but the other option (London terminals season ticket) was not clearly advertised as an option from my recollection. I bought through the ticket machine rather than a person, as the counters are rarely manned.

Thanks for the advice - I think I!!!8217;ll contact TFL or try at least to speak to someone to see if there is something that can be done for goodwill. I am furious with myself for getting it wrong but I honestly wasn!!!8217;t aware there was another option.

elverson

The "London Terminals" ticket is a National Rail product sold by SWR so TfL aren't obliged to market it.

Are you sure you've never used your Oyster ticket for any other travel e.g. tube or bus in Central London?

Alfrescodave

Just look at it as future money saved rather than past money lost

SavingLouLou

Thank you. Useful to know it's a SWR ticket and nothing to do with TFL. I have used the travel card for the odd bus ride and very rarely on the tube so I guess it's not all been a waste.

And thanks Alfrescodave - you're right I should look at it positively for the future!

elverson

Also I believe that the monthly/annual SWR tickets don't show up on the machines because you need a photocard for these tickets:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46571.aspx

surreysaver

SavingLouLou wrote: »

Yesterday I realised I have been buying the wrong train ticket on my Oyster card for the 20 months I have been living in Putney, Zone 2. This is because I use the machines and Oyster (rarely a person there), and it's never been clear the best / cheapest ticket to buy! I thought buying a Travel Card Zones 1-2 for £131 a month was my only option (and cheaper than Pay As You go or weekly), whereas I now have learnt a Putney (station) to London Terminals Travel card for £72 a month is the ticket for me as I only need to get to Waterloo.

You're probably confusing yourself by calling it a Putney to London Terminals Travelcard. A Travelcard includes the zones - if it is just a point-to-point ticket, it is called a Season Ticket, and it won't be available on an Oystercard - it has to be an old-fashoined cardboard ticket.
The best thing to do (as you are now doing) is to do your research online before proceeding.