London Travelcard rules

KevinG

stragglebod wrote: »

I hadn't quoted anything. I don't think you have as good a grasp of detail as you think you do. So I think it's highly likely you've made mistakes in your calculations.

But since you won't tell anyone what journey you want to make there's no way for us to check and help you.

Well you clearly hadn't quoted the Travelcard fare, which was the only issue. I can't see anything that I have missed (Cornucopia has come up with the same figure as me above) and I have stated exactly the journey I want to make. I have decided to take the risk and buy two travelcards as no one else has come up with anything cheaper.

KevinG

Cornucopia wrote: »

I would suggest having a look at Crawley -> London Victoria. That seems to give access back to cheaper fares and some of the discounts.

Thanks, I might have a look but going via Victoria would make no sense as I have through trains to St. Pancras. (And St. Pancras doesn't count as London Terminals from here either.)

silvercar

KevinG wrote: »

No offence intended silvercar, but how is any of that relevant?

I was showing how using split ticketing you can get a return fare for £23.20 (railcard fare £15.30). A lot cheaper than the fares you were quoting.

silvercar wrote:

Looking at splitticketing.com

For the adult:
Crawley to East Croydon, Advance Single (SAV) £5.00
(Only valid on booked Southern services).
East Croydon to London St Pancras Anytime Day Single (SDS) £6.60
Not valid for travel on London Underground services.
London St Pancras to East Croydon Anytime Day Single (SDS) £6.60
Not valid for travel on London Underground services.
East Croydon to Crawley Advance Single (SAV) £5.00
Only valid on booked Southern services.
Fare: £23.20

Railcard fare for same journey is £15.30

Looking again, if you used contactless between East Croydon and St Pancras, those £6.60 fares reduce to £5.30 peak or £3.50 off peak, provided you stay on rail lines and don't stray onto the tube.

So now the return fares are £17 adult, £13.60 with a railcard.

KevinG

silvercar wrote: »

I was showing how using split ticketing you can get a return fare for £23.20 (railcard fare £15.30). A lot cheaper than the fares you were quoting.

And it would still work out cheaper for two adults (1 railcard) and two children? I very much doubt it given the child flat fare.

silvercar

KevinG wrote: »

And it would still work out cheaper for two adults (1 railcard) and two children? I very much doubt it given the child flat fare.

conditions for £2 fares are here:

https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/tickets/discounts-and-railcards/kids-for-2

Cornucopia

KevinG wrote: »

I have decided to take the risk and buy two travelcards as no one else has come up with anything cheaper.

I'd strongly recommend not doing that. If the system is not showing Travelcard as an option, then the most reasonable interpretation is that it is not intended to be an option.

I'd certainly check with Southern before booking (just on the off-chance that there is an error in the system).

Trains are expensive and the fares are often quite arbitrary-looking. That's how things are these days.

t0rt0ise

It would be interesting to know if you got caught OP as travelling the wrong direction on a ticket is definitely not allowed.

KevinG

t0rt0ise wrote: »

It would be interesting to know if you got caught OP as travelling the wrong direction on a ticket is definitely not allowed.

But there is no "wrong direction" on a Travelcard, wrong starting station perhaps.

yorkie2

t0rt0ise wrote: »

It would be interesting to know if you got caught OP as travelling the wrong direction on a ticket is definitely not allowed.

A customer may purchase a return ticket (including an "out-boundary" Travelcard, which entitles return travel from origin to the boundary of the relevant zones, plus unlimited travel within the relevant zones) and only use one portion.


So it's absolutely fine to buy two return tickets and use only one portion from each.


What is not okay is to use the outward portion after the return portion; once you start using the return portion, the outward portion ceases to have any validity whatsoever and is considered expired.

KevinG

yorkie2 wrote: »

A customer may purchase a return ticket (including an "out-boundary" Travelcard, which entitles return travel from origin to the boundary of the relevant zones, plus unlimited travel within the relevant zones) and only use one portion.

So it's absolutely fine to buy two return tickets and use only one portion from each.

What is not okay is to use the outward portion after the return portion; once you start using the return portion, the outward portion ceases to have any validity whatsoever and is considered expired.

Thank you, that is reassuring but does beg the question as to why I am not offered that option when booking online. Out of interest I tried thetrainline.com and that was even worse (£96.85), because I think they add a percentage on top.