Peak fares on TFL London 12 September 2021 at 10:27PM in Public transport & cycling 15 replies 320 views

adindas

I understand the Peak fares will apply onthe following days/hours

Monday to Friday (not on public holidays) between 06:30 and 09:30, and and between 16:00 and 19:00.

Is this peak hours are based on when you enter Zone 1 or at any zone within TFL where you start your journey ??

Say you travel from Zone 6 at 09.15 and arrive in Zone 1 at 09.45 on the same Tube/Train. Do you still pay the Peak fares ?

TIA

spenderdave

As far as I know, and in my experience, it is based on the start time of the journey. I have completed journeys after 4pm but only charged the off-peak fare. In your case you will be charged the peak rate.

nyermen

Yes - start of journey as I understand it.  I used to make a point of tapping in before 4pm when I left, and in the mornings I was taking a train getting into Paddington, it would arrive often after 6:30am (tapping in at around 5:50) but still off-peak fares.

That said, I've never travelled in peak to tap out off-peak, so i guess its possible its different.

kuratowski

One further nuance is that, in the evening, the definition of peak is directional - if you travel from outside zone 1 into zone 1, that still counts as off-peak, but only in the evening.

adindas

kuratowski said:

One further nuance is that, in the evening, the definition of peak is directional - if you travel from outside zone 1 into zone 1, that still counts as off-peak, but only in the evening.

Thanks for this, it is important information to know. I think it makes sense as the intention is to encourage people to travel off peak fares In the morning the traffic is from Outside Zone 1 to Zone1, the tube/train is crowded during the peak fares. In the afternoon/evening is crowded in the opposite direction.

If I understand it well, if you travel from Zone 4 to Zone 1 (say) after 09.30 there will be no Peak fares, even you start your journey  between16:00 and 19:00

Is it correct ??

Thanks again

jon81uk

adindas said:

If I understand it well, if you travel from Zone 4 to Zone 1 (say) after 09.30 there will be no Peak fares, even you start your journey  between16:00 and 19:00

That is my understanding.

All journeys are off peak if you start after 09.30 unless going out of zone 1 16.00 - 19.00

yorkie2

jon81uk said:

All journeys are off peak if you start after 09.30 unless going out of zone 1 16.00 - 19.00

Not quite. Regarding the evening peak, it's more accurate to say that peak fares do apply for tapping in between 1600-1900 unless there is an exception to this rule; the most well known exception being for travel from any higher numbered zone to Zone 1 in which case the off peak fare is charged. (Other exceptions also exist)

For example a Railcard holder can travel from Mornington Crescent to Waterloo at 1800 for only 1.65, however it would cost them 2.40 if they travelled the shorter journey from Euston to Waterloo.

Yes, it can be cheaper to travel further (and for other reasons too, but that's beyond the scope of this discussion!)

adindas

yorkie2 said:

Not quite. Regarding the evening peak, it's more accurate to say that peak fares do apply for tapping in between 1600-1900 unless there is an exception to this rule; the most well known exception being for travel from any higher numbered zone to Zone 1 in which case the off peak fare is charged. (Other exceptions also exist)

For example a Railcard holder can travel from Mornington Crescent to Waterloo at 1800 for only 1.65, however it would cost them 2.40 if they travelled the shorter journey from Euston to Waterloo.

Yes, it can be cheaper to travel further (and for other reasons too, but that's beyond the scope of this discussion!)

 
at 1800

Euston to Waterloo at £2.40 : It is  the same Zone 1 not from external outside Z1 (e.g Z2) into Z1. It makes sense to be charged peak fare as other wise people using circular lines, or using tube  within Z1 will never be charged Peak fares during peak hours.

Mornington Crescent to Waterloo for only 1.65, : This is from Z2 coming into Z1 so It makes sense to not be charged a peak fare.

I think if you are coming from Z4 (say) and traveling to Z1 during the afternoon/evening peak but still need to change train and need to tap during Peak hours, better to change the train outside Z1.

kuratowski

OP you may be interested by this site which has several pages explaining the ins and outs of the oyster/contactless systems.  The below page focuses on peak vs off-peak including the exceptions, but elsewhere there are several other edge cases documented (e.g. the short hops)

https://oysterfares.com/information-pages/peak-off-peak-and-caps/

jon81uk

yorkie2 said:

jon81uk said:

All journeys are off peak if you start after 09.30 unless going out of zone 1 16.00 - 19.00

Not quite. Regarding the evening peak, it's more accurate to say that peak fares do apply for tapping in between 1600-1900 unless there is an exception to this rule; the most well known exception being for travel from any higher numbered zone to Zone 1 in which case the off peak fare is charged. (Other exceptions also exist)

For example a Railcard holder can travel from Mornington Crescent to Waterloo at 1800 for only 1.65, however it would cost them 2.40 if they travelled the shorter journey from Euston to Waterloo.

Yes, it can be cheaper to travel further (and for other reasons too, but that's beyond the scope of this discussion!)

Yes so as I said, going OUT of zone 1 between 16.00 and 19.00 is a peak fare.
Coming into zone 1 is off-peak fares.
Going zone 1 to zone 1 is peak at all times (unless you have a railcard).

Railcards add a wholly different aspect to the question.

kuratowski

All journeys are off peak if you start after 09.30 unless going out of zone 1 16.00 - 19.00

I think what yorkie was pointing out, the above statement isn't correct.  Journeys not involving zone 1 are still liable for peak fares in the evening peak.
For example, Maida Vale (Z2) to Harrow & Wealdstone (Z5) costs £2.80 between Monday to Friday from 0630 to 0930 and from 1600 to 1900, and £1.70 at other times.  In both directions.
So it's fairer to say, as yorkie did, that all journeys starting between 4-7pm attract peak fares, and travelling into zone 1 is an exception to the rule.