Season Ticket v Oyster PAYG

[VauxhallandI]

Cheshunt zone 8.

My g/f season ticket has expired. Is it better for her just to renew or go on to using oyster PAYG?

 

[yorkie]

No idea, as it depends on how "better" is defined, and also where exactly she travels to, and how long/far she is prepared to walk, and crucially whether she is able to travel at off peak periods on the outward and/or return journey.

If she travels somewhere that incurs the mixed mode 'tax' at peak times, then I can't imagine PAYG will be cost effective...

 

[VauxhallandI]

Sorry yes poor post done on the hoof!

Peak times to Victoria.

No time for walking.

I didn't think PAYG would be good but I did say I would ask

 

[MikeWh]

As long as she commutes more than 3 days a week then a travelcard will be cheaper.

 

[VauxhallandI]

As long as she commutes more than 3 days a week then a travelcard will be cheaper.

Season ticket it is, thanks for the confirmation folks
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
She is going to purchase the new ticket in the morning.

It is a Cheshunt to all zones.

She wants it loaded on to the Oyster so she doesn't have to get the paper ticket out all the time.

So in effect she is buying TFL zone 1-8 ticket so it cannot be purchased as Theobalds Grove?

 

[bb21]

Which station will she be buying the ticket at?

 

[MikeWh]

She is going to purchase the new ticket in the morning.

It is a Cheshunt to all zones.

She wants it loaded on to the Oyster so she doesn't have to get the paper ticket out all the time.

So in effect she is buying TFL zone 1-8 ticket so it cannot be purchased as Theobalds Grove?

No. If it is a zonal travelcard and she wants to enter/exit at Cheshunt then it will need zones 1-8. If she is travelling from Theobalds Grove and wants the option to travel via Cheshunt without leaving the station then a zone 1-7 travelcard will be fine as long as she has some PAYG balance available should she be checked in zone 8.

 

[VauxhallandI]

No. If it is a zonal travelcard and she wants to enter/exit at Cheshunt then it will need zones 1-8. If she is travelling from Theobalds Grove and wants the option to travel via Cheshunt without leaving the station then a zone 1-7 travelcard will be fine as long as she has some PAYG balance available should she be checked in zone 8.

She wants a season ticket to Cheshunt not Theo plus PAYG.

She wants to buy it from Theo but they only do oyster top up via the TVM. Not sure if you can buy an annual on it
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

No. If it is a zonal travelcard and she wants to enter/exit at Cheshunt then it will need zones 1-8. If she is travelling from Theobalds Grove and wants the option to travel via Cheshunt without leaving the station then a zone 1-7 travelcard will be fine as long as she has some PAYG balance available should she be checked in zone 8.

She wants a season tick to Cheshunt not Theo with PAYG to Cheshunt.

Buying from Theo but oyster is via TVM only there, do they sell annuals on the machine?

Is there a GA Cheshunt to all zones ticket?

 

[causton]

You could buy a paper travelcard from GA I think... but the easiest way should be to buy it from the TfL Oyster website?

 

[Be3G]

For the avoidance of any doubt, these are the options available:

• A Cheshunt to Zones 1–6 paper season ticket. This provides travel on either of the two lines from Cheshunt towards zone 6, plus unlimited travel within the six main travelcard zones. It is available over the counter from all National Rail stations.
• A Zone 1–8 travelcard paper season ticket, which provides unlimited travel within zones 1–8 (which means travel to Watford High Street and some Met Line stations is included too). It is available over the counter from all National Rail stations.
• A Zone 1-8 travelcard season on an Oyster card. This is available only from National Rail/London Overground stations that deal with Oyster cards over the counter, tube stations, and TfL travel information centres. Additionally, monthly or shorter seasons are available from some Oyster ticket stops (e.g. newsagents), the nearest of which to Cheshunt is Tracy Anne Newsagents on the High Street not far from Theobalds Grove.

All of the above cost the same amount of money, and if purchased as an annual season, provide the same gold card benefits. Simple eh?

 

[VauxhallandI]

For the avoidance of any doubt, these are the options available:

• A Cheshunt to Zones 1–6 paper season ticket. This provides travel on either of the two lines from Cheshunt towards zone 6, plus unlimited travel within the six main travelcard zones. It is available over the counter from all National Rail stations.
• A Zone 1–8 travelcard paper season ticket, which provides unlimited travel within zones 1–8 (which means travel to Watford High Street and some Met Line stations is included too). It is available over the counter from all National Rail stations.
• A Zone 1-8 travelcard season on an Oyster card. This is available only from National Rail/London Overground stations that deal with Oyster cards over the counter, tube stations, and TfL travel information centres. Additionally, monthly or shorter seasons are available from some Oyster ticket stops (e.g. newsagents), the nearest of which to Cheshunt is Tracy Anne Newsagents on the High Street not far from Theobalds Grove.

All of the above cost the same amount of money, and if purchased as an annual season, provide the same gold card benefits. Simple eh?

Ticket successfully purchased at Tottenham Hale.

Does she still need to touch in and out? Eg you need to touch in at Victoria it not at Theo or necessary at Cheshunt.

 

[hassaanhc]

Ticket successfully purchased at Tottenham Hale.

Does she still need to touch in and out? Eg you need to touch in at Victoria it not at Theo or necessary at Cheshunt.

She should still touch in and out, even if she thinks she will be staying inside the zones. If she happens to go outside the zones and has the Oyster checked then many inspectors will see the large amount of incomplete journeys as fare evasion (as incomplete journeys where the touch was inside the zones do not get charged a maximum fare). And also to remember that a negative PAYG balance makes the season ticket invalid until the negative balance is cleared (I almost got a £20 penalty fare for this).

 

[EM2]

And also to remember that a negative PAYG balance makes the season ticket invalid until the negative balance is cleared (I almost got a £20 penalty fare for this).

That's handy to know! I've had seasons on Oyster for about five years and never knew this.

 

[VauxhallandI]

That's handy to know! I've had seasons on Oyster for about five years and never knew this.

Thanks again folks all useful stuff.

What is the logic in the negative balance rendering your season ticket invalid? I can't see the rationale, is it me being daft or is it another railway special?

As the Season ticket is 1-8 then she won't ever be charged PAYG?

 

[Hadders]

As the Season ticket is 1-8 then she won't ever be charged PAYG?

A journey to somewhere outside zones 1-8 would result in a PAYG charge, Grays or Watford Junction for example. Or the Emirates Airline.

 

[MikeWh]

A journey to somewhere outside zones 1-8 would result in a PAYG charge, Grays or Watford Junction for example. Or the Emirates Airline.

Or zone 9, Brentwood, Shenfield, or even Broxbourne!

 

[VauxhallandI]

A journey to somewhere outside zones 1-8 would result in a PAYG charge, Grays or Watford Junction for example. Or the Emirates Airline.

No danger of her getting out there

 

[Be3G]

Or zone 9, Brentwood, Shenfield, or even Broxbourne!

…or Thames Clippers!

 

[Mojo]

What is the logic in the negative balance rendering your season ticket invalid? I can't see the rationale, is it me being daft or is it another railway special?

Because in effect you are "in debt" and they need to get some way of making you pay the money back! Else for instance you could run up hundreds of pounds worth of journeys which you get out of paying for!