Tickets cheaper online than at ticket machine?

[Pdf]

I'm planning to travel tomorrow from Whitechapel to Oxford and when making sure that the ticket machines at Whitechapel will sell me that itinerary (wasn't sure since it's an underground station) I noticed something strange. Online an off-peak return from Whitechapel to Oxford with a railcard is £23.20, but from the ticket machines the same ticket was £24 (plus some amount of pence which I've forgotten). Any idea why this is and is it possible to get the machine to sell me the cheaper ticket? (Unfortunately I can't buy online and collect as Whitechapel doesn't allow collection of pre-booked tickets). £23.20 is the fare advertised on nationalrail.co.uk, so it's not split tickets or anything like that.

 

[Gaelan]

Looks like there's distinct fares from Whitechapel NR (Elizabeth/Overground) and Whitechapel LU; were you using a TfL ticket machine?

 

[Pdf]

I'm pretty sure they're all TfL machines there.

 

[Haywain]

Looks like there's distinct fares from Whitechapel NR (Elizabeth/Overground) and Whitechapel LU; were you using a TfL ticket machine?

Looking at BRFares.com there appears to be a whole host of fares applicable from Whitechapel LU, most of which don't involve travelling on the Elizabeth line.

 

[JonathanH]

Looking at BRFares.com there appears to be a whole host of fares applicable from Whitechapel LU, most of which don't involve travelling on the Elizabeth line.

Due to the limitations of BRFares, some wouldn't even be valid from Whitechapel LU based on their routeing - eg the one from London Zones 2-3 routed via Ealing Common / West Acton. However, the one from Zone 1-3 routed that way would be usable on the District Line direct from Whitechapel to Ealing Broadway.

£23.20 is the right fare for going on the Elizabeth Line but requires a ticket machine set for National Rail fares from Whitechapel.

 

[avid2424]

The OP travelling tomorrow. If per chance passing by a real station today could collect ticket there, as any station can be used to collect ticket

Obviously it is important to have a valid itinerary re tomorrow’s travel

 

[JonathanH]

Going to Shadwell or Shoreditch High Street may be an option to use a London Overground machine.

 

[Pdf]

Going to an overground station was the right call. Hopefully TfL gives Whitechapel full service ticket machines some day.

 

[island]

For no good reason, POMs at Underground stations often charge marginally different amounts for National Rail tickets. I don't think the forum has ever gotten to the bottom of it all.

 

[Wallsendmag]

For no good reason, POMs at Underground stations often charge marginally different amounts for National Rail tickets. I don't think the forum has ever gotten to the bottom of it all.

There was a change to the rounding rules a few years back, some TIS have never applied the latest rules though.

 

[Ralph Ayres]

Rounding rules is definitely one reason; the change wasn't well communicated. LU POMs also don't take 5p pieces so an odd 5p is rounded down even if paying by card.

Another reason is that for some journeys there is more than one agreed way to set the fare. Anything involving a section of line with interavailable LU/NR ticket acceptance (eg Stratford-Liverpool Street) is particularly prone to discrepancies. Sorting it out would have knock-on effects on nearby stations' fares and it's always been put in the "too hard" box, with the excuse that both fares are correct so no-one is technically being overcharged.