Travelcard Routed THAMESLINK ONLY

[bubieyehyeh]

I'd like to ask about London travelcards routed Thameslink only such as https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=TBD&dest=0035&rte=789&tkt=ODT

As I understand it the "thameslink only" part only applies to the journey from Three bridges to the boundary of zone 6, and I can travel on any train company once within the zones. However the ticket restrictions aren't very clear on this point.

Therefore I understand I need to travel on Thameslink to/from the zones (i.e. East Croydon), but I can then change onto southern to travel to London Victoria.

If my understanding is correct, I'm worried I might have hassle or my time-wasted by poorly trained staff on southern trains or gateline staff at victoria thinking the ticket isn't valid because of the "Thameslink only" routing.

So I'm wondering if to pay extra (and get a ticket without thameslink only on it) to avoid the potential hassle and a potential delay to my journey.

So interested to hear if anyone who uses thameslink only travelcards within the zones and if they have had any issues and if so how often it occurs.

 

[Jan Mayen]

The Travelcard should operate the barriers at Victoria (except possibly 13 & 14, which are programmed for Gatwick Express). Should a Southern train arrive or depart from these platforms, you will (usually) be directed to the platform 12 barrier.

 

[Hadders]

The ticket is valid on the services of all train operators within the zones. While there are poorly trained members of staff working on the railway, and we cannot guarantee that you won’t encounter one on your travels, you should not need to pay more for your ticket ‘just in case’.

@yorkie would be very interested to know if any difficulties you encounter, and we would be happy to assist you in making a complaint in the event you encounter problems.

 

[infobleep]

You should be fine as it will open thr barriers at Victoria. I would think the only reason it might not would be if you had a discounted ticket with a railcard but even then it might.

 

[bubieyehyeh]

I should have mentioned I was intending to buy the ticket with a railcard, and I've found in the past the barriers at victoria can sometime reject discounted tickets, so more likely ticket will get a human inspection. I know there are no guarentees, I was hoping some who regularly uses such a ticket could share their experiences of using the ticket particularly at the victoria gateline or other train companies within the zones.

I'd not been able to get a website to generate a intinery with the ticket, to show at the gateline, so was trying to judge whether paying an extra £3 or so and splitting at gatwick to avoid the hassle.

 

[OscarH]

I could get the forum site to produce this by adding 2 via points:

1. Change at East Croydon
2. Pass, stop or change at London Victoria

This search for example returned the £10 (with railcard) Thameslink fare rather than the £13.20 Not Gatwick Express one that you get for a Southern train all the way from Three Bridges

 

[Hassocks5489]

I've been using Railcard-discounted Thameslink Only Travelcards for more than 20 years, and regularly travel to Bromley South via Victoria "South Eastern" side. They have never once worked at the gatelines at either Victoria SE side or Bromley South. However, I have only once had problems with poorly trained members of staff at a non-Thameslink claiming the ticket was not valid: that was at Surrey Quays, probably nearly 20 years ago.

 

[yorkie]

I'd like to ask about London travelcards routed Thameslink only such as https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=TBD&dest=0035&rte=789&tkt=ODT

As I understand it the "thameslink only" part only applies to the journey from Three bridges to the boundary of zone 6, and I can travel on any train company once within the zones. However the ticket restrictions aren't very clear on this point.

Therefore I understand I need to travel on Thameslink to/from the zones (i.e. East Croydon), but I can then change onto southern to travel to London Victoria.

If my understanding is correct, I'm worried I might have hassle or my time-wasted by poorly trained staff on southern trains or gateline staff at victoria thinking the ticket isn't valid because of the "Thameslink only" routing.

So I'm wondering if to pay extra (and get a ticket without thameslink only on it) to avoid the potential hassle and a potential delay to my journey.

So interested to hear if anyone who uses thameslink only travelcards within the zones and if they have had any issues and if so how often it occurs.

It's valid on all Govia Thameslink operated trains from Three Bridges to the boundary, and all operators within Zones 1-6.

However Govia Thameslink take the view that it's only valid on their Thameslink branded trains; this is due to be tested in the courts next year and in the meantime anyone I'm aware of who is erroneously charged an extra/penalty/excess fare is refunded on appeal.

If you are wrongly asked to pay an excess, my advice is to pay it under duress and let us know. I would be happy to ensure you are reimbursed the cost of the excess providing you agree to fight it and let us know the outcome.

 

[bubieyehyeh]

I could get the forum site to produce this by adding 2 via points:

1. Change at East Croydon
2. Pass, stop or change at London Victoria

This search for example returned the £10 (with railcard) Thameslink fare rather than the £13.20 Not Gatwick Express one that you get for a Southern train all the way from Three Bridges

Ah so many thanks, its nice to have an itinerary in back pocket in case on any hassle.

I didn't realise the forum site had such options and the different route for return leg option feature was also useful. I wasn't quite able to generate an exact intinery I wanted, but I got one which included the trains I wanted. I could get one that stopped at Shepherds Bush, but got one that passed through and ended up at Euston, even though I never mentioned Euston.

I had fruitlessly been trying to get an itinery on southern's and thameslinks website, since I thought it would be amusing to show a valid itinenery from a GTR website in case of hassle.

I've been using Railcard-discounted Thameslink Only Travelcards for more than 20 years, and regularly travel to Bromley South via Victoria "South Eastern" side. They have never once worked at the gatelines at either Victoria SE side or Bromley South. However, I have only once had problems with poorly trained members of staff at a non-Thameslink claiming the ticket was not valid: that was at Surrey Quays, probably nearly 20 years ago.

Thanks, thats good to know.

It's valid on all Govia Thameslink operated trains from Three Bridges to the boundary, and all operators within Zones 1-6.

However Govia Thameslink take the view that it's only valid on their Thameslink branded trains; this is due to be tested in the courts next year and in the meantime anyone I'm aware of who is erroneously charged an extra/penalty/excess fare is refunded on appeal.

If you are wrongly asked to pay an excess, my advice is to pay it under duress and let us know. I would be happy to ensure you are reimbursed the cost of the excess providing you agree to fight it and let us know the outcome.

yes I'm aware of this. Hopefully won't need your services.

I've order the ticket from the forums ticketing site.

 

[yorkie]

I've order the ticket from the forums ticketing site.

That's good, as if problems occur when directly following the itinerary, we would be happy to go above and beyond and support you, in the (unlikely) event of a dispute.

 

[OscarH]

I could get one that stopped at Shepherds Bush, but got one that passed through and ended up at Euston, even though I never mentioned Euston.

Yeah... there are some quirks about what the destination of the itinerary is when you search for a Travelcard, because it doesn't know where you want it to stop, so it will make an assumption (usually, very possibly always, a London Terminal)

 

[Joe Paxton]

I've been using Railcard-discounted Thameslink Only Travelcards for more than 20 years, and regularly travel to Bromley South via Victoria "South Eastern" side. They have never once worked at the gatelines at either Victoria SE side or Bromley South. However, I have only once had problems with poorly trained members of staff at a non-Thameslink claiming the ticket was not valid: that was at Surrey Quays, probably nearly 20 years ago.

That would have been when it was still an LU line (as it was until 2007) - which, if that was the case, makes it odder!

 

[island]

A Thameslink Only ticket won’t open the gates at a number of stations such as (in my experience) Waterloo and Charing Cross, but you will be let through by staff.

 

[Hassocks5489]

That would have been when it was still an LU line (as it was until 2007) - which, if that was the case, makes it odder!

I've just looked back at some old pics I took on the same day and it was actually July 2010 (i.e. not long after London Overground conversion) - not as long ago as I thought!

 

[bubieyehyeh]

As a followup, I did not encounter any staff on the day, with no tickets checks on southern or overground trains, and the ticket worked the barriers when leaving victoria on a southern train.