Getting Tube journey on your rail Aztec code, can't it be done?

[Howardh]

Having booked (on this site!) Manchester to Brighton, it routed me via Victoria including a "free" tube ride between Euston and Victoria.

Once I got the email I'm searching for the ticket to load onto my wallet; however there isn't one and I have to collect from a station. Presume any station with a ticket vending machine?

Point is though, how close are we to getting all modes onto one Aztec code? I appreciate my journey is three separate companies, but we're in 2026 using 2006 methods.

 

[skyhigh]

Point is though, how close are we to getting all modes onto one Aztec code?

Not very close, the problem isn't really a technical one but rather that TfL haven't installed any optical scanners and won't pay to do so. Nobody else wants to pay so nothing has changed.

 

[yorkie]

If you make this journey again, click Advanced options and specify:

• Let me use Oyster/Contactless to travel across London
• Travel via: STP

The itinerary will include the tube from Euston to St Pancras, but the tube transfer doesn't need to be ticketed, and you can just walk it.

The main exception would be if a through fare is cheaper, which includes cross London validity, and therefore would require a traditional magstripe paper ticket, even if you don't use the tube.

Here is an example of a journey that is e-ticketable:

Results | RailUK Tickets

TrainSplit is a free service that makes it easy to find the cheapest train tickets for your journey.

tickets.railforums.co.uk

 

[Howardh]

If you make this journey again, specify via St Pancras, or alternatively untick 'tube' as a mode under advanced options, and there is a good chance you will be issued with e-tickets.

Alternatively, if the route via St Pancras is shut or you want e-tickets via Victoria, there is the option to exclude cross London transfers from the search, and the system will look at tickets to/from London Terminals.

The main exception would be if a through fare is cheaper, and includes cross London validity, which would require a traditional magstripe paper ticket, even if you don't use the tube.

Think, almost without exception, Manchester to Brighton routes you to London Bridge (when not Victoria) by tube, it's an option but I find walking to St Pancras is better as I often get a decent seat on the Thameslink train, but it's very busy if not packed by London Bridge! My journey tends to be around 4pm in London!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jan 2026 ==

Not very close, the problem isn't really a technical one but rather that TfL haven't installed any optical scanners and won't pay to do so. Nobody else wants to pay so nothing has changed.

Shame on TFL! Couldn't they just install one or two at key stations, although they'd have to make it clear that it's for train connections only (so wouldn't accept cards etc)?
As technology advances, TFL are standing still it seems?

 

[CyrusWuff]

TfL's primary concern is throughput of barcode tickets at gatelines compared to Oyster and Contactless (and magstripe to a lesser extent) given even the busiest LU stations have significantly fewer gates than the busiest NR stations. (Though they also have fewer platforms.)