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London (Farringdon/Paddington) to Reading fares

Haywain

Haywain

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I'm travelling to Reading on a Saturday in a couple of weeks time, and I'm wondering what options there might be to make a saving on the Off Peak Day Return fare. It needs to be the route via Slough due to an early kick-off!

There don't seem to be Advance fares available and the CDR looks a bit pricey at £19.55 (with a railcard). I've an idea that I read something on here about a loophole fare to somewhere in the Hackney area but haven't been able to find it. Suggestions gratefully accepted, including by DM if it's something that should be revealed to prying eyes!
 
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Mcr Warrior

Mcr Warrior

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Off Peak Day Return from Farringdon to Reading is £17.20 with railcard discount. Route is "LONDON NOT UND". Is this valid for a journey via Paddington/Slough, however? P.S. 12.30 p.m. kick-off on Saturday 8th August 2026 for Reading v Luton in League One?
 
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MarlowDonkey

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Mcr Warrior said:
Off Peak Day Return from Farringdon to Reading is £17.20 with railcard discount. Route is "LONDON NOT UND". Is this valid for a journey via Paddington/Slough, however?
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Isn't that a proxy for Elizabeth Line and GWR only, thus by definition via Paddington and Slough? To reach Reading via Waterloo would need the Underground.
 
Haywain

Haywain

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MarlowDonkey said:
Isn't that a proxy for Elizabeth Line and GWR only, thus by definition via Paddington and Slough? To reach Reading via Waterloo would need the Underground.
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On the contrary, I think. TfL regard the Elizabeth line core as part of the underground, so it wouldn't be valid on there. But Farringdon - London Bridge - Waterloo East (or Farringdon to Blackfriars then walk to Waterloo) then Waterloo - Reading avoids the underground.
 
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hkstudent

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Mcr Warrior said:
Off Peak Day Return from Farringdon to Reading is £17.20 with railcard discount. Route is "LONDON NOT UND". Is this valid for a journey via Paddington/Slough, however? P.S. 12.30 p.m. kick-off on Saturday 8th August 2026 for Reading v Luton in League One?
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I am afraid you have made a wrong quote.
BrFares struggle in allocating whether that a London station is the correct London Terminal stations that can be used.

Only Paddington and Waterloo (+Vauxhall) can be applied as London terminal station for Reading.
For Farringdon ticket, it has be a London Underground Zone 1 fare, which the off peak day return is £23.20.

I think it would be cheaper to buy a NR zone 2 stations north of River Thames, to enable a maltest cross (cross-London) capability.
Which, Stratford, Finsbury Park, Kentish Town, West Ham (surprisingly, Surrey Quays also) are all good candidates.
The fare would be £20.90 with cross-London enabled.
 
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MarlowDonkey

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If you are prepared to take the slow train, ie Elizabeth Line, the Forum's site suggests that some splits are available for an off peak day return Paddington to Reading.
 
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Timbo999

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The £17.20 fare is a Farringdon (ZFD) specific fare set by South West Trains. Logically therefore it is to be used for crossing London by Thameslink to a suitable "Southern" terminal.
 
Kite159

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..
Timbo999 said:
The £17.20 fare is a Farringdon (ZFD) specific fare set by South West Trains. Logically therefore it is to be used for crossing London by Thameslink to a suitable "Southern" terminal.
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It was probably something within the database from before the Elizabeth line came along.
 
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yorkie

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Mcr Warrior said:
Off Peak Day Return from Farringdon to Reading is £17.20 with railcard discount. Route is "LONDON NOT UND". Is this valid for a journey via Paddington/Slough, however?
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Yes, it would be. However, now it's been publicised, there is a risk that a pricing manager from GWR or GTS may see this, and amend the validity*

(* I don't think they could legitimately do this until the current fares freeze is over; but after that, it would take a lot of luck for no-one to have seen this thread who is in a position to amend the routeing!)

MarlowDonkey said:
Isn't that a proxy for Elizabeth Line and GWR only, thus by definition via Paddington and Slough? To reach Reading via Waterloo would need the Underground.
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Not at all; the only traditional route for this ticket would have been Farringdon to London Bridge to Waterloo East/Waterloo to Reading.

The opening of Elizabeth Line has opened up the additional possibility of travel on GWR/EL via Slough.
 
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marshlinker

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Assuming you're going to Reading FC its Reading Green Park Station you need. The stadium is right out of the town next to the M4.
Its about a mile round a lake and across a Industrial Park to the away end.
Reading Green Park is either 10 mins from Reading or 15 from Basingstoke.
Sorry dont know any fares, £20 seems quite reasonable to me.
 
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yorkie

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My suggestion is that people don't bring any more attention to this, as the more it gets bumped up to the top, the more attention it will get, and the more chance that the decent value fare will not be available in future.
marshlinker said:
Assuming you're going to Reading FC its Reading Green Park Station you need. The stadium is right out of the town next to the M4.
Its about a mile round a lake and across a Industrial Park to the away end.
Reading Green Park is either 10 mins from Reading or 15 from Basingstoke.
Sorry dont know any fares, £20 seems quite reasonable to me.
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In this day and age, all rail fares (apart from the most incredible loopholes) could reasonably be considered "pricey"; the most affordable ones are merely a bit pricey, while the more expensive ones are extortionate. That's the way the DfT want it to be, but any further discussion on that is best in a new thread ;)
 
Watershed

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Haywain said:
I'm travelling to Reading on a Saturday in a couple of weeks time, and I'm wondering what options there might be to make a saving on the Off Peak Day Return fare. It needs to be the route via Slough due to an early kick-off!

There don't seem to be Advance fares available and the CDR looks a bit pricey at £19.55 (with a railcard). I've an idea that I read something on here about a loophole fare to somewhere in the Hackney area but haven't been able to find it. Suggestions gratefully accepted, including by DM if it's something that should be revealed to prying eyes!
Click to expand...
It can be done for around £17 with a loophole fare which wouldn't raise eyebrows (I'll send you a PM with the details). I'm not aware of anything cheaper than that for a Saturday journey that takes place before Evening Out tickets become valid.

If you're coming from Luton then a split involving a Travelcard is probably going to be cheaper.
 
Haywain

Haywain

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Thanks for the various suggestions in response to my question. It seems there are no significant saving to be had, and the best bet is going to be a Day Travelcard and Boundary Zone 6 extension ticket.

yorkie said:
My suggestion is that people don't bring any more attention to this, as the more it gets bumped up to the top, the more attention it will get, and the more chance that the decent value fare will not be available in future.
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Having not highlighted any particular fare, there is really no risk from this thread, unless you believe that even asking a question can cause problems - and if that's the case why is it you are saying so on this thread and not pn the hundreds of others where people ask for help in keeping the costs of their travel down?
yorkie said:
In this day and age, all rail fares (apart from the most incredible loopholes) could reasonably be considered "pricey"; the most affordable ones are merely a bit pricey,
Click to expand...
Since I can make the first 30 miles of my journey for £10, being asked to pay double that for the next 36 miles makes it look pricey to me. What you consider cheap or expensive is entirely up to you.
 
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