c2c Smartcard tickets from Upminster

[ctom_s]

Been on a bit of a wild goose chase recently. Just moved near Emerson Park station and saw that c2c had a Smartcard that gave you automatic delay repay and loyalty points. Wanted a zones 1-6 Travelcard (eventually annual, but initially monthly) and thought great I can get one of those loaded onto my Smartcard from Upminster and Bob's my uncle.

Since this will be long I'll explain everything that's happened in bullets

• I bought a Smartcard
• I bought a Upminster to Z1-6 monthly ticket online, went to pick it up and it spat out a paper ticket
• Tried to get this changed at Fenchurch Street, they said I hadn't ticked the right box when I ordered it online but I should go to Upminster to get it sorted

Now the website states the following

If you already have a Monthly or Annual Season Ticket or Travelcard you can make the switch to a c2c Smartcard now, you don’t have to wait to renew. Once you have applied for your c2c Smartcard, complete the switch form in your welcome pack and take it to your local c2c station. We’ll have you travelling Smart in no time at all.

AND

Please note: c2c Smartcard tickets cannot be bought or loaded at the following stations: Grays, Limehouse, Ockendon, Purfleet, Rainham, or West Ham. If you travel from these stations using Oyster or Contactless may be better options.

• However, I went to Upminster (not listed above). Filled in the forms and gave the guy my Smartcard
• Got a phone call half an hour later saying that the transfer was not applicable, I quoted the website but got told it was "misleading" and I should "phone customer services"
• Gave up on that just thought I'd live with the paper ticket for a month and get an annual later
  
  So a couple weeks later I...
  
• Tried to load an annual onto Smartcard at Fenchurch Street, got told the machines weren't working properly and I should try Upminster
• Went to the main ticket machine at Upminster to get one, but that didn't do Smartcards and got told I had to use the machine at platform 1 but that was closed currently.
• Went to machine at platform 1, couldn't do it there (there's just no tickets to select) and the guy said to try the other ticket machine at the top of the station I'd just been to the day before. I said I'd been sent here and he look confused. Then my train arrived so I got on using contactless.
• Phoned customer service to ask if all this was possible, was told yes and I could buy it online but I possibly couldn't pick it up from Upminster because it was in the Travelcard zone
• Tried to buy it online, ticked the correct box this time and it says no tickets available

Now from all this I conclude you actually can't load a Travelcard onto your Smartcard if you're within the Travelcard zones already. However every single member of staff I spoke to (probably about 8 now) seemed to think it was possible (just not precisely where they were at the time) so I don't even know what to think any more and I'm pretty fed up. The text on the website also implies it's possible.

I guess my next question would be what's my best option for a zones 1-6 Travelcard? Get an paper ticket gold card thing from Abellio Greater Anglia since that has more perks than a standard Oyster z1-6?

Maybe I'm trying to be too clever for my own good but the conflicting information and general lack of knowledge surrounding all this seems plain ridiculous.

Any comments, thoughts and suggestions would be great!

 

[Sleepy]

I have no knowledge of C2C specific smart card but I know other TOC smartcards are not compatible for use on tfl tube / bus etc. (ie Not Travelcards !)

 

[chris11256]

I think the c2c Smartcard is better for people living outside of zones 1-6. On my smartcard I have an Annual Thorpe Bay - Zones 1-6 travel card loaded.

In your case would an Oyster season ticket be easier? As far as I'm aware you can still get the gold card with Oyster seasons. A colleague at work recently renewed his Z1-4 oyster season and was given a gold card.

 

[transmanche]

I have no knowledge of C2C specific smart card but I know other TOC smartcards are not compatible for use on tfl tube / bus etc. (ie Not Travelcards !)

TfL have upgraded cards readers so they can read ITSO cards (such as The Key or Stagecoach Smart) if they are loaded with Travelcards. What they can't do is store Oyster PAYG credit.

 

[ctom_s]

I think the c2c Smartcard is better for people living outside of zones 1-6. On my smartcard I have an Annual Thorpe Bay - Zones 1-6 travel card loaded.

In your case would an Oyster season ticket be easier? As far as I'm aware you can still get the gold card with Oyster seasons. A colleague at work recently renewed his Z1-4 oyster season and was given a gold card.

Yeah that's exactly what I want but can't get (except from Upminster), I will probably end up getting a Gold card in the end which I didn't know you could get until I did all this research, useful now my 19-25 railcard is about to run out(!)

And transmanche exactly given the technology clearly exists I don't know why you can't put a travelcard on your Smartcard inside the zones. Maybe it's because it might be difficult to work out delay repay is you're roving all over London...

 

[chris11256]

Yeah that's exactly what I want but can't get (except from Upminster), I will probably end up getting a Gold card in the end which I didn't know you could get until I did all this research, useful now my 19-25 railcard is about to run out(!)

And transmanche exactly given the technology clearly exists I don't know why you can't put a travelcard on your Smartcard inside the zones. Maybe it's because it might be difficult to work out delay repay is you're roving all over London...

The delay repay is also only valid on c2c services.