Confused

[Bazz]

OK, so I can't get a reasonably sensible answer from SE Rail.

Currently, I live in Chelsfield, Kent. I'm over 60.
I commute to Waterloo East every day.
I use contactless in the morning for the journey up and a 60+ Oyster for the return journey. All works fine, no fuss, no problem.

I'm planning on moving house soon. I'm looking at places in Tonbridge.
Now, the question is, how to I pay for my journey?
As far as I can tell, I pay the fare from Tonbridge to zone 6, then the contactless equivalent from Z6 to Waterloo East.
Return, I use the 60+ Oyster from Waterloo East to the last station where it is valid (variously advised to be Chelsfield, or Knockholt) then I pay the fare from that to Tonbridge.

All OK, and logical. The problem is the physical process. Do I really have to get off the train and buy and new ticket? Do I buy a season from Tonbridge to Z6, get off and touch in at Z6 for the trip to Waterloo East and again to touch out at Z6 on the return?

I really just want to know how this is going to work.

Cheers,
Bazz

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum

Chelsfield is in Zone 6 and Oyster PAYG and contactless are accepted. Tonbridge is outside the Zones and Oyster and Contactless are not accepted.

If I understand this correctly you want to use a paper ticket from Tonbridge to the Zone 6 boundary then contactless from there to Waterloo. You can only do this is you leave the train at the station where you change tickets and tap in on contactless, which I suspect you wont want to do as it will lengthen your journey.

You'll need to buy a 'normal' single ticket from Tonbridge to Waterloo which costs £15.20 (via Redhill) or £17.90 (not via High Speed). There is a 3rd ticket costing £39.80 valid via the HS line into St Pancras but that's not really any use if you need to get to Waterloo.

You could then use your 60+ Oyster for the return and combine with a Boundary Zone 6 to Tonbridge single costing £7.70

 

[hkstudent]

Welcome to the forum

Chelsfield is in Zone 6 and Oyster PAYG and contactless are accepted. Tonbridge is outside the Zones and Oyster and Contactless are not accepted.

If I understand this correctly you want to use a paper ticket from Tonbridge to the Zone 6 boundary then contactless from there to Waterloo. You can only do this is you leave the train at the station where you change tickets and tap in on contactless, which I suspect you wont want to do as it will lengthen your journey.

You'll need to buy a 'normal' single ticket from Tonbridge to Waterloo which costs £15.20 (via Redhill) or £17.90 (not via High Speed). There is a 3rd ticket costing £39.80 valid via the HS line into St Pancras but that's not really any use if you need to get to Waterloo.

You could then use your 60+ Oyster for the return and combine with a Boundary Zone 6 to Tonbridge single costing £7.70

And to add on, OP does not have to get off the train on the return journey with the 60+ oystercard, as discussed here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/60-oyster-card-extension-ticket-where-to-tap.192715/

 

[Kilopylae]

Another option would be to purchase an outboundary Travelcard return from Tonbridge, costing £22.60 (30p cheaper than combining an ordinary single, a 60+ Oyster and a Boundary Zone 6 ticket.) If you have a Senior or Network Railcard, an outboundary Travelcard only costs £14.90. This ticket allows you to travel from Tonbridge to anywhere within the Zones without leaving the train, to travel as much as you wish within the Zones, and to then travel back out from anywhere within the Zones to Tonbridge without leaving the train then either.

 

[Hadders]

Bear in mind that on weekdays a Network Railcard cannot be used before 10:00 and the Senior Railcard not until 09:15 from Tonbridge (the time the Off Peak Day Return can be used) so I suspect no good for commuting.

I suspect we need to be looking at Anytime fares here for the OP?

And to add on, OP does not have to get off the train on the return journey with the 60+ oystercard, as discussed here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/60-oyster-card-extension-ticket-where-to-tap.192715/

Correct as the 60+ Oyster counts as a season ticket. I should have mentioned this.

 

[hkstudent]

Another option would be to purchase an outboundary Travelcard return from Tonbridge, costing £22.60 (30p cheaper than combining an ordinary single, a 60+ Oyster and a Boundary Zone 6 ticket.) If you have a Senior or Network Railcard, an outboundary Travelcard only costs £14.90. This ticket allows you to travel from Tonbridge to anywhere within the Zones without leaving the train, to travel as much as you wish within the Zones, and to then travel back out from anywhere within the Zones to Tonbridge without leaving the train then either.

No, OP needs to arrive London in morning peak hour, which Off-peak ticket does not apply

Anytime Day Return (not via HS1) with SNR railcard is 35.50, a season ticket without railcard discount would be cheaper than that.
Also, I doubt OP can retain the 60+ oyster card as OP is moving away from London

There's discussion on how to get cheaper season ticket from Tonbridge by split season ticket:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/season-ticket-split-tonbridge-to-canary-wharf.167087/

 

[higthomas]

Also, bear in mind that you will no longer be eligible for the 60+ Oyster once you move to Tonbridge. They only check eligibility once a year, but you may not have long left to use it.

 

[Bazz]

Thanks all for the advice and info! Much appreciated. Looks to be a real nightmare lol. I guess I'll just have to go back to a regular Oyster for traveling around London

So, looking at the online calculator an annual season from TON to WAE turns out to be ‭15.24‬ per day x 4 days = 60.40 per week. (I work from home 1 day a week)
More than double the 27.20 I pay now.
However. I could get a season from TON to CLD which reduces it to 45.20 and hope I can just touch OUT at WAE without having to touch IN at CLD. Not sure how they'd calculate the fare in that case.

 

[Belperpete]

However. I could get a season from TON to CLD which reduces it to 45.20 and hope I can just touch OUT at WAE without having to touch IN at CLD. Not sure how they'd calculate the fare in that case.

Guidance on what happens if you fail to touch in or out here:
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/how-to-pay...ay-as-you-go/touching-in-and-out?intcmp=54751

 

[bb21]

So, looking at the online calculator an annual season from TON to WAE turns out to be ‭15.24‬ per day x 4 days = 60.40 per week. (I work from home 1 day a week)
More than double the 27.20 I pay now.

Tonbridge to London Terminals (incl Waterloo East) is £112.20 for a weekly, £430.90 monthly (roughly pro rata upwards to one year) and £4,488 for an annual regardless of the number of journeys you make.

Your £15.24 calculation I suspect also comes from the price for a ticket via Redhill, which I doubt would be the route you would want to do.

However. I could get a season from TON to CLD which reduces it to 45.20 and hope I can just touch OUT at WAE without having to touch IN at CLD. Not sure how they'd calculate the fare in that case.

You will be charged a maximum fare when you touch out.

You will also be liable for a Penalty Fare if checked from Chelsfield onwards.

 

[Hadders]

For the avoidance of doubt if using Oyster or Contactless PAYG you must touch in at the start of your journey and touch out at the end. If you don't, you are travelling without a valid ticket and could be liable to a Penalty Fare or prosecution.

60+ Oyster cards are only available to residents of Greater London. Tonbridge is not in Greater London so your eligibility will cease.

 

[Bazz]

Yep, so it looks like It'll have to be an annual season from TON to WAE then... I think I'll be better off staying in Chelsfield and surrounding areas.