Forest Hill to Coombe Lane (tram) school run

[scw]

Hello all
I'm new on the forum so apologise if I've not provided full info. I hope someone can confirm my understanding of the fares.

I will need to do a long school run (kids 4 & 7 yrs) during term time.

Start at Forest Hill. Overground or train to either West Croydon or East Croydon. Tram to Coombe Lane.
Term times (about 33 weeks of the year)
Morning travel peak time return, then afternoon offpeak return.

I think if I get a mixture of monthly and weekly travelcards for Zone 3-5 it would work out cheaper than an annual for me due to all the holidays. My questions are:
1) Is it correct that a zone 3-5 travelcard will cover the tram travel?
2) Would a zone 3-5 travelcard cover a bus journey to other zones?
3) If we travel via East Croydon then I need to pay for my 7 year old. Is the best way to load some money onto a zip oyster card? In the morning, I’m not sure if we would go via East or West Croydon, it would depend on when we get to the station. But in the afternoon, we would definitely go back through East Croydon.
Thanks for any help here.

 

[lightbulb]

Welcome to the forum!

Rather than buying a combination of monthly and weekly tickets, if you know the precise length of each term or half-term, then you may buy a ticket accordingly; for example, if the current term starts on 2nd September and ends on 23rd October, you'd buy a ticket to start on 2nd September for 1 month and 22 days. This is known as an odd-period season ticket, and is pro-rata for the monthly rate. This will be cheaper than buying a combination of monthly, weekly, and daily tickets.

In answer to your questions: 1) Yes, and 2) Yes.

I can't help you with question 3, but I'm sure someone else will be along to help shortly.

 

[nicobobinus]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

In respect to question three, yes, you load money onto a Zip card in the same way you would on an adult Oyster, at a station or Oyster-equipped newsagent. If they travel from Forest Hill to East Croydon then a child single will be deducted for that leg of the journey.

 

[30907]

You could change trams at Sandilands to go round to West Croydon if you/the children could cope with the few minutes extra.

 

[scw]

Hello

Just wanted to thank you all for your replies.

lightbulb - don't know why I didn't think to do the odd period travelcard. It does indeed save money!

nicobobinus - thanks for the confirmation about the zip card.

30907 - thanks for the tip about changing trams. Still trying to figure out one way systems and different routes.

Great forum!

 

[30907]

Hello

Just wanted to thank you all for your replies.

30907 - thanks for the tip about changing trams. Still trying to figure out one way systems and different routes.

No probs. Currently the 2 and 3 go round the loop, only the New Addington trams go on to Wombledon.

 

[robvulpes]

No probs. Currently the 2 and 3 go round the loop, only the New Addington trams go on to Wombledon.

No - the 1 and 2 go all round the loop: the 3 (New Addington-Wimbledon) and the 4 (Elmers End-Therapia Lane) use part of the loop only as they cross central Croydon to go beyond at each end of the route

Rob
Croydon (daily line 3 user)

 

[30907]

Sorry, must have been an old map I checked.