Getting Elizabeth Line from Reading

[Skiddaw]

I'm sure this is going to sound really daft, but how does it work?

We're stopping over in Reading soon for an event and then travelling on to London the next day to stay with some friends. We want to use the Elizabeth Line but I realise I have no idea whether we need to purchase tickets in advance or whether we can tap in (and if so, how do we get through the barriers into Reading station?) Also, can we use our Two Together card or doesn't that apply?

Advice please (and I know I sound like a complete Carrot Cruncher)

 

[Birmingham]

You can tap in on the barriers with a contactless card (one per passenger) for any journey from Reading to London on Elizabeth Line or GWR, but you can’t use a railcard when tapping in with contactless. If you want to use a railcard you’ll need to buy a paper ticket which you can do from the ticket office or ticket machines at Reading station. You can use the paper ticket on Elizabeth Line or GWR.

If you’re travelling to or beyond central London you’d be best to take GWR services to Paddington and change as the Elizabeth Line stops at many more stations en route and takes over twice as long (just under an hour to Paddington instead of just under 25 minutes).

 

[Skiddaw]

Thanks Birmingham.

Presumably, we can't use our Two Together card for the Elizabeth Line?

We know it takes longer to get to London on the EL but we're in no particular rush that day and really fancy doing it for the novelty value!

 

[DelW]

If you want to use your railcard you'll need to buy tickets rather than use contactless cards. Your can buy them at Reading ticket office, TVMs or in advance from online retailers, but if your final destination in London is a TfL (not NR) station, you'll need mag-stripe cardboard tickets as TfL stations don't have barcode readers.

 

[Skiddaw]

Thanks DelW- that's really useful.

 

[Watershed]

Thanks Birmingham.

Presumably, we can't use our Two Together card for the Elizabeth Line?

We know it takes longer to get to London on the EL but we're in no particular rush that day and really fancy doing it for the novelty value!

You can use your Two Together Railcard on all National Rail operators, and the Elizabeth line is part of National Rail, despite TfL's insinuations to the contrary.

The issue is that you can't apply a Two Together Railcard to contactless cards for PAYG travel, nor to Oyster - although Oyster isn't valid to/from Reading anyway.

Therefore you need to buy a single/return/Travelcard if you want to apply your Railcard discount. Fortunately, in most circumstances the 'regular' and PAYG fares are similar so you aren't really losing out by doing so. If you buy a ticket just to London Terminals (valid as far as Paddington), this can be issued as an e-ticket.

If you want a Travelcard or ticket to stations beyond Paddington then this has to be a paper ticket as TfL don't allow National Rail operators to sell e-tickets for such journeys. For example, for travel to Tottenham Court Road you'd be sold a ticket to "London Underground Zone 1" - this is valid on the Elizabeth line and/or Underground for travel to any station in Zone 1, as the Elizabeth line accepts Underground tickets between Paddington and Stratford/Abbey Wood.

 

[Skiddaw]

Lordy! Nothing is simple is it?

We're travelling beyond Paddington (friends live close to a Tfl station) so I think we'll probably just go contactless in order to keep things relatively straightforward.

 

[Watershed]

Lordy! Nothing is simple is it?

We're travelling beyond Paddington (friends live close to a Tfl station) so I think we'll probably just go contactless to keep things relatively straightforward.

It's easy enough, really. You can either touch in and out using contactless, or buy a ticket online/at a station and be issued a paper ticket. The latter will likely be cheaper.

 

[Skiddaw]

Yes, good point.

 

[Deerfold]

If you want to use your railcard you'll need to buy tickets rather than use contactless cards. Your can buy them at Reading ticket office, TVMs or in advance from online retailers, but if your final destination in London is a TfL (not NR) station, you'll need mag-stripe cardboard tickets as TfL stations don't have barcode readers.

The price varies a lot between off-peak and peak.

If you use your Two Together card to buy a Travelcard, valid after 0930 it'll be £21.05 each. https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=RDG&dest=1072&grpo=0403&grpd=0035&rlc=2TR&tkt=ODT

Before 0930 you'd pay £68.50 (but note a single is about half that and then you could get a travelcard or pay by contactless seperately) https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=RDG&dest=1072&grpo=0403&grpd=0035&rlc=2TR&tkt=ODT

Paying contactless it's £29 for a single to Paddington if you start at Reading before 0930, £12.60 afterwards.

 

[Skiddaw]

Yes, a Travelcard might be the way to go. It'll be after 9.30 (and a Sunday).

 

[Deerfold]

Ah,

Yes, a Travelcard might be the way to go. It'll be after 9.30 (and a Sunday).

Ah! No time limits on a Sunday

 

[Skiddaw]

Yep- presumed as much.

Looking forward to it actually.

 

[DelW]

A Travelcard is useful if you're making several other journeys within London on the same day. It usually needs three or four extra trips to make it worthwhile but there are too many variables to be definitive. You'd also be paying for validity on a journey back to Reading which I don't think you'll want.

To keep it simple, I'd just go to Reading ticket office, show them your railcard, and ask either for two tickets to your final destination station, or for two London Travelcards. They'll sell you two cardboard tickets which will work the barriers at Reading and at your destination. If they're Travelcards, they'll be usable for the rest of the day anywhere in zones 1 - 6.

 

[Skiddaw]

That sounds spot on. Thank you!