Heathrow to Guildford return including Travelcard

[takrl]

Hi everyone,

I've asked a similar question before, but due to a change of plans out of my control I'm now using a different airport.

Here's the details:

Arrive Heathrow T1 Dec 6th 7.30am
Need a Travelcard for the day and get to Guildford in the evening

Leave Guildford in the morning on Dec 8th
Need a Travelcard for the day and get to Heathrow T1 by 6pm


My instinct was simply getting two Z1-6-Travelcards and two "Boundary Z6 to Guildford" tickets (or is there actually a return ticket available?)


However, reading this post made me think it may just not be that easy. Also, I'm not sure where I can actually buy the boundary extension ticket. Do I need to buy it together with the travelcard, or can they be bought separately, for example, on the 6th on my way out before leaving from London Waterloo?

Thanks

Michael

 

[GodAtum]

You could also get a coach from Woking.

 

[bb21]

My instinct was simply getting two Z1-6-Travelcards and two "Boundary Z6 to Guildford" tickets (or is there actually a return ticket available?)

Singles are £6.90 each way, no time restriction and no period returns available.

Even if period returns are available, you cannot purchase them with Day Travelcards anyway. You would need a Travelcard Season.

However, reading this post made me think it may just not be that easy. Also, I'm not sure where I can actually buy the boundary extension ticket. Do I need to buy it together with the travelcard, or can they be bought separately, for example, on the 6th on my way out before leaving from London Waterloo?

You can buy the ticket at any National Rail or London Underground station. It is called a ticket extension at London Underground ticket offices. You can purchase it separately to your Day Travelcard. There may be a slight difference in price due to differing rounding mechanisms.

 

[maniacmartin]

Officially you are supposed to show your Travelcard when purchasing the Boundary Zone extension, so you have to buy the Travelcards before or at the same time

 

[soil]

You could also get a coach from Woking.

I'm assuming business in London; otherwise I'd recommend a minicab.

 

[takrl]

Thanks, as always, you've been very helpful.

Cheers

Michael

 

[island]

Singles are £6.90 each way, no time restriction and no period returns available.

Even if period returns are available, you cannot purchase them with Day Travelcards anyway. You would need a Travelcard Season.

You can also purchase a period boundary zone return if you also purchase day Travelcards for the days on which you will use the two portions. You do not need a season Travelcard.

 

[soil]

Note that SWT's period return fares tend to be very expensive, comparable to two singles.

The boundary zone fares, single and day return, offer their best value, cheaper than through t/cs when combined with a separate London T/C, and cheaper even in combination with the London T/C than returns to London Terminals in some cases.

 

[takrl]

Thanks for your help.

However, it proved to be not that easy.
They didn't want to sell me a boundary zone 6 ticket on sunday, but I managed to get a single to surbiton and a Z1-6 travelcard. The lady behind the counter said she could only issue the tickets "my way" because the engineering works caused a change of timetable and route and therefore the train stopped at Surbiton, which it normally apparently doesn't. She added that they "weren't supposed to split tickets".

 

[bb21]

Was that at Guildford? If so, it was not the first time this has happened.

Did you get the name of the staff you mentioned? Definitely worth bringing it to SWT's attention.

 

[island]

I've had the "I'll do it my way" from SWT clerks before. I asked for a super off-peak return from London Terminals to Birmingham Stations by a route which I specified for a number of days hence, and he was insistent that I needed to name which Birmingham station I wanted. I told him that Birmingham Stations was a valid destination and after going back and forth I eventually acquiesced and asked for Birmingham Snow Hill, which he punched in. Guess what printed on the ticket

 

[soil]

Was that at Guildford? If so, it was not the first time this has happened.

Did you get the name of the staff you mentioned? Definitely worth bringing it to SWT's attention.

SWT make a lot of money from this, given that their travelcards are significantly more expensive than BZ6 + in-boundary travelcard combo (sometimes more expensive than a return to London + in-boundary t/c).

I imagine they'll give the staff member a commendation....

 

[takrl]

Was that at Guildford? If so, it was not the first time this has happened.

Yes, it was ...

Did you get the name of the staff you mentioned? Definitely worth bringing it to SWT's attention.

No, I didn't, I guess I was a bit too annoyed for that.

I suppose it would be possible for SWT to find out if they wanted to investigate this though, because there was only one female clerk working at the ticket counter on Dec 8th around 10am.

 

[bb21]

You can submit a complaint anyway. If SWT don't do anything, escalate to London Travelwatch.

 

[island]

Who will also probably not do anything

 

[takrl]

You can submit a complaint anyway. If SWT don't do anything, escalate to London Travelwatch.

How would I do that? Via the contact form? I might do it if I felt that it'd change anything, but my feeling is that I'd just be wasting my time (which, shortly before christmas, is in short supply anyway).

 

[island]

You will be.