Is an annual season ticket worth it?

[GodAtum]

Looking to get an annual Zones 1-5 travelcard for £2,920. Starting 6th Janurary and will stop using it 19th December (even though it eactually expires 05/01/2026). Then renewing it starting 6th January 2026. Will be using it 4 days per week. And I will be on holiday for 15 days so won't use it then.

I don't think buying 2 6 month tickets is any cheaper. And just using PAYG I think works out more expensive for the year.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@GodAtum. What's the likely typical journey you'll be making with the Travelcard, 4 days a week, most weeks?

 

[lnerazuma]

Can you purchase via salary deduction or season ticket loan, it's also worth calculating the potential tax relief factor

 

[thedbdiboy]

An Annual Season Ticket is priced at 40 x the weekly Season so is still better value even with several weeks' non use. If you're travelling four days a week it will normally still be a saving but that depends on the actual journey in order to give a definitive answer

 

[Surreytraveller]

It will be cheaper than 2x6 months, as 2x6 months will cost the same as 12x1 month; whereas an annual is about 10.5 months.
Your second six-month ticket will also be affected by the price increase in March

 

[GodAtum]

It'll be 2 buses, a train from Croydon to Victoria and a zone 1 tube journey. During peak hours.

Thank you for clarifying the annual is about 10.5 months.

 

[simonw]

Can you purchase via salary deduction or season ticket loan, it's also worth calculating the potential tax relief factor

What tax relief comes with a season ticket loan?

 

[transportphoto]

Consider also any potential benefit you may get with the use of the Gold Card discount.

 

[30907]

According to TfL the Annual is priced at exactly 200 daily caps, which means you could work it out for yourself - except that fares will increase in 2 months which makes it less simple, as the new fares means your annual equals somewhere around 190 days, say 47-48 4-day weeks.

So you would need to travel occasionally for non-work purposes (including using your Gold Card) to break even. Most people would do so, but that's your call.

 

[Hadders]

Can you purchase via salary deduction or season ticket loan, it's also worth calculating the potential tax relief factor

What tax relief comes with a season ticket loan?

A season ticket loan is normally interest free but it's not salary sacrifice so there's no tax or National Insurance saving.

 

[Fenchurch SP]

If you buy an annual season from Chiltern you also get free weekend travel on their entire network. Harrow on the Hill is in Zone 5 so a travelcard from there should work.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@GodAtum. What's the likely typical journey you'll be making with the Travelcard, 4 days a week, most weeks?

It'll be 2 buses, a train from Croydon to Victoria and a zone 1 tube journey. During peak hours.

Any of our London fares experts able to advise just how much that sort of multi-mode journey is likely to cost, if calculated on a daily basis?

 

[GodAtum]

I got an annual season ticket from TFL. Would a gold card be posted to me?

And do I need to go to a ticket office to add the gold card to my Oyster?

 

[Hadders]

Would a gold card be posted to me?

They should post it out to you.

And do I need to go to a ticket office to add the gold card to my Oyster?

You need to visut an Underground station and ask a member if staff to add the discount to your Oyster card. A TfL Visitor Centre can also do it.

 

[GodAtum]

Thank you so much for all your advice. Happy New Year!