London orbit on Overground - what is the correct fare?

[OLJR]

If I go all the way around the London Overground, getting on at Clapham Junction and getting off there too, what is the correct fare using Oyster?

Would touching out and then in again at Highbury & Islington suffice?

 

[yorkie]

There is no fare for Clapham Jn to Clapham Jn.

Yes, if you touch out and back in at Highbury & Islington (you'd need to change there, or Canonbury, anyway) that'd be fine. That will cost you £1.70 (M-F 0630-0930 & 1600-1900) or £1.50 (at any time) each way.

 

[island]

If you only touch in and out at Clapham Junction you will be charged two maximum cash fares.

 

[londiscape]

I'm sure I remember seeing pink readers at Highbury and Islington (although I can't recall exactly where they are) - would a tap on these suffice rather than going all the way to the gateline and exiting/entering?

 

[island]

No. Pink readers do not result in you being touched in or out if you are already in the system.

 

[swt_passenger]

I'm sure I remember seeing pink readers at Highbury and Islington (although I can't recall exactly where they are) - would a tap on these suffice rather than going all the way to the gateline and exiting/entering?

Highly unlikely, because IIRC the route validators only work in conjunction with recognised A <> B station pairs. There won't be a Clapham Jn to Clapham Jn fare in the system.

Depending what else you are doing on the day, and where you are starting from, a paper travelcard may be a far safer option.

 

[najaB]

No. Pink readers do not result in you being touched in or out if you are already in the system.

So would it be touch out at Highbury and Islington, wait 10 minutes, then touch back in?

 

[MikeWh]

So would it be touch out at Highbury and Islington, wait 10 minutes, then touch back in?

No need to wait 10 minutes. No need to wait at all.

 

[najaB]

No need to wait 10 minutes. No need to wait at all.

I thought touch out and straight back in caused issues?

 

[Be3G]

I'm sure I remember seeing pink readers at Highbury and Islington (although I can't recall exactly where they are) - would a tap on these suffice rather than going all the way to the gateline and exiting/entering?

They're down on the platforms, by the staircases to the concourse.

You know, it's an interesting thought; I kind of wish someone would have the guts to try it! It is probably true that it wouldn't prevent the charging of two incomplete journeys. However, my thinking is that in an ideal world, one could then phone Oyster customer services and request a refund for the overpayment, such that the final amount charged is merely that of one journey. The passenger would, after all, have complied with all instructions given for how to use an Oyster card, and there's nothing I've seen from TfL that explicitly says making a round trip to the starting station is against the T&Cs or anything.

Like I say, that's in an ideal world. I suppose that if nothing else, I'd be interested to know what an Oyster CSC agent would say in response to an attempt to get a refund in such a situation – e.g. what excuse they might use to decline such a refund.

 

[MikeWh]

I thought touch out and straight back in caused issues?

It can if the station is part of an engineering work emergency OSI, though I'm reliably informed that the helpdesk will refund overcharges in that case. Contactless will work anyway because the back-office breaks OSIs to avoid exceeding maximum journey time.

 

[najaB]

Thanks, MikeWh, I was mis-remembering this thread.

 

[simple simon]

Has anyone ever tried this on the Circle Line?

 

[yorkie]

Has anyone ever tried this on the Circle Line?

It does not matter what line you try it on. See MikeWh's site http://www.oyster-rail.org.uk/same-station-continuation-exits/

More than 30 minutes

Now the system assumes that you have made two incomplete journeys and charges you accordingly. Neither journey counts towards the daily cap.

 

[jopsuk]

"Fixing" the "issue" would probably be quite complex and may cause other problems. It's only a problem for a tiny number of rail enthusiasts, it (obviously) isn't a problem for anyone simply using the services for transit!

 

[gordonthemoron]

what happens if you do the circle line +1 stop? Would you be out of time?

 

[greatkingrat]

The time limit for zone 1 journeys is 90 minutes, so you would have time to do an extra lap of the Circle line if you really wanted to.

 

[button_boxer]

There is no fare for Clapham Jn to Clapham Jn.

Yes, if you touch out and back in at Highbury & Islington (you'd need to change there, or Canonbury, anyway) that'd be fine. That will cost you £1.70 (M-F 0630-0930 & 1600-1900) or £1.50 (at any time) each way.

I suppose it has to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're avoiding zone 1 on both the out and back journeys.

 

[Deerfold]

I suppose it has to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're avoiding zone 1 on both the out and back journeys.

I suspect you'd have trouble not going through any barriers that would suggest a Zone 1 route if you were going via Zone 1.

 

[maniacmartin]

Shoreditch High St is in Zone 1. You can go via Shoreditch High St, Surrey Quays and Peckham Rye and you will be given the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Deerfold]

Shoreditch High St is in Zone 1. You can go via Shoreditch High St, Surrey Quays and Peckham Rye and you will be given the benefit of the doubt.

So it is. Must be one of the few journeys to go through Shoreditch to not assume Zone 1.

 

[Spurs]

"Fixing" the "issue" would probably be quite complex and may cause other problems. It's only a problem for a tiny number of rail enthusiasts, it (obviously) isn't a problem for anyone simply using the services for transit!

I've had it on one occasion when I needed to go from home to pick up a child who was being dropped off at another station, then take them home again. Rare I admit but it's not implausible.