NR ticket to LU Zone 1-2 - on what routes is it valid?

[matt_g_uk]

I have a paper ticket for tomorrow from Huntingdon to London Underground Zone 1-2. I am travelling to Whitechapel.

My normal journey is Huntingdon to Farringdon (Thameslink) then Elizabeth Line to Whitechapel.

Tomorrow I am expecting the Elizabeth line to be very busy so I am considering an alternative route:

Huntingdon to Finsbury Park (Thameslink)
Finsbury Park to Highbury & Islington (Great Northern)
Highbury & Islington to Whitechapel (Overground)

Is this a valid route with my ticket? How can I tell? I am nervous because it says London Underground and my travel doesn’t involve any underground travel.

 

[Watershed]

NR-issued London Underground zonal tickets are valid to travel to/from a recognised NR/LU interchange location, and for a journey within the stated zones on Underground and DLR services.

The zonal journey can additionally be made using National Rail services when travelling along interavailable routes. These include the Thameslink and Elizabeth line core sections, but not the Overground East London (Windrush) line.

That being said, there is nothing in the rules that specifically states that you must be travelling along a valid route to a London Terminal when making your way to/from your NR/LU interchange. Such a rule would mean that the "NR" portion of your ticket would only be valid as far as Highbury & Islington - that is as far as you are going on the route to Moorgate. However, as no such rule exists, arguably you are simply travelling to your NR/LU interchange location of Whitechapel when using the Overground.

In practical terms, there is a single common gateline at Whitechapel (which includes the Underground lines), so your ticket will work the barriers at Whitechapel. You don't have to pass through the gates when interchanging at Highbury & Islington, and you would have to be incredibly unlucky to encounter any revenue checks at Highbury & Islington or onboard the Overground train. So I wouldn't expect any practical difficulties using this ticket for your proposed route, and that is on top of the fact that it is (at least arguably) valid. Many TfL staff treat the Overground as if it is part of the Underground for ticketing purposes, anyway - I highly doubt they would question your route.

 

[redreni]

I don't think you'll have any trouble going that way. And I think it's valid, though happy to be contradicted on that.

I don't think the underground validity on your U-zone ticket includes London Overground, but Whitechapel seems a perfectly reasonable interchange station to which you should be able to travel using the National Rail portion of the ticket.

In reality, though, nobody is going to notice or mind that you've gone the way you're thinking of going rather than the way you normally go. There are no extra gatelines to negotiate.

 

[D1511]

I think you'll find these 2 services to be just as busy as Crossrail, so I fear this may be an elaborate waste of time.

 

[Wolfie]

I have a paper ticket for tomorrow from Huntingdon to London Underground Zone 1-2. I am travelling to Whitechapel.

My normal journey is Huntingdon to Farringdon (Thameslink) then Elizabeth Line to Whitechapel.

Tomorrow I am expecting the Elizabeth line to be very busy so I am considering an alternative route:

Huntingdon to Finsbury Park (Thameslink)
Finsbury Park to Highbury & Islington (Great Northern)
Highbury & Islington to Whitechapel (Overground)

Is this a valid route with my ticket? How can I tell? I am nervous because it says London Underground and my travel doesn’t involve any underground travel.

On previous tube strike days the Overground has been very very busy.

 

[matt_g_uk]

Thanks everyone. I am sure either route will be very busy.