Osyter Card with Travelcard

[MisterOh]

Hope someone can offer me some advice.

I tend to travel from St. Albans into London several evenings a week by buying an off-peak 1-day travelcard for each trip.

According to First Capital Connect, an Osyter card is valid out to Elstree & Borehamwood so my questions are:

i) Could I purchase a return to Elstree & Borehamwood from St. Albans and top-up an Oyster Card for use within the Oyster Zone?
ii) If so, how do I 'touch in' the oyster card whilst travelling into London? I don't really want to have to get off at Elstree & Borehamwood just to touch in.
iii) If the above is not possible, what would people's recommendation to get the cheapest travel option be?

I've never used an Oyster card before and, after looking at various websites, I'm totally confused with the various options and T&C's attached.

 

[MikeWh]

Welcome to the forum.

If you don't want to get out at Elstree then I don't think that the Oyster suggestion will really work. You would need to touch in there to be able to use the card from that point. If you are only going into St Pancras then a return to London would be the cheapest option. The addition of a Z1-6 travelcard is usually worthwhile with only two tube journeys as you get quite a discount when you combine them (ie return with travelcard is cheaper than return + travelcard on it's own).

The only other option is a ticket to London Thameslink which I think allows travel to Farringdon, Barbican, Moorgate and maybe City Thameslink as well. Another poster will hopefully be able to confirm that option.

 

[north]

From St Albans you can't buy a ticket to London Terminals - only London Thameslink is available.

The only other option is a return to Elstree and a zones 1-6 TC. This saves no money over a St Albans TC (and requires a stop at Elstree)

 

[bb21]

The only other option is a ticket to London Thameslink which I think allows travel to Farringdon, Barbican, Moorgate and maybe City Thameslink as well.

Valid as far as Elephant & Castle.

 

[LexyBoy]

The difference between a return and Travelcard on this route is £4.50, so if your trips will cost less than this on Oyster then just get a return to London. I can't see the point of buying to Elstree & Borehamwood, since the £3.50 saved on the Train ticket will be less than the cost of the extra trips required on Oyster.

 

[Firestarter]

Valid as far as Elephant & Castle.

And London Bridge.