Oyster on Heathrow & Gatwick Expresses

[mattdickinson]

Some interesting material related to Oyster acceptance on Heathrow and Gatwick Express.

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/oyster_pay_as_you_go_on_heathrow

Seperate zones would have been set up for each line, probably without any caps.

Ultimately BAA decided not to proceed.

 

[ChrisCooper]

I wonder how many people use the Picadilly who would instead use Heathrow Connect it Oyster was accepted? Especially if you use PAYG I can't see how you could do it without changing trains at Hayes and Harlington to touch out, even if you'd purchased a H&H to Heathrow ticket from Paddington before you boarded. Otherwise you would not touch out and would be charged an incomplete journey on the Oyster (which IIRC would also happen if you touched in at the Picadilly station at Heathrow). With a travelcard on Oyster at least you could just do a normal split ticket, Oyster to H&H and then a H&H to Heathrow ticket.
Especially for passengers travelling from the centre of London, the issue of getting to Paddington (requiring a change unless going from a Bakerloo or Circle station), getting around the Underground at Paddington (only the H&C is pretty easy, especially with luggage), then the expense or trouble of using HC, or the even bigger expense of HEX, must make the Picadilly much more attractive.

 

[OwlMan]

I think it depends from where you are comming from. I come from Coventry and get the 140 bus from Harrow & Wealdstone, it takes about 30 minutes but the cheaper fare to H&W compared to Euston covers the oyster bus fare and the bus stop is just outside H&W station.

 

[yorkie]

While Oyster PAYG is not valid to Gatwick Airport, is worth bearing in mind that an Oyster Card loaded with a Travelcard is valid in combination with the appropriate Boundary Zone extension ticket to Gatwick Airport (or beyond) as per NRCoC Condition 19.

I have heard that Virgin staff at Euston along with EMT staff at St Pancras have claimed "we do not accept Oyster" when presented with such tickets, but this is incorrect. "Oyster" is a medium. What matters is the product, regardless of the medium it is held on. Providing a Travelcard is held on an Oyster card it is just as valid as a Travelcard held on a paper ticket.

I feel it is vitally important to make this distinction as there are some people who are unsure about this.

 

[button_boxer]

By the same token, East Midlands Trains have bit posters up now at both Derby and Sheffield stations announcing the full launch of their smartcard scheme. If I were to get one of these smartcards and use it to store tickets between Derby and Sheffield instead of getting them on paper, would I be able to take CrossCountry trains between the two on these (Any Permitted) tickets or would the tickets only be usable on the EMT services (technically 2 out of the 4tph on the route but they depart within ten minutes of each other with XC filling in the other half of the hour)?

 

[Brucey]

Could Heathrow Express trains not have readers on the train, similar to the pink route validators? Touch on at Paddington, touch onto pink reader on train (maybe near door), touch out at Heathrow. System knows to deduct appropriate fare. Users failing to touch pink reader should be charged extra by on-train staff.

Simple. Only took 2 minutes to think this up.

 

[Lrd]

By the same token, East Midlands Trains have bit posters up now at both Derby and Sheffield stations announcing the full launch of their smartcard scheme. If I were to get one of these smartcards and use it to store tickets between Derby and Sheffield instead of getting them on paper, would I be able to take CrossCountry trains between the two on these (Any Permitted) tickets or would the tickets only be usable on the EMT services (technically 2 out of the 4tph on the route but they depart within ten minutes of each other with XC filling in the other half of the hour)?

As long as the ticket is valid on XC then it doesn't matter if it is on a smartcard or on paper. XC accept SWT smartcard's between Bournemouth and Basingstoke.

 

[GadgetMan]

As long as the ticket is valid on XC then it doesn't matter if it is on a smartcard or on paper. XC accept SWT smartcard's between Bournemouth and Basingstoke.

Out of interest, how do XC staff check smartcards to ensure they hold a valid ticket?

 

[Brucey]

Out of interest, how do XC staff check smartcards to ensure they hold a valid ticket?

Simple answer: they don't.

 

[yorkie]

Out of interest, how do XC staff check smartcards to ensure they hold a valid ticket?

Some operators do not provide their staff with the means to check certain tickets. I've even heard of a company launching Print@Home tickets before guards have been issued with a way to check. It's surprisingly common.

 

[GadgetMan]

Some operators do not provide their staff with the means to check certain tickets. I've even heard of a company launching Print@Home tickets before guards have been issued with a way to check. It's surprisingly common.

Being a XC guard I am fully aware we are sometimes the last to find these things out .

This smart card issue will no doubt be another thing a passenger will explain to me before my employer will :roll:.

 

[Deerfold]

Could Heathrow Express trains not have readers on the train, similar to the pink route validators? Touch on at Paddington, touch onto pink reader on train (maybe near door), touch out at Heathrow. System knows to deduct appropriate fare. Users failing to touch pink reader should be charged extra by on-train staff.

Simple. Only took 2 minutes to think this up.

That doesn't answer the problems raised in the FOI response. Oyster works zonally rather than by having a huge list of fares so Heathrow would need a zone allocating - TfL are/were already using 10 of the 15 that the card supports (possibly more now).

Additionally, Gatwick Express trains do not typically have on-train staff.

 

[Lrd]

Additionally, Gatwick Express trains do not typically have on-train staff.

Who drives them?

 

[Deerfold]

Additionally, Gatwick Express trains do not typically have on-train staff checking tickets .

Updated.

Pedant.

 

[island]

That doesn't answer the problems raised in the FOI response. Oyster works zonally rather than by having a huge list of fares so Heathrow would need a zone allocating - TfL are/were already using 10 of the 15 that the card supports (possibly more now).

11 I think, 1-9, W, and G.

I don't think Heathrow needs a zone for HEX purposes though. They can already contrive to deduct sums from PAYG credit for riverboats, so they could just do that. HC would be less straightforward.

 

[Urban Gateline]

Updated.

Pedant.

 

[YorkshireRider]

Im sure there are barriers at terminal 5, unsure about the other terminals though.

 

[jon0844]

[Gatwick Express] Who drives them?

Or more importantly, what company or brand do they work for?

 

[bb21]

Heathrow Terminals 123 LU is definitely gated.

 

[Lrd]

Or more importantly, what company or brand do they work for?

Very good!

 

[34D]

Heathrow Terminals 123 LU is definitely gated.

Thank you for the clarification. I was last there a couple of years ago.