PRIV to STP versus Lon Terminals?

[TP113]

Evening all. I am looking at buying a RST season ticket from Epsom to St Pancras and this has been authorised. The routes from EPS include SWR to Waterloo and GTR to either Victoria or London Bridge which are classed as London Terminals. If I want to go to St Pancras I need to change at either Sutton or Norwood Junction onto a Thameslink.

However, despite this route being authorised in the confirmation email they have sent me when I have bought the tickets it says that the limit of my journey is to City Thameslink and does not include STP. Is that accurate?

I have bought tickets from the ticket office from EPS to STP via Sutton where it has stated EPS - Lon Terminals and this lets me out of the barriers.

I do not want to get caught out by RPIs or avoid any fares. I am happy to pay what is needed but it does not seem this route is accepted by the RST?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[jfollows]

That is correct, see

Travelling in London | National Rail

Whether you’re travelling to, from, or in and around London by train, we can help you find the best routes and prices for your journey.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

 

[Haywain]

Your ticket to London Terminals is only valid as far as City Thameslink - it does not cover travel through Farringdon station. And whilst the ticket may well open the barriers at St Pancras that won't cut any ice if you get caught by an RPI, and staff need to be especially careful about this sort of thing.What you need is a ticket to London St Pancras (STP) route 'Not Underground' which is slightly more expensive than a London Terminals ticket. I would hope that you would be able to obtain a changeover to this but the Priv paperwork requirement just might make that more complicated.

 

[TP113]

Your ticket to London Terminals is only valid as far as City Thameslink - it does not cover travel through Farringdon station. And whilst the ticket may well open the barriers at St Pancras that won't cut any ice if you get caught by an RPI, and staff need to be especially careful about this sort of thing.What you need is a ticket to London St Pancras (STP) route 'Not Underground' which is slightly more expensive than a London Terminals ticket. I would hope that you would be able to obtain a changeover to this but the Priv paperwork requirement just might make that more complicated.

Hmmmm thank you for this. I absolutely do not want to get caught out, hence looking for the invaluable advice here. As i say, I’m happy to pay the difference that’s not the issue. I just need a valid route. I might contact RST and enquire about an amendment. I presume though that if I was to get what you are suggesting then it wouldn’t include London Terminals, despite being a more expensive ticket.

In essence I would need to decide which of the EPS to STP or EPS - LON Terminals is more beneficial to me.

 

[Haywain]

I presume though that if I was to get what you are suggesting then it wouldn’t include London Terminals, despite being a more expensive ticket.

As the ticket is issued to St Pancras, and routed 'Not underground' it would certainly be valid to London Bridge, and to Waterloo (on via Waterloo East/London Bridge or a walk to Blackfriars), but you might lose out on the validity to Victoria and Charing Cross. I suspect that the St Pancras ticket will be more worthwhile, especially as you shouldn't be buying anything with a Priv discount to get to or from work other than a season ticket.

 

[TP113]

As the ticket is issued to St Pancras, and routed 'Not underground' it would certainly be valid to London Bridge, and to Waterloo (on via Waterloo East/London Bridge or a walk to Blackfriars), but you might lose out on the validity to Victoria and Charing Cross. I suspect that the St Pancras ticket will be more worthwhile, especially as you shouldn't be buying anything with a Priv discount to get to or from work other than a season ticket.

Excellent thanks for the clarification. It’s very much a 6 of one, half a dozen of the other situation.

I regularly travel to London in a leisure capacity so make use of the Priv and the London Terminals is the quickest and easiest for me (Vauxhall, Waterloo or Victoria)

The St Pancras route is closest to work for the season ticket but takes much longer time wise.

The decision will be either to keep the EPS - Lon Terminals for work, and pay for the underground, to work, which is still quicker, which also provides my leisure travel or get the EPS - STP and lose the Lon - Teminals meaning I have to pay again for my leisure travel to Vaux/Wat/Vic.

 

[Haywain]

lose the Lon - Teminals meaning I have to pay again for my leisure travel to Vaux/Wat/Vic

As stated, the St Pancras ticket will cover travel to Waterloo and, as it is on that route, Vauxhall so no "paying again" for those. I'm hesitant to say whether Victoria would be covered or not, but prefer to err on the side of caution here.

 

[Hadders]

There's been various debates about validity of tickets routed 'not underground' being valid via Victoria. I certainly wouldn't want to put it to the test using staff travel.

 

[Kite159]

There's been various debates about validity of tickets routed 'not underground' being valid via Victoria. I certainly wouldn't want to put it to the test using staff travel.

Especially with some of those gateline staff at London Victoria who must have been rejected by Euston for being too unfriendly. Such an awful station is Victoria

 

[tonycockram]

They’re worse at Victoria than at Euston?!? Jeeeez. The mind boggles.

 

[Hadders]

Discussion about the behaviour of gateline staff is off-topic for this thread, which is to assist @TP113 with the best ticket for a journey from Epsom to St Pancras.

 

[Haywain]

I regularly travel to London in a leisure capacity so make use of the Priv and the London Terminals is the quickest and easiest for me (Vauxhall, Waterloo or Victoria)

Further to my comments above, you should also bear in mind that the additional travel into Victoria for leisure purposes can be paid for at Priv rate. This can be either by buying a ticket (paper or eTicket) or getting the Priv National Rail discount added to an Oyster Card, the latter option giving the lowest fares. Unfortunately it's a bit of a hassle getting the discount added to Oyster as non-safeguarded staff but it would be worthwhile if you live in the Oyster area.