Questions on the "key" smartcard

[maxthepolarbea]

First and foremost - can I use the key card on TFL buses if I have a travelcard on it?

Say if I have a zone 2 to Potters Bar annual season ticket loaded on my "key" card (which I understand I could use it as an oyster card except that it's not PAYG), what happens if I want to go from a station in zone 1 to a station in zone 3 (or vice versa)? Obviously the key card won't work in zone 1 as I don't have zone 1 season ticket.

I suppose I could use my oyster card to tap in at zone 1 and touch out in zone 3. But in this case I will be double paying the zone 2 and zone 3 fare which I already bought and loaded on my key card.

The alternative would be to touch in with an oyster card in zone 1, then touch out with the same oyster card in a station in zone 2, touch back in with a key card and continue the journey. But this is convoluted.

Also what happens if I travel from say East india to Heathrow with my key card. I would be travelling via zone 1 without paying (technically I think it's possible to go to Heathrow from East India without passing through zone 1 but no sane person would do that). Will I be able to touch out at heathrow?

My key card is issued by Southern. Will I be able to get the season ticket by a different train operator (e.g. thameslink) loaded on it or do I need to get a new card issue my the train operator whose line I'll be using?

Also what happens if I don't touch out with my key card?

Background: it's a continuation of my quest to minimise the cost of a season ticket (see here http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=122289) Obviously I now have the option to get a zone 2 to PB annual season ticket on my key card. Although depending on how flexible the key card is I might still go to split ticket into an annual season ticket for zones 2-4 on my oyster and load a daily return ticket from a station in zone 4 to PB on the smart key card.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Stats]

First and foremost - can I use the key card on TFL buses if I have a travelcard on it?

Yes, but some forum members have reported that it occassionally is not being recognised by bus validators.

Say if I have a zone 2 to Potters Bar annual season ticket loaded on my "key" card (which I understand I could use it as an oyster card except that it's not PAYG), what happens if I want to go from a station in zone 1 to a station in zone 3 (or vice versa)? Obviously the key card won't work in zone 1 as I don't have zone 1 season ticket.

You'll need an alternative method of paying for the Z1 fare.

I suppose I could use my oyster card to tap in at zone 1 and touch out in zone 3. But in this case I will be double paying the zone 2 and zone 3 fare which I already bought and loaded on my key card.

The alternative would be to touch in with an oyster card in zone 1, then touch out with the same oyster card in a station in zone 2, touch back in with a key card and continue the journey. But this is convoluted.

Agreed.

Also what happens if I travel from say East india to Heathrow with my key card. I would be travelling via zone 1 without paying (technically I think it's possible to go to Heathrow from East India without passing through zone 1 but no sane person would do that). Will I be able to touch out at heathrow?

The default fare is via zone 1 so I suppose it wouldn't be accepted as it be trying to charge a Z1 fare which it cannot do. There are two routes avoiding zone 1 but you need to touch the pink validators at the appropriate locations.

My key card is issued by Southern. Will I be able to get the season ticket by a different train operator (e.g. thameslink) loaded on it or do I need to get a new card issue my the train operator whose line I'll be using?

The card is issued by Govia Thameslink Railway, of which Southern and Thameslink are part of. Cards of the previous Southern design (the green ones) would be valid as it's the back office that is important. You do not need a separate card to travel on Southern and Thameslink, or other operators within their franchise area (though note it is not currently valid on VTEC between Stevenage and Kings Cross). You will not be able to load 'smart' tickets for travel outside the GTR franchise area on to the card. Further, as you may be aware, there are small parts of the franchise where the key is not accepted, but you won't be able to buy tickets for these areas yet anyway.

Also what happens if I don't touch out with my key card?

It records an incomplete journey. Doing this occassionally shouldn't cause problems, but doing it regularly may raise suspicions and GTR could disable the card.