Rayleigh - Twickenham

[portervalley]

I need to make a return journey from Rayleigh to Twickenham - outward journey on 31/12 and return the following day 01/01. Period returns and cheap advanced fares are not available between Rayleigh and London and as as a result National Rail Enquiries is suggesting an £18.10 single fare each way (£36.20) for the return trip. This seems disproportionately expensive when a day travelcard can be bought from Rayleigh (allowing return travel Rayleigh - London Liverpool Street and unlimited travel zones 1 - 6) for £20.10.

I've been investigating alternative cheaper options, especially as I have an oyster card and I'm aware that oyster is now valid out to Shenfield.

I'll be travelling Rayleigh to Twickenham mid morning, but later that afternoon / evening will be travelling from Twickenham to Central London, around Central London and then back out to Twickenham after midnight.

Rayleigh to Shenfield single is £6. Tfl website shows a Shenfield - Twickenham oyster single fare of £5.20 travelling via Stratford and Richmond and avoiding zone 1. So by changing at Shenfield and switching to oyster I could travel Rayleigh to Twickenham for £11.20. However, as mentioned above later that day I'll be making 3 or 4 single trips zone 1 -6. According to the Tfl website the daily oyster price cap from Shenfield is £17.80 so I'm guessing that when I use my oyster around Central London that evening my oyster won't be capped until I reach £17.80 as I would have travelled in from Shenfield that morning. Anyone able to confirm this?

The £17.80 price cap is making a £20.10 travelcard from Rayleigh much more attractive, even though I won't be making the return journey back to Rayleigh that evening. £20.10 will cover me for Rayleigh to London direct (no need to switch at Shenfield) onto Twickenham via central london (no need to avoid zone 1) and then unlimited use throughout London during the evening.

However, the next day, when I'm only making the journey from Twickenham to Rayleigh, using oyster from Twickenham to Shenfield (for £5.20) and then a single onto Rayleigh for £6 would make a £6 approx saving over the single fare from Twickenham to Rayleigh
(£18.10). Anyone got any other suggestions about how to bring the fare down? Not sure I can be bothered to switch trains at Shenfield on the return journey and buy another ticket just to save £6.

 

[bb21]

When are you travelling on 31st? There is an Off-Peak Return between Rayleigh and Twickenham for £32.00

 

[MikeWh]

I need to make a return journey from Rayleigh to Twickenham - outward journey on 31/12 and return the following day 01/01. Period returns and cheap advanced fares are not available between Rayleigh and London and as as a result National Rail Enquiries is suggesting an £18.10 single fare each way (£36.20) for the return trip. This seems disproportionately expensive when a day travelcard can be bought from Rayleigh (allowing return travel Rayleigh - London Liverpool Street and unlimited travel zones 1 - 6) for £20.10.

I've been investigating alternative cheaper options, especially as I have an oyster card and I'm aware that oyster is now valid out to Shenfield.

I'll be travelling Rayleigh to Twickenham mid morning, but later that afternoon / evening will be travelling from Twickenham to Central London, around Central London and then back out to Twickenham after midnight.

Rayleigh to Shenfield single is £6. Tfl website shows a Shenfield - Twickenham oyster single fare of £5.20 travelling via Stratford and Richmond and avoiding zone 1. So by changing at Shenfield and switching to oyster I could travel Rayleigh to Twickenham for £11.20. However, as mentioned above later that day I'll be making 3 or 4 single trips zone 1 -6. According to the Tfl website the daily oyster price cap from Shenfield is £17.80 so I'm guessing that when I use my oyster around Central London that evening my oyster won't be capped until I reach £17.80 as I would have travelled in from Shenfield that morning. Anyone able to confirm this?

The £17.80 price cap is making a £20.10 travelcard from Rayleigh much more attractive, even though I won't be making the return journey back to Rayleigh that evening. £20.10 will cover me for Rayleigh to London direct (no need to switch at Shenfield) onto Twickenham via central london (no need to avoid zone 1) and then unlimited use throughout London during the evening.

However, the next day, when I'm only making the journey from Twickenham to Rayleigh, using oyster from Twickenham to Shenfield (for £5.20) and then a single onto Rayleigh for £6 would make a £6 approx saving over the single fare from Twickenham to Rayleigh
(£18.10). Anyone got any other suggestions about how to bring the fare down? Not sure I can be bothered to switch trains at Shenfield on the return journey and buy another ticket just to save £6.

Yes, you are correct that the £17.80 price cap will apply if you start at Shenfield. The best I can suggest for the inward journey is:

Rayleigh to Shenfield £6.00 on paper
Shenfield to Romford £2.60 on Oyster
Zone 1-6 Travelcard £8.90 on paper

Total £17.50 but you will have to change at both Shenfield and Romford, though you can then go via zone 1.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

When are you travelling on 31st? There is an Off-Peak Return between Rayleigh and Twickenham for £32.00

He'd still need a travelcard/Oyster to travel in the evening around London.

 

[bb21]

I am now confused as to what the travel requirements are, as the OP talks about a return journey to Twickenham and the pricing for it on NRE, and then goes on about making other trips, all on the same day/two days?

 

[portervalley]

For the outward journey I've decided to purchase the travelcard for £20.10 from Rayleigh to save the need to change trains at Shenfield and Romford, and I'll be able to use it around London for the rest of the day.

One further question I have, is a travelcard purchased from Rayleigh (with validity for a return trip to London and unlimited travel zones 1 -6) valid for use in London until 04.30am the next day, well after the departure of the last train back to Rayleigh, in the same way that a travelcard purchased within London would be?

While it may be accepted by the ticket barriers, if I was using it on a 1am service from Waterloo to Twickenham, it would be fairly obvious to someone manually checking the ticket that I wasn't intending to return to Rayleigh that evening.

 

[yorkie]

One further question I have, is a travelcard purchased from Rayleigh (with validity for a return trip to London and unlimited travel zones 1 -6) valid for use in London until 04.30am the next day, well after the departure of the last train back to Rayleigh, in the same way that a travelcard purchased within London would be?

Yes

While it may be accepted by the ticket barriers, if I was using it on a 1am service from Waterloo to Twickenham, it would be fairly obvious to someone manually checking the ticket that I wasn't intending to return to Rayleigh that evening.

There is no compulsion to use the outward, or return, 'portion' of any ticket, and break of journey is permitted unless it is made clear that it isn't. For a Travelcard, there is of course, no such restriction!

I've even bought Travelcards from Epsom before, and not travelled from Epsom, nor to Epsom, and travelled exclusively within the Zones.

Likewise with Bushey.