SWR & connections: TfL/NR interavailability via Thameslink core and Waterloo East

[Royston Vasey]

In a couple of weeks I have an advance single from Meldreth to Grateley SWR & Connections as part of a longer Trainsplit itinerary. Obviously, I have a paper ticket with a Maltese cross.

As I am connecting on Great Northern and Thameslink I have mandatory reservation coupons as far as Farringdon. I am happy enough to use those but then have a query about what I can do with the Maltese Cross thereafter:

The most logical routes from Farringdon to Waterloo, as I can see it, would be:-

- Elizabeth Line to Tottenham Court Road then Northern to Waterloo
- Stay on the TL train to Blackfriars, exit to the south bank (I'm in first class so will be at the front anyway) and walk
- Stay on the TL train to London Bridge and take Jubilee
- Stay on the TL train to London Bridge, cross from P4 to P8/P9 and take Southeastern to Waterloo East and the walkway - which I would prefer

I know that specific Thameslink tube/rail interavailability extends to the Farringdon-London Bridge portion, but does it also extend to London Bridge to Waterloo East?

Waterloo East is not an underground station but given the OSI arrangements with Waterloo, will it open the barrier and if not, will Southeastern gateline staff have any reason to challenge me?

 

[Haywain]

I know that specific Thameslink tube/rail interavailability extends to the Farringdon-London Bridge portion, but does it also extend to London Bridge to Waterloo East?

Yes.

Stay on the TL train to Blackfriars, exit to the south bank (I'm in first class so will be at the front anyway) and walk

i would do this, unless it's chucking it down with rain.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Yes.

i would do this, unless it's chucking it down with rain.

Perfect, thank you! I have done the walk before but will have luggage and have never used WAE and would like to cross it off.


In more general terms, if you're entering and exiting at the appropriate London Terminals, and pass through no intermediate gatelines, is there any practical restriction on the routing you can take between the two? Thinking mainly within zone 1 but not necessarily.

 

[Haywain]

is there any practical restriction on the routing you can take between the two?

Across central London there are many options for most interchanges so there is no concept of a wrong route, but there would be potential for questions to be asked if you were taking a route that was clearly unreasonable.

 

[Hadders]

The fastest way is to take the Victoria Line from Finsbury Park to Oxford Circus then cross-platform connection to the Bakerloo Line to Waterloo, but nothing wrong with going via London Bridge and Waterloo East.

 

[Bluewrenn00]

I don't know if it helps but I regularly use a "London Terminals" anytime day return to transfer from Waterloo to London Bridge via Waterloo East and vice versa. I have never had an issue with that route and gate line barriers.

 

[Hadders]

I don't know if it helps but I regularly use a "London Terminals" anytime day return to transfer from Waterloo to London Bridge via Waterloo East and vice versa. I have never had an issue with that route and gate line barriers.

It depends where the ticket is issued from. For example a Stevenage to London Terminals ticket is not valid at any of London Bridge, Waterloo or Waterloo East.

 

[island]

The fastest way is to take the Victoria Line from Finsbury Park to Oxford Circus then cross-platform connection to the Bakerloo Line to Waterloo, but nothing wrong with going via London Bridge and Waterloo East.

That would mean not using the mandatory reserved train as far as Farringdon, though admittedly there is not the slightest chance of it being detected.