Ticket Validity "Cluster"

[zcacmxi]

When I book an Anytime Day Return from New Eltham to Virginia Water and load it to the Smart Card, can I also use the same ticket to travel from Eltham Station instead? The fare is the same from Eltham.

I notice on the https://www.brfares.com/!expert?orig=NEH&dest=VIR site when I search for the ticket, the results also show a 'Cluster' of nearby stations.

Flow Origin​	Q064​
Cluster​	5103 ELTHAM​	5118 MOTTINGHAM​	5152 WOOLWICH ARSENAL​	​
	5108 KIDBROOKE​	5119 NEW ELTHAM​	5153 WOOLWICH DOCKYRD​	​
	5110 LEE (LONDON)​	5137 FALCONWOOD​	5208 PLUMSTEAD​	​
Flow Destination​	Q423​
Cluster​	5550 ADDLESTONE​	5669 EGHAM​	5674 LONGCROSS​	​
	5553 CHERTSEY​	5671 SUNNINGDALE​	5676 VIRGINIA WATER​

Does this mean my Ticket is valid from any of the Q064 stations to any of the Q423 stations?

Useful to know in case Sidcup line is broken and I want to use the Eltham line, or for any other reason.

 

[roversfan2001]

Put simply, no. A ticket from Dartford would allow you to use either route though.

 

[Watershed]

When I book an Anytime Day Return from New Eltham to Virginia Water and load it to the Smart Card, can I also use the same ticket to travel from Eltham Station instead? The fare is the same from Eltham.

I notice on the https://www.brfares.com/!expert?orig=NEH&dest=VIR site when I search for the ticket, the results also show a 'Cluster' of nearby stations.

Flow Origin​	Q064​
Cluster​	5103 ELTHAM​	5118 MOTTINGHAM​	5152 WOOLWICH ARSENAL​	​
	5108 KIDBROOKE​	5119 NEW ELTHAM​	5153 WOOLWICH DOCKYRD​	​
	5110 LEE (LONDON)​	5137 FALCONWOOD​	5208 PLUMSTEAD​	​
Flow Destination​	Q423​
Cluster​	5550 ADDLESTONE​	5669 EGHAM​	5674 LONGCROSS​	​
	5553 CHERTSEY​	5671 SUNNINGDALE​	5676 VIRGINIA WATER​

Does this mean my Ticket is valid from any of the Q064 stations to any of the Q423 stations?

Useful to know in case Sidcup line is broken and I want to use the Eltham line, or for any other reason.

No. Clusters are not a term of the contract and do not determine validity. They simply mean that the price will be the same for similar flows.

Accordingly, you're best off buying a ticket from the furthest station in either direction, to give you maximum flexibility.

 

[island]

When I book an Anytime Day Return from New Eltham to Virginia Water and load it to the Smart Card, can I also use the same ticket to travel from Eltham Station instead? The fare is the same from Eltham.

I notice on the https://www.brfares.com/!expert?orig=NEH&dest=VIR site when I search for the ticket, the results also show a 'Cluster' of nearby stations.

Flow Origin​	Q064​
Cluster​	5103 ELTHAM​	5118 MOTTINGHAM​	5152 WOOLWICH ARSENAL​	​
	5108 KIDBROOKE​	5119 NEW ELTHAM​	5153 WOOLWICH DOCKYRD​	​
	5110 LEE (LONDON)​	5137 FALCONWOOD​	5208 PLUMSTEAD​	​
Flow Destination​	Q423​
Cluster​	5550 ADDLESTONE​	5669 EGHAM​	5674 LONGCROSS​	​
	5553 CHERTSEY​	5671 SUNNINGDALE​	5676 VIRGINIA WATER​

Does this mean my Ticket is valid from any of the Q064 stations to any of the Q423 stations?

No. Clusters simply allow fares from a range of nearby stations to be updated in one go. They do not confer additional validity.

Useful to know in case Sidcup line is broken and I want to use the Eltham line, or for any other reason.

If the Sidcup line is disrupted for some reason ticket acceptance on the Bexleyheath line will usually be put in place at no additional cost.

Put simply, no. A ticket from Dartford would allow you to use either route though.

Whilst true, this bumps the price up very considerably, from £22.60 to £36.20 for an anytime day return. In the case where the passenger was returning and wished to travel to Eltham instead of New Eltham, a single from Lewisham to Eltham at £3.50 would do the job (subject of course to following the usual rules on split ticketing).

 

[zcacmxi]

Thanks, that clears that up.. It's rare that SouthEastern organise alternative routes when disruption occurs. Delay Repay and then paying for the alternative seems to be what people do, maybe because it's easier?

Previously when I travelled into London Bridge only, they did at one point (coincided with it becoming 'zonal') allow travel to other stations. Paper ticket started listing the other stations too. I think to align it with Oyster / PAYG.

 

[Watershed]

Thanks, that clears that up.. It's rare that SouthEastern organise alternative routes when disruption occurs. Delay Repay and then paying for the alternative seems to be what people do, maybe because it's easier?

Previously when I travelled into London Bridge only, they did at one point (coincided with it becoming 'zonal') allow travel to other stations. Paper ticket started listing the other stations too. I think to align it with Oyster / PAYG.

You can get season tickets that are valid for use from another nearby station. It's quite a common thing in the southeast. For example you can get a New Eltham to London Terminals weekly season, route 'AAA Eltham'. But this doesn't normally exist for day tickets, with the exception of a limited number of stations.

 

[kieron]

Put simply, no. A ticket from Dartford would allow you to use either route though.

As would a ticket from Crayford. If zcacmxi is travelling off-peak, these cost the same as a ticket from New Eltham.

The peak fare is £2.50 extra, which I think is too much if it's only being used as insurance.

(It's probably worth saying that most tickets, including these ones, let you start and finish your journey at an intermediate station, if you choose to.)

 

[hkstudent]

Put simply, no. A ticket from Dartford would allow you to use either route though.

No need to be that far, Crayford will give validity to travel on all three Dartford metro lines.

 

[Taunton]

You can get season tickets that are valid for use from another nearby station. It's quite a common thing in the southeast. For example you can get a New Eltham to London Terminals weekly season, route 'AAA Eltham'. But this doesn't normally exist for day tickets, with the exception of a limited number of stations.

Well it certainly used to. I remember back as far as the 1960s (and I was told by local family for a long time before) being interested that tickets were printed "Erith OR Barnehurst OR Bexley to London SR", presumably all the same fare. People coming home would take the first train, as they were going to get the local bus from whichever station to their house, which was midway between two lines. I never saw this form of ticket anywhere else. So it did used to denote term of contract and validity. Who decided to remove this?

The well known "London SR" was obviously another example. You didn't get stiffed for buying to Waterloo and using Cannon Street instead.

 

[Haywain]

The well known "London SR" was obviously another example. You didn't get stiffed for buying to Waterloo and using Cannon Street instead

You mean in the way you don’t get ‘stuffed’ for that now?