Time needed to break contactless journey?

[MrChips69]

Hi - I'm travelling to Gatwick this evening from north London (Oakwood, zone 5). Due to the flight time, I'll be getting on the tube shortly before 7pm and changing at Finsbury Park to get on the National Rail just after 7pm.

If treated as one complete journey it will be a peak fare of £22.10. However, if breaking the journey into two separate ones, then it will be a peak underground fare to Finsbury Park (£3.20) and an off peak fare from FP to Gatwick (£10.70). I could use two different cards for the two parts of the journey to get the separate fares. However my 14 year old will be with me with his zip Oyster card and he doesn't have this option. For him, the continuous peak fare will be £11.05, whereas breaking the journey in two will be a total of £4.

So, unless anyone has a more cunning solution, I think we would need to touch out at Finsbury Park and leave a gap before touching in again once the system thinks these are two separate journeys. In which case, how long is the time period needed for this?

Also, if to do this, does it make a difference where we touch our cards to 'exit'? There is a wall mounted card reader at the top of the stairs between the underground and the national rail platforms. Would that suffice, or would we need to physically leave the station altogether and reenter?

Thanks!

 

[Mawkie]

The OSI for for Finsbury Park appears to be 10 minutes.

https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/out-of-station-interchanges

From memory, I think the journey time from Oakwood to Finsbury is around 20 mins?

Given it's just 10 mins difference, couldn't you just leave Oakwood at 1900 and save all the faff?

PS. Maybe this post will have more traction in the Fares Advice section of the forum?

Fares Advice & Policy

Requests for good value tickets and routeing advice, as well as general discussion on fares policy.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[MrChips69]

Thanks - I've added it there.

Re timing, our flight leaves at 2150 and touching in at Oakwood at 7pm means the earliest train from FP would be the 1937, arriving at 2034 (unless we are super lucky with timing and get the 1922). That would only give us 1 hour 10 which is a bit short to be comfortable.

I'm aiming for the 1907 which arrives at Gatwick at 2004 giving us almost 2 hours.

 

[Mawkie]

Ah yes, that does become a bit tight - especially given the reliability issues with the Pic line recently.

Hopefully the ticketing experts will come up with a solution on the other forum.

Have a good flight/holiday.

 

[rebmcr]

Tapping on a bus (or tram), then stepping back off right away without riding it, always forces a break of OSI.

Depending on the capping status of your card(s), this might or might not be a cheaper option.

 

[jellybaby]

Tapping on a bus (or tram), then stepping back off right away without riding it, always forces a break of OSI.

Depending on the capping status of your card(s), this might or might not be a cheaper option.

Cunning idea!

The 14 year old presumably has free bus travel so that works for them and the adult can use two cards and doesn't need to bother with the bus tap.

 

[Watershed]

Cunning idea!

The 14 year old presumably has free bus travel so that works for them and the adult can use two cards and doesn't need to bother with the bus tap.

Yes, but not necessary if you touch out and back in at the same gateline.

 

[Mag_seven]

Please use this thread to discuss this matter, thanks.

How best to break journey into peak and off peak?

Hi - I'm travelling to Gatwick this evening from north London (Oakwood, zone 5). Due to the flight time, I'll be getting on the tube shortly before 7pm and changing at Finsbury Park to get on the National Rail just after 7pm. If treated as one complete journey it will be a peak fare of £22.10...

www.railforums.co.uk