Train Season Ticket Validity on Overground

[Kazu]

Hi all,

I live in Shepherd's Bush, and I take the Overground to Clapham Junction and then the train to Woking on commute. I bought a season ticket between Clapham Junction and Woking because I wanted to use my Oyster card between Shepherd's Bush and Clapham Junction. However, when I accidentally used my season ticket at Shepherd's Bush station, it worked. Now I'm confused. I am wondering if it's Okey and I won't get caught.

Thanks,

 

[Mojo]

Why don't you just get a season ticket from Shepherds Bush to Woking? It's an extra £8.60 per week but this is cheaper than using Pay As You Go, or a Travelcard. Even a Travelcard Zones 2-6 to Woking would be cheaper.

 

[Kazu]

Hi, thank you for your reply.

Yes, you are right. I am still wondering if it's Okey to use the season ticket on the Overground between Clapham Junction and Shepherd's Bush since I can use it on their gates because I don't want to spend more money than I need.

Thanks,

 

[Mojo]

I don't imagine that a ticket from Clapham Jcn to Woking would be valid at Shepherds Bush, and if inspected at stations or on board then you may have to pay an extra fare.

Assuming you are doing a 5-day commute at peak times, there is no need to use Oyster between Shepherds Bush and Clapham Jcn when you can get a season ticket direct from Shepherds Bush to Woking.

 

[Brucey]

Looking at the National Routeing Guide, travel between Clapham Junction and Woking is only permitted by Map WX, which offers no permitted route involving Shepherd's Bush.

It is probably just an error in the barrier coding, where it has been set up to allow an intermediate break of journey.

If caught by revenue protection staff using this ticket (London Overground do have on-train ticket checks), remember that you could face an £80 Penalty Fare or prosecution. The £8.60 per week sounds like the easier option.

 

[maniacmartin]

Ticket acceptance by gatelines does not determine validity.

I can't see any reason why this ticket would be valid at Shepherds Bush, and would advise you don't use it there again as the penalties for travelling without a valid ticket can be quite severe.

What you is a ticket all the way to Shepherds Bush. A Wembley Central to Woking will do, at an extra £8.60 a week on top of your current ticket. This works out cheaper than splitting and using Oyster for part for the journey, and also gives you validity north via Willesden Junction to Wembley if you ever need it.

You could also consider a Woking to London Zones 2-6 (an extra £14.80 per week) which would give validity on anything in those zones, handy for weekends.

If you have a season ticket that has a lot of time left on it, you can do a season ticket changeover to a new season ticket at any National Rail station (although London Overground staff are mostly too incompetent to do it), effectively paying the difference.

 

[Kazu]

Hi, thank you all for your reply.

I looked into the season tickets and it seems a bit strange...
Clapham Junction to Woking = £64.6
Shepherd's Bush to Woking = £73.2
73.2 - 64.6 = £8.6

Clapham Junction to Guildford = £69.5
Shepherd's Bush to Guildford = £84
84 - 69.5 = £14.5

I am wondering how it is possible even though the differences are purely the cost for between Shepherd's Bush and Clapham Junction... I sometimes have to work in Guildford.

I have another question. If I have a season ticket, such as Shepherd's Bush to Woking or Clapham Junction to Woking, can I take the bus by using it? I know that a season ticket London 2-6 can be used to do it.

Many thanks,

 

[causton]

Not a normal (point-to-point as they're known) season ticket, but a Travelcard will (i.e. as you said, Zones 2-6). The zones do not matter, any Travelcard is valid on any London bus (i.e. ones that accept Oyster cards!)

 

[PermitToTravel]

No. Point-to-point season tickets cannot be used aboard buses, but a season ticket between Woking and London Zones 2-6 functions as a season ticket and a travelcard, and so can be used on buses

To clarify, the ticket costing £79.40 per week or £304.90 per month can be used on all London Underground, London Overground, National Rail, and DLR services within zones 2-6, as well as all London Buses (including within zone 1), trains between Clapham Junction and Woking, and the Croydon Tramlink.

The ticket costing £64.60 per week, or £248.10 per month, has no validity apart from trains between Clapham Junction and Woking

The tickets costing £73.20 per week, or £281.10 per month, additionally have validity to whichever London Overground station you buy them to (the best would be Wembley Central, allowing you to travel there, or to any intermediate stations, for free).