Travelcard question

[bicbasher]

Spoke to my friend today who came down from St. Albans City station with a St Albans to Z1-6 travelcard.

She claimed that she can use it to go to St. Albans and back, then use it to return to London again. I thought the ticket was unlimited within the Travelcard zones and allows for one journey to and from the home station?

She was however aware of the evening peak rule on FCC with an off-peak ticket.

 

[CyrusWuff]

You are correct in your understanding. A passenger wishing to make a further journey into London would need to purchase an additional ticket to Boundary Zone 6 for the additional journey.

 

[causton]

She was however aware of the evening peak rule on FCC with an off-peak ticket.

As someone who forgot the evening peak rule (on the Great Northern branch it doesn't apply to stations as close to London as mine!) I managed to dodge both an RPI and a gateline member of staff without them realising the ticket wasn't actually valid! Perhaps they took sympathy as I had a very tired dog with me

 

[Hadders]

I assume the ticket held was a day travelcard. This would only allow one return journey to the boundary of the zones. A travelcard season would allow unlimited journeys.

 

[bicbasher]

I assume the ticket held was a day travelcard. This would only allow one return journey to the boundary of the zones. A travelcard season would allow unlimited journeys.

Yes, it was the off-peak day travelcard. I can't bring up the actual fare on BRFares, but she said it was around £16.

Incidentally she said that the travelcard would work the St. Albans City gateline numerous times despite reusing the ticket.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Incidentally she said that the travelcard would work the St. Albans City gateline numerous times despite reusing the ticket.

Not entirely unusual, as it's still valid for travel within the Travelcard Area. However, if there was a ticket check on the train heading back to London, she would likely be challenged on the matter.

 

[revenueadvice]

The travel card stops being valid at all on completion of the return journey to the origin station. The thing about buying an extension ticket back to boundary zone 6 is actually a myth.

Like many things I have witnessed on the railway. Someone does what they think its correct and then trains people to do the same. Before you know it everyone is doing it wrong.

 

[greatkingrat]

The travel card stops being valid at all on completion of the return journey to the origin station. The thing about buying an extension ticket back to boundary zone 6 is actually a myth.

Like many things I have witnessed on the railway. Someone does what they think its correct and then trains people to do the same. Before you know it everyone is doing it wrong.

Not true, the ticket is still valid within the zones if you make your own way back there. From the NRE Knowledgebase:

- On completion of the return journey Out-boundary Day Travelcards are not valid for further journeys into the Travelcard area. However, customers may, upon request, retain their ticket for further journeys that are wholly within Fare Zones 1-6 only (or Zones 1-9 if the ticket includes additional availability in Zones 7-9) and on the day for which the ticket is valid. They may also be retained for travel on permitted London Bus services that operate outside the London Fare Zones area. Details of available bus services are published by Transport for London.

 

[revenueadvice]

"The validity of the Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard ends on completion of the return journey to the originating station."

Taken from abellio Greater Anglia website.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
"The validity of the Anytime Day Travelcard ends on completion of the return journey to the originating station"

Taken from FCC website.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
"The validity of the Off-Peak Day Travelcard ends on completion of the return journey to the originating station. "

Taken from C2C website.

 

[CyrusWuff]

"The validity of the Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard ends on completion of the return journey to the originating station."

Taken from abellio Greater Anglia website.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
"The validity of the Anytime Day Travelcard ends on completion of the return journey to the originating station"

Taken from FCC website.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
"The validity of the Off-Peak Day Travelcard ends on completion of the return journey to the originating station. "

Taken from C2C website.

An oversimplification (and selective quoting!) there...Chiltern and London Midland mention no such restriction, FGW and Southeastern don't mention Travelcards at all.

SWT say, "If you are travelling from outside London Zones 1-6, you can add a Day Travelcard to an Anytime, Off Peak or Super Off Peak Day Return ticket and save yourself money on buying separate Day Return and Travelcard tickets. The combined ticket gives you one return trip from your station to the first station in London Zones 1-6, then unlimited travel within Zones 1-6."

And Southern say, "Travel anytime you want with an Anytime Day Travelcard. This includes a return journey from any rail station and unlimited travel on trains, tubes, trams and buses within London Zones 1-6 (below)."

National Rail Enquiries are more ambiguous, opting for "Travelcards can be purchased from most stations in the South East England area. Day Travelcard prices include the return fare to London plus travel in Zones 1-6."

 

[tractakid]

A while back, I broke my out journey (at Watford Junction), used the ticket as a travelcard (on a bus) and later resumed my out journey (at Bushey). It was a little odd but I didn't see why it wouldn't be valid. Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[Tetchytyke]

revenueadvice, the Knowledgebase is the information that railway staff should be using to assist them in deciding whether the information is valid.

You are wrong. If you work in "revenue advice" then I would suggest you take some time to read the information that you're supposed to be working from, rather than making it up.

A Potters Bar to London Day Travelcard, for instance, remains valid on leaving Potters Bar station if you are taking a TfL bus service as part of your onward journey.

 

[jon0844]

revenueadvice, the Knowledgebase is the information that railway staff should be using to assist them in deciding whether the information is valid.

You are wrong. If you work in "revenue advice" then I would suggest you take some time to read the information that you're supposed to be working from, rather than making it up.

A Potters Bar to London Day Travelcard, for instance, remains valid on leaving Potters Bar station if you are taking a TfL bus service as part of your onward journey.

I think FCC changed the gates to allow people to keep their Travelcard specifically because it's still valid for buses outside. Before that, there were posters to tell people to ask to keep their Travelcard if they intended to use it later.

And it somewhat alarmed me to read totally incorrect advice from a user with the name 'revenueadvice'!