Whilst researching a gateline dispute my partner recently had, I was told that many LU staff believe think when you're travelling on a Travelcard in the early hours of the morning, you need a ticket dated the previous day, and a ticket dated the actual date you are travelling is not valid.
This goes against the common belief here that either ticket would be valid between midnight and 04:29, as you can travel at any time on the date on the ticket, and also up until 04:29 the day after. (Subject to the ticket's restriction code)
This is backed up by LU's internal ticketing and revenue book 5, by London Overground's Ticket and Travel Guide and London Underground's Conditions of Carriage (page 32):
The restriction text of travelcards (e.g.Bedford - Zones 1-6) also agrees:
I have just bought 2 Y-P discounted Zone 1-6 travelcards. Pictures are attached.
One was bought from an London Underground station at 00:04 on 18th Aug 2013. (Purchase date and time is in the bottom right of the receipt)
The other was bought from a National Rail station at 00:11 on 18th Aug 2013.
These tickets are the exact same product, for the same price, and you'd therefore expect them to have the same validity. However, LU machines print yesterday's date if you buy in the early hours of the morning. The ticket purchased from LU has only 4 hours validity, whereas from the one from NR has about 28 hours left.
There is a silver lining though, in that if you're buying an off-peak travelcard on a weekday, from an NR TVM it wouldn't be valid before 09:30am, whereas LU's short-lived travelcard would be valid for immediate travel. However, on a weekend you gain nothing by buying from LU. Why anyone would buy a travelcard just to make journeys in the early hours beats me, as most people will only be making a single journey home then.
So think carefully where you buy a travelcard in the early hours of the morning.
Does anyone know where I can raise this issue, as I feel it can catch many passengers out.
This goes against the common belief here that either ticket would be valid between midnight and 04:29, as you can travel at any time on the date on the ticket, and also up until 04:29 the day after. (Subject to the ticket's restriction code)
This is backed up by LU's internal ticketing and revenue book 5, by London Overground's Ticket and Travel Guide and London Underground's Conditions of Carriage (page 32):
TfL said:
The restriction text of travelcards (e.g.Bedford - Zones 1-6) also agrees:
Ironically, if travelling Monday-Friday, an Off-Peak ticket dated the actual day you're travelling would actually not be valid, as its before 09:30, but a ticket from the previous day would be. On a weekend, you're valid from midnight as there are no restrictions.BRFares said:
I have just bought 2 Y-P discounted Zone 1-6 travelcards. Pictures are attached.
One was bought from an London Underground station at 00:04 on 18th Aug 2013. (Purchase date and time is in the bottom right of the receipt)
The other was bought from a National Rail station at 00:11 on 18th Aug 2013.
These tickets are the exact same product, for the same price, and you'd therefore expect them to have the same validity. However, LU machines print yesterday's date if you buy in the early hours of the morning. The ticket purchased from LU has only 4 hours validity, whereas from the one from NR has about 28 hours left.
There is a silver lining though, in that if you're buying an off-peak travelcard on a weekday, from an NR TVM it wouldn't be valid before 09:30am, whereas LU's short-lived travelcard would be valid for immediate travel. However, on a weekend you gain nothing by buying from LU. Why anyone would buy a travelcard just to make journeys in the early hours beats me, as most people will only be making a single journey home then.
So think carefully where you buy a travelcard in the early hours of the morning.
Does anyone know where I can raise this issue, as I feel it can catch many passengers out.
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