Travelling THROUGH London?

[Class377]

Hi,
will be travelling back from Brighton soon, and checking NR's route planner most of the routes (2 per hour, compared to the 1 direct one which is very inconvenient as I don't want to wait 40 or so minutes) advise me to take a southern train to East Croydon and change to FCC. If I arrive at East Croydon in the peak then go through London in the peak, is this allowed on an off-peak ticket? I won't be stopping off there and both stations are outside of the London peak zone.

 

[OwlMan]

Hi,
will be travelling back from Brighton soon, and checking NR's route planner most of the routes (2 per hour, compared to the 1 direct one which is very inconvenient as I don't want to wait 40 or so minutes) advise me to take a southern train to East Croydon and change to FCC. If I arrive at East Croydon in the peak then go through London in the peak, is this allowed on an off-peak ticket? I won't be stopping off there and both stations are outside of the London peak zone.

What ticket are you using. Valid and invalid times vary according to what type of ticket you have and which journey your ticket is issued for.

Peter

 

[Class377]

Well, I haven't bought it yet, I was planning just to get the cheapest ticket for a return to Brighton though. Probably an off peak day return in that case.

 

[dan_atki]

Where on FCC north of East Croydon would you be travelling, though?

 

[Class377]

St Albans.

 

[dan_atki]

On an off-peak day return from St Albans to Brighton outbound travel can be made at 0929 or later, and return travel from Brighton at any time same day - changing at East Croydon doesn't affect this.

On an off-peak return, outbound to be made after 0930 and return by any train after 0930 within one calendar month.

 

[Class377]

Cool, so it doesn't matter if I travel through/change at a London station during peak on the way back?
Cheers, I just wanted to make sure because it claims it to be the quickest route.

 

[dan_atki]

Cool, so it doesn't matter if I travel through/change at a London station during peak on the way back?
Cheers, I just wanted to make sure because it claims it to be the quickest route.

Nope, it's for people starting their journeys in London that the evening peak restrictions apply to. Changing trains in the area doesn't count!

 

[yorkie]

Some RPIs/gate staff don't understand the rules and may claim it is invalid. If challenged, ask them to look up the validity code for your tiocket and read out what it says. The average lowish paid member of staff in the LSE area is unlikely to understand the ticketing system as well as some people on here, this is due to insufficient training by the TOCs and very complicated rules.

 

[Tom C]

If you check the public timetable it says that if you start your journey from zone A (which Brighton is in) then you are not obliged to purchase an excess for the PM. Our evening peak services are often all stations as far as Haywards Heath so catching a fast Southern often means you catch the train in front and this is completely fine as far as your ticket is concerned.

Forget asking people to check machines and all that nonsense, if you do get a query at St Albans then simply ask them to check the public timetable as its quite clearly printed in the front.

Often the confusion with the restrictions comes with tickets which have started off the FCC network and then I definately agree that it becomes a problem and Yorkie is right to say that in that circumstance it is quite wise to ask them to check the Advantix machine should you be challanged but for stations within the FCC network it is printed in the public timetable.

 

[glynn80]

Often the confusion with the restrictions comes with tickets which have started off the FCC network and then I definately agree that it becomes a problem and Yorkie is right to say that in that circumstance it is quite wise to ask them to check the Advantix machine should you be challanged but for stations within the FCC network it is printed in the public timetable.

On an Avantix machine, how easy is it to find the validity code data?

 

[Tom C]

On an Avantix machine, how easy is it to find the validity code data?

Very

When you look up a fare, the restriction codes are on the right hand side, couple of presses and you have the wording from the fare manual.