Travlecard Routing

[higthomas]

I am sure that there has been a previous thread on this topic, but I have been unable to find one, so I'll ask anyway.

How does routing work with regards travlecards?

I have two examples: The first is from Dorking.

From Dorking all permitted routes to London go through Leatherhead, but there are permitted routes to other stations in the Travlecard area, e.g. East Croydon, that allow travel via Redhill. Therefore is travel to the travlecard area allowed via Redhill?

The second is from Guildford, and is quite similar but with a twist.

Guildford has two travlecards available; via Reading (which is slightly odd because Reading isn't actually on a permitted route,) and via Clandon/Woking, with the via Reading one being the more expensive. This is fine if my first destination is London Terminals, but what if it isn't? For an example; travel from Guildford to London isn't valid via Redhill, but travel from Guildford to Coulsedon South (the first station in zone six coming from Brighton) is. So if I want to travel from Guildford to Coulsdon South, am I allowed to buy a via Clandon/Woking ticket and travel via neither of those places? or do I have to go via them and thus reach my destination in a roundabout way?

 

[talldave]

You might want to check splitting your journey into a Zones1-6 Travelcard from a London station and a Guildford to Boundary Zone 6 ticket. Both are any permitted and the combination may be cheaper than a one ticket solution.

 

[causton]

Guildford has two travlecards available; via Reading (which is slightly odd because Reading isn't actually on a permitted route,)

That is probably why it is specifically 'Via Reading'! With routeing, you would find a permitted route to Reading, then from Reading to the Boundary Zone station.

(Sourced from the extensive fares guide: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1192129 )

 

[30907]

I am sure that there has been a previous thread on this topic, but I have been unable to find one, so I'll ask anyway.

Guildford has two travlecards available; via Reading (which is slightly odd because Reading isn't actually on a permitted route,) and via Clandon/Woking, with the via Reading one being the more expensive. This is fine if my first destination is London Terminals, but what if it isn't? For an example; travel from Guildford to London isn't valid via Redhill, but travel from Guildford to Coulsedon South (the first station in zone six coming from Brighton) is. So if I want to travel from Guildford to Coulsdon South, am I allowed to buy a via Clandon/Woking ticket and travel via neither of those places? or do I have to go via them and thus reach my destination in a roundabout way?

The routing via Clandon/Woking speaks for itself, surely? Whereas there is no routing on the Dorking ticket.

 

[John @ home]

How does routing work with regards Travelcards?

The most comprehensive answer we have is from 2012:

The advice that I received from ATOC is as follows. An external Boundary Zones 6 ticket is valid as below:

It is only valid if used with a valid Travelcard/Freedom pass that covers zone 6. It is valid to the first crossing of the outer boundary of Zone 6, using any permitted route (observing any fare related restriction) to any station within zones 1-6 that the associated Travelcard/Freedom pass is valid to.

I have two examples: The first is from Dorking. ... is travel to the Travelcard area allowed via Redhill?

There are three types of Travelcard available between Dorking Stations and London Zones 1-6:

• route ANY PERMITTED (e.g. £26.80 Anytime Day Travelcard)
• route SOUTHERN ONLY (e.g. £23.90 Anytime Day Travelcard
• route AAA (Also Available At) EFFINGHAM JN. This is available for season tickets only, e.g £90.40 7-day Travelcard.

In each instance, the availability of Dorking Stations to East Croydon via Redhill as a Permitted Route enables the Travelcard to be used via Redhill.

The second is from Guildford

As higthomas points out, there are two types of Travelcard available between Guildford and London Zones 1-6:

• route VIA READING (e.g. £60.50 Anytime Day Travelcard)
• route CLANDON/WOKING (e.g. £30.90 Anytime Day Travelcard)

if I want to travel from Guildford to Coulsdon South, am I allowed to buy a via Clandon/Woking ticket and travel via neither of those places?

No. The absence of a route ANY PERMITTED ticket means that there is no appropriate Travelcard for this journey. Have you examined nearby origin stations?

 

[higthomas]

The most comprehensive answer we have is from 2012:
There are three types of Travelcard available between Dorking Stations and London Zones 1-6:

• route ANY PERMITTED (e.g. £26.80 Anytime Day Travelcard)
• route SOUTHERN ONLY (e.g. £23.90 Anytime Day Travelcard
• route AAA (Also Available At) EFFINGHAM JN. This is available for season tickets only, e.g £90.40 7-day Travelcard.

In each instance, the availability of Dorking Stations to East Croydon via Redhill as a Permitted Route enables the Travelcard to be used via Redhill.As higthomas points out, there are two types of Travelcard available between Guildford and London Zones 1-6:

• route VIA READING (e.g. £60.50 Anytime Day Travelcard)
• route CLANDON/WOKING (e.g. £30.90 Anytime Day Travelcard)

No. The absence of a route ANY PERMITTED ticket means that there is no appropriate Travelcard for this journey. Have you examined nearby origin stations?

Thank you very much for that comprehensive reply, its very helpful. Is that info from ATOC to be found anywhere official, I.e. Usable of challenged by a guard?

And with regards finding somewhere with an any permitted travelcard, I have found one that is of use, thank you

 

[John @ home]

Is that info from ATOC to be found anywhere official ... ?

I don't think so. My guess is that the lack of public information on this point prompted OwlMan to ask ATOC the question in 2012.

 

[higthomas]

Further to this question, I have a further one. If I have a travlecard that permits travel to a certain station within the zones via a certain route; e.g. Godalming-Coulsedon South on a travelcard being valid via Redhill, do I have to get a train into the zones that stops at the station to which it is valid, e.g. Coulsedon South?

 

[bb21]

Further to this question, I have a further one. If I have a travlecard that permits travel to a certain station within the zones via a certain route; e.g. Godalming-Coulsedon South on a travelcard being valid via Redhill, do I have to get a train into the zones that stops at the station to which it is valid, e.g. Coulsedon South?

If you are on a train on a permitted route to that station then it helps in case of dispute. Otherwise it's a grey area.

 

[yorkie]

Thank you very much for that comprehensive reply, its very helpful. Is that info from ATOC to be found anywhere official, I.e. Usable of challenged by a guard?

If booking a One Day Travelcard, book online and obtain an itinerary. Ideally, book using the relevant Train Companyyou're travelling with.

If not booking a ODT, as you hold a Season, it's still worth producing an itinerary (for a dummy booking), in my opinion.

Further to this question, I have a further one. If I have a travlecard that permits travel to a certain station within the zones via a certain route; e.g. Godalming-Coulsedon South on a travelcard being valid via Redhill, do I have to get a train into the zones that stops at the station to which it is valid, e.g. Coulsedon South?

If your journey is to Coulsdon South, it's valid, and you can obtain an itinerary as evidence of this (see above).

If your journey is to somewhere else, I'd argue it should be valid, but if you can't obtain an itinerary, you do increase the risk of an over-zealous RPI taking a dislike to it, and any appeal runs the risk of being brought to the attention of one of those minority of managers who seem to make it their mission to reduce customer flexibility and they may seek to attempt to prevent the use of the route, if they see it as a route they do not want you to take. And you can't rely on Passenger Focus/London Travelwatch/the DfT to take any interest whatsoever in customer needs; they will sell us down the river anyday.