Zone 4 to Tunbridge Wells Return

[ATW Alex 101]

Hi All,

Been a very long time since I've posted in this section.

Apologies for what may be a simple question, since I seldom travel by train nowadays and my knowledge on fares etc. is not what it was!

I need to make a journey from a London Underground Station in Zone 4 to Tunbridge Wells during peak time, returning the same day.

Cost is not a problem since it will be claimed back via expenses.

Would I be able to go to the ticket machine at the Tube Station and simply buy a return to Tunbridge Wells? Is it possible within the ticket machine to do that? Or would I be required to use contactless/oyster as far as Charing Cross and then use a separate ticket for my journey onwards from there?

I've had a play around with BRFares.com etc. but struggling to find fares that exist, such as a Zone 4 - Tunbridge Wells return. Only I can find is an anytime Tunbridge Wells - Zones 1-6 Day Travelcard.

Any help or advice is much appreciated.

Alex

 

[Starmill]

If Tunbridge Wells isn't an option on the machine, one thing which you can do is to buy the paper One Day Travelcard for 1-6, then when you get to the station where you're boarding for Tunbridge Wells ask for a Boundary Zone 6 to Tunbridge Wells return. This then covers everything on paper tickets, albeit it may be more expensive than using Oyster / Contactless Pay as you Go for the London Underground part of the journey.

 

[Watershed]

Presumably your journey is from somewhere on the 'other' side of London and you will be passing through Zones 1-4 on the Tube (you mention changing at Charing Cross). In that case, the fare you are looking for is a ticket from Zone U1234 to Tunbridge Wells. It should be possible to buy this ticket at the London Underground ticket machines, or you can buy it at a National Rail ticket machine or ticket office, or from most National Rail retailers for collection at a National Rail station. It might be described as "London Underground and DLR Zones 1-4" in some places.

However, somewhat bizarrely there isn't a return fare available from Zone U1234, only a single. And since Tunbridge Wells is beyond the PAYG area, 'paper' singles aren't set based on single-leg pricing - they cost only slightly less than a return. Accordingly, you're best off using PAYG for the Tube element of the journey, and then buying an Anytime Day Return from London Terminals to Tunbridge Wells. Assuming your PAYG journey were charged at peak rates in both directions, you'd be looking at a total of £38.20.

The other option would be to buy something like a paper Zones 1-4 Anytime Day Travelcard for £15.90 (this can be done at the ticket machine at your Underground origin), and then a Boundary Zone 4 to Tunbridge Wells Anytime Day Return costing £19.10. The total cost would thus be £35.

The Boundary Zone ticket couldn't be bought at the Underground ticket machine, but could be bought online from retailers such as the forum's site, or Avanti or c2c's websites, and collected at a National Rail station. Alternatively it could be bought at any National Rail ticket office, or from certain National Rail ticket machines (it depends on whether the machine allows the purchase of tickets from other locations, and recognises Boundary Zone locations).

You say you're travelling during peak time, but just for the avoidance of doubt, the Off-Peak Day Return from London Terminals to Tunbridge Wells is valid from 09:30, whilst the equivalent Super Off-Peak Day Return is valid from 10:00. There are no evening peak restrictions in either case.