Zone 6 boundary extension fares.

[Kieron Kirk]

I have a Freedom Pass and I frequently travel beyond the Zone 6 Boundary.

Yesterday (Saturday 3rd June 2017) I traveled from Chessington South to Southend Airport via Waterloo/Stratford and returned. I purchased a standard off-peak return from the Surbiton booking office the day before (Friday 2nd June). The cost was £13.20.

On arrival at Southend Airport I enquired at the booking office as to the cost of my return ticket. A very helpful lady typed the details into her keyboard and said the cost was £10.10.

Several previous return journeys from Chessington South to Leigh on sea via Waterloo/West Ham, all booked at SWT stations (Chessington South, Surbiton and Waterloo) the cost was £10.60.

On Friday 26th May I purchased a super off-peak day return at Fenchurch Street for travel on Saturday 27th May. The cost was £8.00.

Does it pay to buy Zone 6 extension tickets from the rail company's own booking office rather than from, in this case SWT?

Kieron.

 

[yorkie]

Welcome to the forum

The appropriate fare is £10.80

You were overcharged.

The fare should be the same from any ticket office; it's possible staff made a mistake or the correct fare wasn't in their system. If you live nearby, you could go back to ask them.

A list of fares from Boundary Zone 6 to Southend Airport can be found here: http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=0072&dest=SIA

The £8 fare may have been a temporary promotion. What exactly was printed in the ticket?

 

[Kieron Kirk]

Thanks for the welcome.

"The appropriate fare is £10.80

You were overcharged.

The fare should be the same from any ticket office; it's possible staff made a mistake or the correct fare wasn't in their system. If you live nearby, you could go back to ask them."

I accept your first comment, but Greater Anglia said otherwise.

Yes I believe that I was overcharged.

Your third comment prompts me to ask can I obtain a refund?

"The £8 fare may have been a temporary promotion. What exactly was printed in the ticket?"

"Super off-peak day return from Upminster to Leigh on Sea."

Note not from the boundary of Zone 6 to Leigh on Sea, but Upminster is the boundary of Zone 6.

Kieron.

 

[Kieron Kirk]

Harold Wood to Southend Airport return is indeed £10.80.

Kieron.

 

[Kieron Kirk]

National Rail web site quotes return from Upminster to Leigh on Sea as £8.00.

Kieron.

 

[Hadders]

The following fares apply from Boundary Zone 6 to Leigh on Sea:
Anytime Single £8.00
Off Peak Day Return £10.60
Anytime Day Return £11.30

These are the fares from Upminster to Leigh on Sea:
Anytime Day Single £8.00
Super Off Peak Day Return £8.00 (weekends only)
Off Peak Day Return £10.60
Anytime Day Return £11.30

So if you're travelling at the weekend buy the Super Off Peak Day Return ticket from Upminster (this will be the same price wherever you purchase it from). At other times buy the Boundary Zone fare.

The fares from Boundary Zone 6 to Southend Airport are:
Anytime Day Single £10.10
Super Off Peak Day Return £10.80
Off Peak Day Return £13.20
Anytime Day Return £13.70

No restrictions apply to these Off Peak or Super Off Peak Day Returns at weekends. The Super Off Peak Day Return should have sufficed yesterday but appears your were sold the Off Peak Day Return in error.

 

[Kieron Kirk]

Hadders thank you for your concise explanation.

I was beginning to think along the same lines.

At weekends I could use the ticket machine at Chessington South.
Buy tickets from Upminster or Harold Wood return and weekdays from Zone 6 boundary and buy from a booking office.

Kieron.

 

[Bookd]

I don't know the route but presumably the Upminster fare would depend on the train stopping there, which would not apply to a boundary zone ticket.

 

[yorkie]

I don't know the route but presumably the Upminster fare would depend on the train stopping there, which would not apply to a boundary zone ticket.

What makes you think that?

The OP has a Freedom Pass, so there is no requirement for the train to call anywhere.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/Conditions of Travel 2016.pdf

If you are using a Season Ticket, daily Zonal Ticket, or another area based Ticket such as a concessionary pass, ranger or rover in conjunction with another Ticket and the last station at which one Ticket is valid and the first station that the other Ticket is valid are the same, then the train does not need to call at that station for your combination to be valid.

 

[Kieron Kirk]

Thank you all for your responses.

Having made a good many trips to Leigh-on-Sea in recent weeks, it is fortunate that I tend to collect more significant rail tickets.

Using a Freedom Pass there are no tickets except for travel outside of Zone 6.

I have just found an off-peak day return ticket from Sunday 26th March 2017 which cost £10.60.

It should have been a super off-peak day return which would cost £8.00.

I have e-mailed SWT requesting a refund of £2.40 for the trip to Southend Airport and £2.60 for the trip to Leigh-on-Sea.

Will let you know of any outcome.

Once again many thanks.

Kieron.

 

[Hadders]

If you are a Freedom Pass holder who makes frequent journeys outside thebZonesbyou might want to obtain a railcard which would give you 34% off fares.

 

[yorkie]

I have e-mailed SWT requesting a refund of £2.40 for the trip to Southend Airport and £2.60 for the trip to Leigh-on-Sea.

Will let you know of any outcome.

Once again many thanks.

Kieron.

In the unlikely event of SWT not agreeing to issue a refund, ask them to look into it again, and you are welcome to send me a PM with your reference number and I'll ensure a knowledgeable person within the company looks at it.

 

[JBuchananGB]

On the Greater Anglia line to Southend Airport, super off peak day returns are not confined to weekends. Their validity on Mon-Fri is typically for travel after 11.30 am, and not permitted to travel outbound from London or Stratford between 4pm and 7pm. I looked up for Harold Wood to Southend Airport, and it is valid on the 1203 departure from there.

 

[philthetube]

Unless Surbiton is very convenient for you I am not sure why you are bothering to buy a ticket, there is no need for you to purchase one before arriving at Southend as you have no previous opportunity to purchase a ticket, assuming the Machines at Chessington cannot oblige you,

 

[yorkie]

Unless Surbiton is very convenient for you I am not sure why you are bothering to buy a ticket, there is no need for you to purchase one before arriving at Southend as you have no previous opportunity to purchase a ticket, assuming the Machines at Chessington cannot oblige you,

You would need to buy one at the first available opportunity.

Without knowing the planned travel itinerary, it is difficult to comment on what opportunities may be available.

 

[philthetube]

You would need to buy one at the first available opportunity.

Without knowing the planned travel itinerary, it is difficult to comment on what opportunities may be available.

Agreed but no need to make the effort the day before.

 

[Kieron Kirk]

Thanks for the comments.

Buy a ticket at the first available opportunity.

Easier said than done. The booking office at Chessington South is frequently not open, Surbiton or Waterloo would be the first opportunity. I would not like to conduct an argument with a rail company employee in public as to why I have no ticket.

Try obtaining a c2c Senior Rover ticket at West Ham where there is no ticket office, such tickets cannot be obtained on-line nor from a ticket machine.

I prefer to have a ticket before I travel. I was brought up to do so and if that means purchasing the ticket the day before, then so be it.

Jbuchanangb- thank you for that info, I think that most rail companies operating into London have similar restrictions mon-fri.

Kieron.

 

[philthetube]

Assuming you travel when your freedom pass is valid you would not be travelling without a ticket, you would not have a problem into Liverpool St. Using the not delaying your journey argument at Liverpool St may be viewed wit suspicion although it may be valid.

Although not strictly relevant in your case since the closure of London Underground ticket offices station staff are used to people turning up without tickets.

I lead walks for a group and it is common for people to have to buy tickets at their journey end, for example anyone travelling with a Freedom pass to Southend, changing a West Ham has no chance to buy a ticket.

 

[JBuchananGB]

If you are thinking of using a C2C Senior Rover ticket, don't forget you can get one for £5 which covers Upminster to Shoeburyness."
It does have peak hour restrictions, not valid in morning or evening peaks I think.
Another feature of C2C is that they offer 40% off "walk-up" tickets if booked a week in advance on-line (on their web site).

 

[Kieron Kirk]

"Buy a ticket at the first available opportunity."

"I prefer to have a ticket before I travel. I was brought up to do so and if that means purchasing the ticket the day before, then so be it."

This thread concerns my being overcharged TWICE by SWT, the second occasion on Saturday 3rd June 2017.

Greater Anglia's website has the fare to be paid as £10.80 as does National Rail Enquiries.

I telephoned SWT's customer service on the morning of Sunday 4th June, the very charming lady to whom I spoke said the fare was £13.20.

I await SWT's response, there is no need for more comments until SWT explain why I was overcharged.

Kieron.

 

[Kieron Kirk]

"If you are thinking of using a C2C Senior Rover ticket, don't forget you can get one for £5 which covers Upminster to Shoeburyness."

The fare rose to £6 on Monday 22nd May! The ticket is a c2c Senior Rover ticket excl.Zone 1-6, use after 09.30 mon-fri with no restrictions returning.

Kieron.

 

[Kieron Kirk]

A letter from SWT, but no explanation as to why I was overcharged twice.

However the mystery continues, or is it another example of the incompetence of SWT.

The letter from Zoe Jarvis, Customer Service Advisor, states "I am happy to enclose £5.00 in Rail Travel Vouchers".

There are two RTVs, one for £7.00 and the other for £6.00!

Thank you SWT, it is a great pleasure to travel with your "lousy" company.

Kieron.

 

[Kieron Kirk]

As I hope, the final few words on the overcharging by SWT.

This afternoon, at Surbiton, I attempted to purchase a super off-peak day return from Upminster to Leigh on Sea for tomorrow 5th August 2017.

I was asked if I intended to leave before 11am.

I stated about 9am whereupon I was told the fare would be £10.60.

There followed a long discussion about "off peak" on Saturdays.

Finally it was agreed that the correct fare was £8.

SWT still trying, unsuccessfully to overcharge again.

Kieron.

 

[island]

Most South West Trains ticket machines will issue tickets from another named station, though not from boundary zones.

 

[petter2]

It is sometimes cheaper to buy a ticket to Southend Stations instead of Southend Airport

 

[Kieron Kirk]

Despite the long argument at Surbiton about "off peak" on Saturday, the barrier at Leigh on Sea accepted my ticket and let me through later when I made the return journey.

I can take some comfort that Stagecoach/SWT will be consigned to the "dustbin" of rail history in a few weeks time.

Whether or not First and their Hong Kong backers can do any better remains to be seen.

Kieron.

 

[LA50041]

Despite the long argument at Surbiton about "off peak" on Saturday, the barrier at Leigh on Sea accepted my ticket and let me through later when I made the return journey.

I can take some comfort that Stagecoach/SWT will be consigned to the "dustbin" of rail history in a few weeks time.

Whether or not First and their Hong Kong backers can do any better remains to be seen.

Kieron.

The franchise may change, but it will still be exactly the same staff in the ticket offices so don't expect miracles

 

[wearytraveller]

Hi there

I have a zones 1-6 gold card and wish to travel to Farnham in Surrey on Friday lunchtime, returning really evening.
Please can someone advise the appropriate ticket to buy?

 

[Romilly]

Hi there

I have a zones 1-6 gold card and wish to travel to Farnham in Surrey on Friday lunchtime, returning really evening.
Please can someone advise the appropriate ticket to buy?

An £11.90 offpeak day return from Boundary Zone 6 (i.e. the outer boundary of Zone 6) to Farnham will cover what you need and can be bought from a ticket office.

 

[wearytraveller]

Can I buy that from a machine or the trainline? Normally they want a starting station