Photocard to purchase 7 day Travelcard - available from Crofton Park?

[zeniph]

Hi all

A few questions I hope someone can help me with answer. Simple but anything involving overlapping areas of tube/national rail and children seems to trigger lots of sub-options

We are a family from Australia of 2 adults, and 3 children aged 6, 9 & 11 years. Will be staying one week in South London in early September 2014, about 50 meters from Crofton Park mainline station in Brockley.

We'll be getting minicab from Heathrow, and leaving 7 days later from Stanford.

I see that since we're on mainline station I'll have to buy a travelcard for the everyone including the 2 youngest (bummer but but means at least we're elligble for 2-4-1 offers - though with 5 people the benefit is pretty small as the 5th child will still have to pay)

I see also that if I want to buy a 7 day TravelCard I'll need to bring some passport photos for a photocard

So my basic questions are:

• Can I just get the photocards issued and buy the 7day Travelcards at Crofton Park Station when we arrive?
• If not where is the closest where is the closest to Brockley that I can get the photocard
• Does the Family and Friends Card discounts apply to Travelcards tickets from Crofton Park or as I assume is it too close in?
• Is there some other ticketing approach/option for the week I've not considered

Was about to just buy the travelcards on line from TFL site but then my research branched off...

Thanks and sorry, am sure I'm over analysing what's really simple. Travelling with 5 means one false step and and it costs a bit.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Can I just get the photocards issued and buy the 7day Travelcards at Crofton Park Station when we arrive?

Yes, provided you have photo ID such as a passport. A photocopy will do though. Also the obvious passport photo, although this doesn't have to be a passport quality photo.

If not where is the closest where is the closest to Brockley that I can get the photocard?

Catford or Nunhead.

Does the Family and Friends Card discounts apply to Travelcards tickets from Crofton Park or as I assume is it too close in?

Yes it does apply to DAY Travelcard tickets, but not 7-day tavelcards.

Is there some other ticketing approach/option for the week I've not considered?

Travelcard is in most cases, the best value ticket.

 

[zeniph]

Thanks a lot for your response

So basically any manned National Rail station should be able to make a photocard even a little one like Crofton Park?

If so great I was thinking I might have to go to a large station

 

[ATW Alex 101]

They should do yes, but sometimes they may have to dig one out of the cupboard or just they just say they don't have any photocards. If that is the case, just ask for a single to somewhere like Catford and try again there.

 

[zeniph]

Great - thanks alot again for taking the time to respond.

 

[Tetchytyke]

If you would prefer to do without the hassle of getting a photocard, then any Oyster Ticket Stop will be able to sell you the tickets on Oyster. There will be a £5 per card deposit, but you can get this back at the end by going to a tube ticket office or posting them back.

 

[bicbasher]

Not mentioned is that the OP can also get the 7 day travelcard on Oyster from Honor Oak Park or Brockley stations, which are a short distance from Crofton Park.

I'd also recommend using those stations instead of Crofton Park which have a 12tph instead of 2tph. Brockley is in Zone 2 which means the 7 day travekcard is cheaper and is valid on the bus than using Crofton Park or HOP which are in Zone 3.

Route P4 will take you less than 5 mins to reach Honor Oak Park, while Routes 171 and 172 stop at Brockley which also takes a similar amount of time to reach.

 

[zeniph]

If you would prefer to do without the hassle of getting a photocard, then any Oyster Ticket Stop will be able to sell you the tickets on Oyster. There will be a £5 per card deposit, but you can get this back at the end by going to a tube ticket office or posting them back.

Thanks for that. The issue is my 11 year old, I dont think I can get a child fare without a photocard using TfL

Have read about "Young Visitor Discount" for Oyster but I apparently need to get into Zone 1 first to buy it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Not mentioned is that the OP can also get the 7 day travelcard on Oyster from Honor Oak Park or Brockley stations, which are a short distance from Crofton Park.

I'd also recommend using those stations instead of Crofton Park which have a 12tph instead of 2tph. Brockley is in Zone 2 which means the 7 day travekcard is cheaper and is valid on the bus than using Crofton Park or HOP which are in Zone 3.

Route P4 will take you less than 5 mins to reach Honor Oak Park, while Routes 171 and 172 stop at Brockley which also takes a similar amount of time to reach.

Great info about the train frequency - thanks. At a glance it seemed like the London Overground needed too many changes to get to central touristy London, but if the option is waiting at Crofton Park its worth considering.

Plus as you note my 2 youngest wouldnt need a ticket at all, buuuuut since we're staying literally metres from Crofton Park I dont think I can avoid buying the National rail tickets.

 

[hassaanhc]

Thanks for that. The issue is my 11 year old, I dont think I can get a child fare without a photocard using TfL

Have read about "Young Visitor Discount" for Oyster but I apparently need to get into Zone 1 first to buy it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Great info about the train frequency - thanks. At a glance it seemed like the London Overground needed too many changes to get to central touristy London, but if the option is waiting at Crofton Park its worth considering.

Plus as you note my 2 youngest wouldnt need a ticket at all, buuuuut since we're staying literally metres from Crofton Park I dont think I can avoid buying the National rail tickets.

If using most National Rail services then children do need a ticket. London Overground is actually National Rail with a fancy name, complete with 15 minute frequencies on some lines (not the ones mentioned above)

 

[maniacmartin]

I don't believe you can use the 2-4-1 discounts at toursit attractions if you have it on Oyster though. Also note that the special visitor Oyster card is non-refundable so avoid that, and to get a refund on normal Oyster cards, you need to present 2 written forms of proof of address (e.g. utility bill, bank statement)

 

[zeniph]

I don't believe you can use the 2-4-1 discounts at toursit attractions if you have it on Oyster though. Also note that the special visitor Oyster card is non-refundable so avoid that, and to get a refund on normal Oyster cards, you need to present 2 written forms of proof of address (e.g. utility bill, bank statement)

Thanks, yes as I understand it the 2-4-1 is strictly if you purchase the from National Rail (to encourage those from far off Brockley to enjoy the London sights via NR)

I dont know how useful 2-4-1 will be for me but since I'll have to have tickets for the entire family if I want to use Crofton Park station I might as well have NR issued travelcards. My only worry was where I could get the photocards but it seems like that wont be an issue.

 

[30907]

Honor oak park is just over 1/2 mile from crofton Park.

 

[bicbasher]

Great info about the train frequency - thanks. At a glance it seemed like the London Overground needed too many changes to get to central touristy London, but if the option is waiting at Crofton Park its worth considering.

Not really, Brockley to Canada Water is around 8 mins journey time (10 from HOP) with a simple interchange to the Jubilee line, which will connect you to the main touristy areas of London.

There are also 4tph to London Bridge operated by Southern, where you can change for services to Charing Cross (which run approx every 3 mins by Southeastern from Platform 6) where you can visit the West End, with Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus within walking distance. There's also a tube station at LB which is served by the Northern (City branch) and the Jubilee.

London Bridge itself is close to some tourist attractions including Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, City Hall and Southwark Cathedral.

Plus as you note my 2 youngest wouldnt need a ticket at all, buuuuut since we're staying literally metres from Crofton Park I dont think I can avoid buying the National rail tickets.

If you stick to the TfL services (London Overground, DLR, London Underground, Tramlink and selected NR routes, alongside London Buses), those children 10 or under travel free anyway) Plus child one day travelcards on paper can still be purchased at all of these stations.

If the paper travelcard is important for the 2-4-1 deals, purchase them at Crofton Park (or Catford/Catford Bridge or New Cross) which are easy to reach by the local buses and then use the services from HOP or Brockley instead.

IMHO, Crofton Park isn't really a turn up and go station where you could be waiting up to 30 mins for a train that goes to Blackfriars (and the TL core on weekdays/Sat), where as Brockley and Honor Oak Park offer you more services and in the case at Brockley for slightly less money per week.

 

[zeniph]

Not really, Brockley to Canada Water is around 8 mins journey time (10 from HOP) with a simple interchange to the Jubilee line, which will connect you to the main touristy areas of London.

There are also 4tph to London Bridge operated by Southern, where you can change for services to Charing Cross (which run approx every 3 mins by Southeastern from Platform 6) where you can visit the West End, with Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus within walking distance. There's also a tube station at LB which is served by the Northern (City branch) and the Jubilee.

If you stick to the TfL services (London Overground, DLR, London Underground, Tramlink and selected NR routes, alongside London Buses), those children 10 or under travel free anyway)

IMHO, Crofton Park isn't really a turn up and go station where you could be waiting up to 30 mins for a train that goes to Blackfriars (and the TL core on weekdays/Sat), where as Brockley and Honor Oak Park offer you more services and in the case at Brockley for slightly less money per week.

I just have to decide if I can put up with my kids whinging about walking 1km to Brockley and if it's worth the £36.80 (2 x kids zone 1-3 travelcards). Also it does your head in booking a place next to a staion and then not being able to use it!

Am glad I can just buy my 11 year old's 7 day ticket (and get photcard) at Crofton Park at least. I can defer the other kid ticket decisions till I get there.

Thank you and thanks to all for your input - really helpful

 

[Tetchytyke]

I just have to decide if I can put up with my kids whinging about walking 1km to Brockley and if it's worth the £36.80 (2 x kids zone 1-3 travelcards). Also it does your head in booking a place next to a staion and then not being able to use it!

Brockley is zone 2, so you would save some money there.

London Buses do not have zones, which means that a Travelcard is valid on the bus regardless of which zone(s) it is for. You would be able to use a zones 1-2 Travelcard on the bus from your hotel to Brockley station.

 

[button_boxer]

Brockley is zone 2, so you would save some money there.

... assuming you don't intend to visit anything further out of course. If you wanted to visit places like the Olympic park or Kew Gardens then you'd need zone 3 anyway.

 

[bicbasher]

Considering you wish to use Crofton Park, there are rail connections at the following:

Take a southbound service towards Sevenoaks to Catford which is one stop and walk across to Catford Bridge which is next door where you can get faster services to London Bridge and Charing Cross. 2tph go to Charing Cross, the other 2tph go to Cannon Street which require a change at London Bridge for CX services. You can stay on the train at Cannon St and change for District and Circle line tube services.

Take a northbound service to Nunhead (also one stop) where you can change for Victoria (2tph), however these services only operate until 2000 Mon-Sat.

Take a northbound service to Peckham Rye where you can change for Southern services to London Bridge (4tph) or London Overground services (4tph) to Highbury & Islington or Clapham Junction. The LO service offers connections to the tube at Clapham High St (for Clapham North), Canada Water and Whitechapel.

Take a northbound service to Elephant & Castle where you can change for Bakerloo and Northern line services.

There are also connections with the tube at Blackfriars (north of the river exit only), Farringdon and St. Pancras Thameslink (for Kings X St Pancras tube).

 

[zeniph]

Take a southbound service towards Sevenoaks to Catford which is one stop and walk across to Catford Bridge which is next door where you can get faster services to London Bridge and Charing Cross.

I like this idea - especially if I just miss a northbound train. Charing Cross is a great central location

 

[bicbasher]

Incidentally if you miss your train back to Crofton Park from Catford, you can get Bus 171 from the station as well.

 

[zeniph]

Incidentally if you miss your train back to Crofton Park from Catford, you can get Bus 171 from the station as well.

hey thanks - 171 looks like a good route for me to be aware of in general

 

[island]

Yes, provided you have photo ID such as a passport. A photocopy will do though. Also the obvious passport photo, although this doesn't have to be a passport quality photo.

This isn't correct. You do not need to produce any ID to purchase a season ticket, with the exception of where you are claiming a discount such as a child discount and there is doubt over the entitlement to the discount.