Kilburn High Road - Laindon fare query

[miklcct]

I'm planning a trip to Laindon next Sunday. On that day the line between Gunnersbury / Shepherds Bush and Gospel Oak is closed, so I'm hoping to start my journey at Kilburn High Road.

The fare to beat is Oyster between Kilburn High Road - Upminster (avoiding zone 1), £1.25 each journey with Railcard, then a super off peak day return between Upminster and Laindon (£4.35 with Railcard).

My questions are:

1. Are there any cheaper fare combinations than this?
2. If I travel via West Ham by c2c, I'll need to get off the train at Upminster, touch out and board the next train. Will travelling via other routes, such as via Romford, be faster instead?
3. The route instruction to avoid zone 1 is to touch the pink reader at Willesden Junction and Stratford, or Willesden Junction and Gospel Oak. However I won't travel via Willesden Junction at all as the Overground train goes direct from Kilburn High Road to Stratford using the curve between South Hampstead and Camden Road, so the only pink touch will be at Stratford. Can I still get the avoiding zone 1 fare?

 

[JonathanH]

The route instruction to avoid zone 1 is to touch the pink reader at Willesden Junction and Stratford, or Willesden Junction and Gospel Oak. However I won't travel via Willesden Junction at all as the Overground train goes direct from Kilburn High Road to Stratford using the curve between South Hampstead and Camden Road, so the only pink touch will be at Stratford. Can I still get the avoiding zone 1 fare?

No, you have to touch at the locations specified to benefit from the cheaper fare, that is to go to Willesden Junction, then retrace your route to Stratford.

It would seem unlikely that any easement would be set up, just because of engineering work.

If I travel via West Ham by c2c, I'll need to get off the train at Upminster, touch out and board the next train. Will travelling via other routes, such as via Romford, be faster instead?

Depends on your timings, whether the connections work. No reason not to go via Romford but you will need to check times. Upminster has a gate line on which you can touch out and back in again.

 

[boiledbeans2]

Depends on your timings, whether the connections work. No reason not to go via Romford but you will need to check times. Upminster has a gate line on which you can touch out and back in again.

Upminster also has a standalone yellow reader. It's at the bottom of the footbridge (located at country end) at platform 1 (London-bound).

The last time I was there, the footbridge had all the steps removed.

For the return London-bound journey, you may be able to jump out of the train, touch-in your Oyster, then jump back on the same train if you position yourself at car 7 or 8 (I can't remember exactly). But probably not for the outbound journey.

 

[miklcct]

For the return London-bound journey, you may be able to jump out of the train, touch-in your Oyster, then jump back on the same train if you position yourself at car 7 or 8 (I can't remember exactly). But probably not for the outbound journey.

It'll be impractical for me though as I'm planning to bring my bike on board. I probably won't go this split as the time penalty of stepping back a train is too great, especially in the return journey when the train only runs every 30 minutes, compared to touching at Barking where I can switch between the Goblin and cycle from Gospel Oak.

 

[Watershed]

It'll be impractical for me though as I'm planning to bring my bike on board. I probably won't go this split as the time penalty of stepping back a train is too great, especially in the return journey when the train only runs every 30 minutes, compared to touching at Barking where I can switch between the Goblin and cycle from Gospel Oak.

As is often the case, it's therefore time vs money...

 

[miklcct]

As is often the case, it's therefore time vs money...

Unfortunately I have to endure this today due to Hammersmith & City failing me.

I have bought my National Rail train ticket from West Ham and intend to use the sub surface lines to get there. However, when I got to Liverpool Street, there were no trains to Barking / Upminster displayed on the board. I popped up the app and it showed the line was suspended due to signal failure at Barking.

I didn't know what to do at that point as the Liverpool Street c2c line is closed, and tried to get to Tower Hill which was served by District line (showing severe disruption). I waited for another 8 minutes letting go 2 further Aldgate trains for a circle train, and on board the circle the system map showed a connection to Fenchurch Street from Tower Hill, and I ended up on the exact train I intended to get to Laindon. However I would have to get off the train to tap out at West Ham instead.

I sincerely hope that the PAYG system be extended such that I won't need to deal with this mess in case of disruption.

In the return journey, I went to Kilburn High Road as it was still early enough for me to do some Sunday shopping. The zone 2 only fare was charged touching in at West Ham, validating at Stratford and touching out at Kilburn High Road.

 

[Haywain]

Unfortunately I have to endure this today due to Hammersmith & City failing me.

I have bought my National Rail train ticket from West Ham and intend to use the sub surface lines to get there. However, when I got to Liverpool Street, there were no trains to Barking / Upminster displayed on the board. I popped up the app and it showed the line was suspended due to signal failure at Barking.

I didn't know what to do at that point as the Liverpool Street c2c line is closed, and tried to get to Tower Hill which was served by District line (showing severe disruption). I waited for another 8 minutes letting go 2 further Aldgate trains for a circle train, and on board the circle the system map showed a connection to Fenchurch Street from Tower Hill, and I ended up on the exact train I intended to get to Laindon. However I would have to get off the train to tap out at West Ham instead.

I sincerely hope that the PAYG system be extended such that I won't need to deal with this mess in case of disruption.

In the return journey, I went to Kilburn High Road as it was still early enough for me to do some Sunday shopping. The zone 2 only fare was charged touching in at West Ham, validating at Stratford and touching out at Kilburn High Road.

Distances in London are often much shorter than one might think. Liverpool Street to Fenchurch Street is a 12 minute walk according to Google Maps. Aldgate to Fenchurch Street is just 5 minutes.

 

[JonathanH]

Liverpool Street to Fenchurch Street is a 12 minute walk according to Google Maps. Aldgate to Fenchurch Street is just 5 minutes.

Yes, but the way London's fare system is set up you need to check there is a valid out of station interchange available before going out of, and back into, the system.

 

[Haywain]

Yes, but the way London's fare system is set up you need to check there is a valid out of station interchange available before going out of, and back into, the system.

Or decide that getting your planned train is more important. Obviously it wasn’t for you.