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When to buy a season ticket in view of increase in ticket prices
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SickyNicky
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As a matter of interest and assuming that you generally use it Monday to Friday, it's often more efficient to buy a season ticket for a month plus a few days, rather than just a month.
For example, buy it to start on Monday 6th Jan and end on Fri 7th Feb (1 month 2 days). Then buy the next season to start on Mon 10th Feb. That way you aren't paying for one weekend every month.
For example, buy it to start on Monday 6th Jan and end on Fri 7th Feb (1 month 2 days). Then buy the next season to start on Mon 10th Feb. That way you aren't paying for one weekend every month.
greatkingrat
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It might make sense if you were buying an annual ticket, but definitely not for a monthly. Assuming you travel every weekday from 6th Jan onwards
1 JAN - 31 JAN - Cost £559, Days Used 20 = £27.95 per day
6 JAN - 5 FEB - Cost £576, Days Used 23 = £25.04 per day
6 JAN - 7 FEB - Cost £615, Days Used 25 = £24.60 per day
So an odd period season of 1 month and 2 days would be your best bet. Then you can start the next season on Mon 10th Feb.
1 JAN - 31 JAN - Cost £559, Days Used 20 = £27.95 per day
6 JAN - 5 FEB - Cost £576, Days Used 23 = £25.04 per day
6 JAN - 7 FEB - Cost £615, Days Used 25 = £24.60 per day
So an odd period season of 1 month and 2 days would be your best bet. Then you can start the next season on Mon 10th Feb.
Depends how often you will use it, but assume use it Monday-Friday, buying to start on the 6th would give you 23 days at a cost of £25.04 per used day, so buying early to have 4 unused days to save £17 probably doesn't make sense
I guess this is more than just your usual 1st Class East Croydon to zones 1-6 travelcard? For anyone else reading this, remember that fares wholly within the travelcard zones 1-9 go up on Sunday 19th January.
hairyhandedfool
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It hasn't been on the first Monday for a number of years, the January change is now always on the 2nd.
CNash
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Does it matter when the ticket starts, and not just when it's bought? In other words, will a ticket bought today (Jan 1st) and starting today be sold at the old price, but one starting tomorrow (Jan 2nd) would be sold at the the new price?
causton
Established Member
Here you go 
So yes, any ticket bought for before the 2nd will be at the old price, but now any ticket bought for the 2nd or after will be increased!
ATOC said:
So yes, any ticket bought for before the 2nd will be at the old price, but now any ticket bought for the 2nd or after will be increased!
CNash:1665762 said:
The price is determined by both the first day of validity and the date of purchase.
In the normal course of events, new fares apply from four weeks prior to the fares change date (of which there are three a year: January, May and September) for tickets starting on or after same. Due to the reduction to the maximum increase that was announced in the Autumn statement, this "implementation date" was put back to 23rd December.
With Transport for London delaying their change to 19th January, ATOC followed suit and announced that rail fares in the London area wouldn't change 'til 19th January either, with an implementation date of 10th January.
Here you go
So yes, any ticket bought for before the 2nd will be at the old price, but now any ticket bought for the 2nd or after will be increased!
That quote relates to single and return walk-up tickets, although comes down to the same thing if you replace "outward travel date" with "first day of validity".
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