London All Zones with addition of Watford?

I have an kind of dilemma which I'm not sure what the best option is for my situation.

We are arriving at Paddington, and we need to get to Watford junction which I see it ant in a numbered zone but part of London. The single is £12.80, but we has discussions about maybe going into central London in the evening.

The following day we are planning to go Watford into central London and then travelling around London.

Is there a ticket where we can get a Travelcard for London with the addition of Watford. Or am I going to need Watford to Euston then Travelcard?

charlee said:

We are arriving at Paddington, and we need to get to Watford junction which I see it ant in a numbered zone but part of London. The single is £12.80, but we has discussions about maybe going into central London in the evening.

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Do you need to get to Watford Junction by train?

Or will Watford High Street do?

Watford is not "part of London" but is served by London bus routes which do accept Travelcards.

You can get a Zones 1-9 Travelcard (actually issued to Zones 1-6 but with 'Also Available At Zones 7-9' validity) for £12.90 with an origin of somewhere like Amersham http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=AMR&dest=0035&rte=40232&tkt=ODT this would be valid to Watford High St.

If you must use Watford Jn by rail then I'd use contactless/Oyster PAYG.

charlee said:

The following day we are planning to go Watford into central London and then travelling around London.

Is there a ticket where we can get a Travelcard for London with the addition of Watford. Or am I going to need Watford to Euston then Travelcard?

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http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=WFJ&dest=0035&rte=40232&tkt=ODT

Yes, when you arrive at Paddington, buy a Travelcard from London Underground machines including Watford Junction, which is £17.20 off-peak. This will give you unlimited travel to/from Watford Junction and around London.

For the next day, buy a Travelcard from Watford Junction at the National Rail ticket office. It is the same price, but beware that Travelcards issued from a National Rail ticket office is only valid for one return journey from Watford Junction to Watford High Street / Bushey, but unlimited travel within London Zones 1-9.

Edited to add: Alternatively if you could use Watford High Street instead, see yorkie's suggestion above.

Yes sorry we need to get to Watford junction.

Don't forget Watford underground station is also in zone 7. Not the quickest route by any means. A good 20 minute walk though, to the Junction.

charlee said:

Yes sorry we need to get to Watford junction.

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In that case I strongly recommend you use contactless/Oyster PAYG to get from Paddington to Watford Jn.

The cost is £9.30 Mon-Fri between 0630-0930 or 1600-1900, and £6.40 at all other times. This is the same price whether you change at Harrow & Wealdstone (Bakerloo Line), or change at Euston (Bakerloo/Victoria lines) or Euston Square/Euston (H&C/Circle lines).

There are opportunities to reduce the cost by "splitting" your contactless/Oyster PAYG fares at Willesden Junction, but that would involve exiting and re-entering at the gateline.