Caterham ticket valid from Coulsdon South?

[Big Mac]

Hi all,

My first post (despite having been lurking for a year), so hopefully it's in the right place, if not, mods please feel free to move it.

I work with someone, let's call him 'Mike'. He holds a ticket which covers him from Caterham to London Terminals. He seems to think that this ticket is also valid to and from London Victoria to Coulsdon South on account of the fact that: 'both said tickets cost the same and that Caterham and Coulsden South are both in fare zone 6'.:roll:

I don't think it is and I have told him as much.

The answer to both questions concerning the on-route principle is ‘no’. Therefore we’ll have to consult the full routing guide. There are three types of routes which are acceptable: direct trains, shortest route, or mapped routes. There isn’t a direct train between Caterham and Coulsdon South, and furthermore Coulsdon South isn’t on any physical route between Caterham and London Terminals. His origin station would be Coulsdon South and he clearly does not hold a valid ticket for that. Therefore, for his current ticket to be valid from Coulsdon South to London Victoria, the latter would have to be a mapped route or subject to an easement.

I've read the stickies on here about mapped routes and easements, but both rapidly got too technically complex for a relative newcomer to such things.

I summary; is a Caterham to London Victoria ticket valid to and from Coulsdon South? I expect the answer to that to be a resounding no, but if yes, why?

Thanks in advance for the expert opinions voiced here.

Regards,

Big Mac.

 

[maniacmartin]

(This post has been edited somewhat)

The price and fact they are both in Zone 6 is not relevant.

It would not be valid under the normal 3 ways which the NRCoC specifies, however there is an interavailable route that covers this for adjacent stations:
Chipstead
Coulsdon South
Coulsdon Town
Kingswood
Purley
Purley Oaks
Riddlesdown
Sanderstead
Reedham (London)
Tadworth
Tattenham Corner
Upper Warlingham
Woodmansterne

Strangely, stations on the Caterham branch are missing


The document is not publicly available through official sources, but you can view it in our Fares & Ticketing Guide. (Not to be confused with easements or group stations).


As it happens, I have recently contacted Southern about this to get official confirmation, and to clarify what they mean by London. I'll reply back when I get a response from them.

 

[bb21]

Are you sure?

Caterham is not listed anywhere in that document.

 

[Gathursty]

Deleted.

 

[12CSVT]

Do Southern still do ticket interavailability between stations ?
(applies to pairs of stations close together but on different lines, such as Caterham / Upper Warlingham)

 

[Big Mac]

maniacmartin - many thanks for your reply to my original post. This is most intriguing. I will be interested to hear what Southern have to say about this seemingly anomalous state of affairs.

As not doubt will 'Mike'!

 

[maniacmartin]

Are you sure?

Caterham is not listed anywhere in that document.

That'll teach me for not checking. I've edited my original post now.

It's odd that the Caterham branch is missing from the interavailability list, when other stations beyond South Croydon in Zone 6 (including as far as Upper Warlingham) are present
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Southern Customer Services have decided they need to send my query directly to their escalations team.