Commute from Reading to London: most cost-effective way of travel

[DanielDeronda]

My current job has a certain degree of flexible working, where I can work at home for the majority of my working week.

But the office is based just off the Strand near CharingX.

I prefer to avoid peak time travel, so like to be in office by 0815 & depart around 1600. And don't mind the Elizabeth Line to Tottenham Court Road.

I'd be in the office no more than 4-5 times a month for work but would also be travelling round London for leisure, using tube & buses, sometimes after work but also travelling off peak & weekends.

I have a Disabled Railcard.

I've used split ticketing at Maidenhead or Slough, buying a paper Travelcard or an anytime return to LU Zone 1.

I'm a bit bewildered with contactless , Oyster cards (which I own).

What will my most cost effective way of travelling from Reading to London on an irregular basis? I might consider more commutes to London if I could save more money.

 

[furlong]

One cheap option for the daily commute:

In the morning, touch in at Reading before 6.30am using contactless, travel to West Drayton and touch out there for £7.70
Then touch back in on Oyster (registered with your Disabled railcard) and head (for example) to Charing X for £3.65.

Return after 7.01pm using a railcard discounted paper single from Charing X (Waterloo) to Reading for £11.05.

Total £22.40.

You can then choose to pay a little more to reduce each inconvenience involved.

 

[cactustwirly]

The optimum split is Maidenhead, as you can get the semi-fast GWR service which is fast from Maidenhead in the peaks. Although it's slightly more than the other options

Everything else is on the Elizabeth line and that's very tedious for a commute