Commuting between Wandsworth Common and Staines and occasional trips to Zone 1

[Soph]

Hello All! I need you advice about use of travel cards. I'm starting a job in Staines and will have to commute daily between Wandsworth Common and Staines. I was already advised to buy travel card between Staines and Zones 2-6 which I plan to do but the question is: I may sometimes go after work to Central London. How to do this? Train from Staines goes to Waterloo which would be useful for me but it's in Zone 1 so what should I do - do I have to buy separate ticket for Staines- Waterloo, or get off in Clapham Junction and have a ticket Zone 2 to 1 from there (this option sound like a waste of time really)? Do I have any other options?

And also, I saw SWR has this Smart cards now. Will it be useful for me or should I rather have paper travelcard? Wandsworth Common has no barriers to put paper ticket in, only Oyster readers so I'm not sure how it works.

So many questions... I would appreciate your help!

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Hello All! I need you advice about use of travel cards. I'm starting a job in Staines and will have to commute daily between Wandsworth Common and Staines. I was already advised to buy travel card between Staines and Zones 2-6 which I plan to do but the question is: I may sometimes go after work to Central London. How to do this? Train from Staines goes to Waterloo which would be useful for me but it's in Zone 1 so what should I do - do I have to buy separate ticket for Staines- Waterloo, or get off in Clapham Junction and have a ticket Zone 2 to 1 from there (this option sound like a waste of time really)? Do I have any other options?

You can buy a paper ticket from the last station covered by your ticket, which in the case of a Staines to Zones 2-6 Travelcard would be Vauxhall. Alternatively, it would likely be cheaper, depending on the time you travel and whether you have a Railcard or not, to tap in with Oyster or contactless at Vauxhall or any other station within the Zones covered by your Travelcard (obviously it would be cheaper at Vauxhall than, say, Clapham Junction). Given you have a Travelcard, you wouldn't need to call at Vauxhall or Clapham Junction if you got a paper ticket, but if you wanted to use Oyster or contactless then this would likely mean getting off the train, exiting the barrier line and then catching the next train.

And also, I saw SWR has this Smart cards now. Will it be useful for me or should I rather have paper travelcard? Wandsworth Common has no barriers to put paper ticket in, only Oyster readers so I'm not sure how it works.

So many questions... I would appreciate your help!

In my view, a paper Travelcard would be better, as you only need to use it when or if there is a barrier. In either case, you can't get a Staines to Zones 2-6 Travelcard on Oyster. With smartcards of all types there is always the question of whether or not you need to touch in (which for example you must do on an SWR smartcard, but not on an Oyster card if you are within the validity of your Travelcard). Simply having a paper Travelcard is less hassle in my view.

 

[Soph]

Thank you very much! It clears a lot!
So considering what you've said, I think the easiest and cheapest option for me while going to Central London (let's say Leicester Square) would be going from Staines to Vauxhall (changing on Clapham Junction) using my travelcard. And then take a Tube using Oyster or contactless. Or if I want to go to Waterloo - to buy a paper ticket between Vauxhall and Waterloo? In this case the question is - does the train has to stop on Vauxhall? Direct train from Staines to Waterloo doesn't stop there.

Thank you for the opinion about Smart cards, I think you are right, it will be less hassle using paper travel card.

Just to double check one more thing, I understand that having paper travel card from Staines to Zone 2-6 I can use it every where inside of this zones? So for example traveling on Tube between Balham and Clapham North or by bus inside zone 3 for example? It doesn't have to be on the route to Staines? And what about buses in Zone 1? They wouldn't be covered, would they?

I'm sorry for so many questions, want to have clear understqunder what can I do and what not.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Thank you very much! It clears a lot!
So considering what you've said, I think the easiest and cheapest option for me while going to Central London (let's say Leicester Square) would be going from Staines to Vauxhall (changing on Clapham Junction) using my travelcard. And then take a Tube using Oyster or contactless.

Yes, that's probably the cheapest option. In general, Oyster and contactless fares usually more if you mix modes (e.g. National Rail and Underground) so if you use your Travelcard till Vauxhall and then Oyster/contactless on the Underground this will cost less than tapping in at Vauxhall, taking a train to Waterloo and then taking the Underground.

Or if I want to go to Waterloo - to buy a paper ticket between Vauxhall and Waterloo? In this case the question is - does the train has to stop on Vauxhall? Direct train from Staines to Waterloo doesn't stop there.

Yes, this is perfectly valid without having to call at the "splitting" station. You can do non-stopping splits at the boundary of the validity of any season ticket or Travelcard. If inspected you will need to show all relevant tickets at once (and will need to buy all before boarding).

Just to double check one more thing, I understand that having paper travel card from Staines to Zone 2-6 I can use it every where inside of this zones?

Absolutely, you can use it between Staines and the first station in Zone 6 (e.g. Feltham), as well as on any mode of public transport (i.e. National Rail, Underground, bus, tram or DLR) within the Zones covered. The exceptions are as following - you can't use it on Heathrow Express, you can't use it on Southeastern High Speed between St Pancras International and Stratford International, and you can't use it on the Emirates Air Line.

So for example traveling on Tube between Balham and Clapham North or by bus inside zone 3 for example?

Absolutely, all covered.

It doesn't have to be on the route to Staines?

Within the covered zones you can travel on any route you like. For example, if you wanted to go to Wembley Central for an event at Wembley Stadium you could simply change at Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction, travelling via Kensington Olympia.

And what about buses in Zone 1? They wouldn't be covered, would they?

Buses and trams work a little more generously in terms of what you need to be covered. You are covered for all buses that accept Oyster with any Travelcard of any description (regardless of the Zones included). And for trams, you are covered if you have a Travelcard that includes any of Zones 3, 4, 5 or 6.

I'm sorry for so many questions, want to have clear understqunder what can I do and what not.

Absolutely - much better to ask now and get an understanding, rather than getting into trouble by making unfortunate assumptions! Unfortunately a lot of the fares system is very complex when different modes and companies get involved, and the penalties for making a mistake are often steep and out of proportion with the damage. The trouble is that railway staff are often trained poorly on the validity of various tickets, so asking can sometimes lead to incorrect information.

 

[Soph]

Fantastic, I'm all good now, thank you very much for help!

Yes, that's probably the cheapest option. In general, Oyster and contactless fares usually more if you mix modes (e.g. National Rail and Underground) so if you use your Travelcard till Vauxhall and then Oyster/contactless on the Underground this will cost less than tapping in at Vauxhall, taking a train to Waterloo and then taking the Underground.


Yes, this is perfectly valid without having to call at the "splitting" station. You can do non-stopping splits at the boundary of the validity of any season ticket or Travelcard. If inspected you will need to show all relevant tickets at once (and will need to buy all before boarding).


Absolutely, you can use it between Staines and the first station in Zone 6 (e.g. Feltham), as well as on any mode of public transport (i.e. National Rail, Underground, bus, tram or DLR) within the Zones covered. The exceptions are as following - you can't use it on Heathrow Express, you can't use it on Southeastern High Speed between St Pancras International and Stratford International, and you can't use it on the Emirates Air Line.


Absolutely, all covered.


Within the covered zones you can travel on any route you like. For example, if you wanted to go to Wembley Central for an event at Wembley Stadium you could simply change at Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction, travelling via Kensington Olympia.


Buses and trams work a little more generously in terms of what you need to be covered. You are covered for all buses that accept Oyster with any Travelcard of any description (regardless of the Zones included). And for trams, you are covered if you have a Travelcard that includes any of Zones 3, 4, 5 or 6.


Absolutely - much better to ask now and get an understanding, rather than getting into trouble by making unfortunate assumptions! Unfortunately a lot of the fares system is very complex when different modes and companies get involved, and the penalties for making a mistake are often steep and out of proportion with the damage. The trouble is that railway staff are often trained poorly on the validity of various tickets, so asking can sometimes lead to incorrect information.

 

[kieron]

With smartcards of all types there is always the question of whether or not you need to touch in (which for example you must do on an SWR smartcard, but not on an Oyster card if you are within the validity of your Travelcard).

I don't know if this has changed, but the SWR web site says you don't have to touch in or out if you have a valid ticket on your Smartcard. It can store a travelcard, but it doesn't offer a PAYG facility so can't give Oyster-style extensions to a smartcard.

I don't know of any reason why it would be any cheaper for Soph to use either a paper ticket or a smartcard here. I'm sure there are other pros and cons, but I haven't looked into them.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Is a Staines to Zones 2-6 Travelcard not issued as a Gold Card ?
If so, then you can get the Gold Card discount loaded onto your Oyster card, and so your Oyster fares become 1/3rd cheaper !

 

[A Challenge]

It should be a gold card if it is an annual season.