Commuting from St Albans to Paddington - cheapest ticket combo?

[srs_business]

Morning,

I'm shortly starting a new job and will be required to do the above commute. I was initially planning on buying an annual season ticket, but the £3908 charge for St Albans to London Zones 1-6 seems very expensive.

I've been playing with the calculator this morning and the best I could come out with was buying a season ticket to Hendon for £2316 and a Zone 1-3 Travelcard for £1424, giving a total annual cost of £3740.

Alternatively as I have a 16-25 railcard I could just buy daily return tickets to Paddington at cost of £15.60 per day, which over a 48 week working year comes out as £3744.

My only other thought was to try and avoid Zone 1 all together and instead travel to Warwick Avenue and walk to the office from there. That could mean a £3312 annual season ticket, but I can't seem to work out a route...

Are there any better ways of doing this? Would be interested to hear any suggestions.

 

[Mojo]

My only other thought was to try and avoid Zone 1 all together and instead travel to Warwick Avenue and walk to the office from there. That could mean a £3312 annual season ticket, but I can't seem to work out a route...

You could get off your Thameslink route train at West Hampstead, catch the Overground to Willesden Junction and then catch the Bakerloo from there?

 

[srs_business]

You could get off your Thameslink route train at West Hampstead, catch the Overground to Willesden Junction and then catch the Bakerloo from there?

Good point hadn't thought of that. Would it be quicker than going from West Hampstead Underground to Greenwich via the Jubliee then onto the Bakerloo from there?

Also am I correct in thinking the Zone 2-6 ticket isn't valid on routes going through St Pancras?

 

[Nym]

Also am I correct in thinking the Zone 2-6 ticket isn't valid on routes going through St Pancras?

You are, nor would it be valid via Baker Street (Changing via the Jubilee Line) or Euston to Euston Square (Overground from Willesden Jcn).

You may want to look into the use of buses for part of your route if you're very price sensitive. A travelcard for any London Zones is valid on Lonon Buses.

 

[nicobobinus]

Another suggestion would be to alight at West Hampstead, do the 5-6 minute walk down Iverson Road to Kilburn High Road and jump on a 16 or 332. The 332 goes to Paddington, but the 16 only goes as far as Edgware Road - though depending where you work it might only be a short walk from there. The 16 is very frequent too, while the 332 is less so (about every 10 minutes).

HOWEVER - Kilburn High Road does have a habit of locking up with traffic apropos of not much after about midday. Travelling north in the evenings you can get off at the bottom of the bad patch the traffic is severe - e.g. Quex Road, and walk to West Hampstead from there (just under ten minutes, or jump on a 328/189 if one is handy).

 

[W-on-Sea]

Yet another alternative...might be.

Change at West Hampstead for the Jubilee line, for the 3-stop, 5/6 minute journey to St Johns Wood; and then get bus 46 (which goes to both Warwick Avenue and Paddington). The particular stretch of route between St Johns Wood and Paddington is mostly on back streets, so not really prone to traffic congestion - although the fact that the 46 is quite a lengthy and convoluted route does mean that it can get delayed elsewhere.

 

[srs_business]

Thanks for the suggestions, will have a look into the buses. Is the general consensus there isn't really any way to do it cheaper via train then?

I was also wondering if anyone knows why there isn't an option to buy a season ticket from St Albans to London Terminals? I'd imagine if this were available it would cost less than the Zone 1-6 ticket I'm trying to avoid!

 

[MikeWh]

I was also wondering if anyone knows why there isn't an option to buy a season ticket from St Albans to London Terminals?

On that line the tickets are destination London Thameslink and are vaild all the way through to Elephant & Castle.

I'd imagine if this were available it would cost less than the Zone 1-6 ticket I'm trying to avoid!

Almost £800 a year in fact!

 

[srs_business]

On that line the tickets are destination London Thameslink and are vaild all the way through to Elephant & Castle.

I see, but Paddington won't count as London Thameslink?

 

[MikeWh]

I see, but Paddington won't count as London Thameslink?

Sadly not, but then it wouldn't count as London terminals from St Albans either.

 

[soil]

There's a ticket that's valid to London for £2484 per year. Not intended to be used that way though. PM me if interested.

 

[srs_business]

There's a ticket that's valid to London for £2484 per year. Not intended to be used that way though. PM me if interested.

Would be interested to hear more info on that, but I don't have access to PM as I'm a new member. Is there another way you can send me the information?

 

[soil]

I have sent you an email.

 

[srs_business]

I have sent you an email.

Received, thanks!

 

[Be3G]

There hasn't yet been any mention of commuting to/from St. Albans Abbey station – the original post isn't clear whether ‘St. Albans’ means specifically just the Thameslink station, or the town as a whole; if the latter, then the Abbey station could be worth considering.

 

[srs_business]

There hasn't yet been any mention of commuting to/from St. Albans Abbey station – the original post isn't clear whether ‘St. Albans’ means specifically just the Thameslink station, or the town as a whole; if the latter, then the Abbey station could be worth considering.

Happy to consider St. Albans Abbey but that comes out as £3856 for zones 1-6, unless there is another route?

 

[Be3G]

Not especially (unfortunately), but the point being that it could be combined with other ideas in this thread to save a few more pounds – e.g., St. Albans Abbey to zones 2–6 with the advantage that the Bakerloo Line is en-route, so to speak.

 

[Metrailway]

Happy to consider St. Albans Abbey but that comes out as £3856 for zones 1-6, unless there is another route?

If you don't mind going to Warwick Avenue, a St. Albans Abbey - Zone 2-6 annual is £2924. I believe this ticket would allow you to travel either via Watford Junction or via West Hampstead & Willesden Junction.

 

[bb21]

There's a ticket that's valid to London for £2484 per year. Not intended to be used that way though. PM me if interested.

If it is not intended to be used that way then the usual hazard warnings apply, including potential arguments and hassle with revenue protection staff, possibly on a daily basis, and the resultant delays, embarrassment, etc.

As I don't know which ticket is being referred to, I am not going to comment on the likelihood of this happening. As the OP is new to all this, I would urge him to take these issues into account as these are things that would cause stress which is something most people could do without on their daily commute.