Daily commute: Hitchin to London Victoria

[jonca]

Hi,

I'm set to start a new job next week based in London Victoria and I'm struggling to fully comprehend the ticket options available to me.

It looks like the season tickets available are either HIT to London Terminals, or HIT to 1-6; am I correct in thinking the HIT to London Terminals ticket will only see me as far as Finsbury/King's Cross and I'll have to tap in and out via oyster/contactles for the final leg to Victoria?

I'm just trying to weigh up the cheapest option and at the moment and my company does offer a season ticket loan which I was keen to use, however, with my 26-30 railcard it looks like buying my ticket daily is cheaper, unless I've misinterpreted the London terminals ticket?

Many thanks for any help in advance

Jon

 

[higthomas]

Hi,

I'm set to start a new job next week based in London Victoria and I'm struggling to fully comprehend the ticket options available to me.

It looks like the season tickets available are either HIT to London Terminals, or HIT to 1-6; am I correct in thinking the HIT to London Terminals ticket will only see me as far as Finsbury/King's Cross and I'll have to tap in and out via oyster/contactles for the final leg to Victoria?

I'm just trying to weigh up the cheapest option and at the moment and my company does offer a season ticket loan which I was keen to use, however, with my 26-30 railcard it looks like buying my ticket daily is cheaper, unless I've misinterpreted the London terminals ticket?

Many thanks for any help in advance

You're correct that the London Terminals ticket only covers you as far as King's Cross. I haven't done the maths as to what is the cheapest option.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Hi,

I'm set to start a new job next week based in London Victoria and I'm struggling to fully comprehend the ticket options available to me.

It looks like the season tickets available are either HIT to London Terminals, or HIT to 1-6; am I correct in thinking the HIT to London Terminals ticket will only see me as far as Finsbury/King's Cross and I'll have to tap in and out via oyster/contactles for the final leg to Victoria?

I'm just trying to weigh up the cheapest option and at the moment and my company does offer a season ticket loan which I was keen to use, however, with my 26-30 railcard it looks like buying my ticket daily is cheaper, unless I've misinterpreted the London terminals ticket?

Many thanks for any help in advance

Jon

In terms of season tickets from Stevenage, you are correct that London Terminals (valid as far as King's Cross, St Pancras, Moorgate or Liverpool Street) and London Travelcard Zones 1-6 are available; however, London Thameslink season tickets, valid as far as Elephant & Castle or London Bridge, are available for a small additional charge. The latter, whilst good value if you work in the City, aren't much use if you're going to Victoria.

You are correct that, as with a number of other medium to long distance commutes, Stevenage to London is cheaper to do, even 5 days a week, buying 16-25 or 26-30 Railcard discounted Returns each day. This is because the weekly season ticket is priced at 4.2× the cost of a daily ticket. What with the 34% Railcard discount, this effectively means a season ticket is priced at 6.4× the cost of a daily ticket for you, so it's really poor value for money.

Of course, if you travel into London an average of 7 days a week, then the season ticket is worth it, but otherwise dailys are best. One option you have with a daily ticket that you don't get with a season ticket is the ability to get a ticket to specified London Underground or DLR Zones, which includes ordinary rail travel as well as LU/DLR travel within the zones stated

Such tickets are shown as "Zone U12*" for example. Zone U1* fares aren't available in Anytime form from Stevenage, but Zone U12* ones are. A Railcard discounted Anytime Day Return from Stevenage to Zone U12* is £18.95, which is £4.95 more than the ordinary one to London Terminals. As the Oyster/contactless fare is £2.40 Anytime, that's a premium of 15p per day for the 'luxury' of having just one ticket and you're better off (slightly) using Oyster or contactless.

 

[some bloke]

For some reason BRFares shows HIT-VIC as London Terminals, £17.50 anytime return. Perhaps it's something to do with Govia disruption?

http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=HIT&dest=VIC&rlc=YNG

 

[transmanche]

By my reckoning, a discounted Anytime Day Return from Hitchin to Finsbury Park works out as £16.15/day. Using Oyster PAYG between Finsbury Park and Victoria would cost £2.90 each way in the peaks. Total cost: £21.95/day or £109.75/week.

A discounted Anytime Day Return from Hitchin to London Terminals (e.g. Kings Cross or St Pancras) works out at £17.50/day. Using Oyster PAYG between Kings Cross St Pancras and Victoria would cost £2.40 each way in the peaks. Total cost £22.30/day or £111.50/week

Whereas a discounted Anytime Day Return from Hitchin to London U12 is the cheapest working out as £21.45/day or £107.25/week.

However, if you are likely to do any additional travel in London (e.g. after-hours socialising, or even if just starting your return journey after 7pm) then using Oyster PAYG (with your Railcard discount loaded) will be the most cost-effective option.

 

[Kite159]

By my reckoning, a discounted Anytime Day Return from Hitchin to Finsbury Park works out as £16.15/day. Using Oyster PAYG between Finsbury Park and Victoria would cost £2.90 each way in the peaks. Total cost: £21.95/day or £109.75/week.

A discounted Anytime Day Return from Hitchin to London Terminals (e.g. Kings Cross or St Pancras) works out at £17.50/day. Using Oyster PAYG between Kings Cross St Pancras and Victoria would cost £2.40 each way in the peaks. Total cost £22.30/day or £111.50/week

Whereas a discounted Anytime Day Return from Hitchin to London U12 is the cheapest working out as £21.45/day or £107.25/week.

However, if you are likely to do any additional travel in London (e.g. after-hours socialising, or even if just starting your return journey after 7pm) then using Oyster PAYG (with your Railcard discount loaded) will be the most cost-effective option.

Hitchin to London U12 would allow the OP to use some of the peak time additional services which start at Kings Cross which run fast to Stevenage/Hitchin, or to board a 700 at Blackfriars where in theory it will be easier to get a decent seat, rather than boarding at Finsbury Park.

 

[westv]

Buying a ticket everyday sounds a right pain though.

 

[jonca]

Thanks everyone; I really appreciate the clarity you've all provided - definitely some food for thought

Again, much appreciated

 

[Hadders]

Buying a ticket everyday sounds a right pain though.

Not really. Just buy a weeks worth in one go.

The fastest way will almost certainly be to change to the Victoria Line at Finsbury Park. Interchange from St Pancras Low Level to the Victoria Line is a right PITA, especially if you follow the signs and take the 'tourist route'.

 

[infobleep]

Buying a ticket everyday sounds a right pain though.

I use to buy tickets in advance for the week when I was regularly travelling to Portsmouth. I remember a member of staff saying wouldn't a season ticket.be cheaper? I replied no it's more expensive, which it was.

This was before I'd joined this forum and learnt more about the ticketing system.

Obviously there is the slight risk that if you don't travel one day for reasons of your own then you would lose out but I guess that's no different to a season ticket, although you can refund the unused bits of season tickets but not sure if that applies to 7 day ones.

 

[Haywain]

Obviously there is the slight risk that if you don't travel one day for reasons of your own then you would lose out but I guess that's no different to a season ticket, although you can refund the unused bits of season tickets but not sure if that applies to 7 day ones.

If you (or the OP) use daily tickets and don't travel for one day during the period for which you have bought tickets then a refund of the odd day's unused ticket can be obtained. For a season only an unused period at the end of the ticket validity can be refunded, so there is less flexibility. There is no significant difference between 7-day and longer period seasons in this respect.

 

[infobleep]

If you (or the OP) use daily tickets and don't travel for one day during the period for which you have bought tickets then a refund of the odd day's unused ticket can be obtained. For a season only an unused period at the end of the ticket validity can be refunded, so there is less flexibility. There is no significant difference between 7-day and longer period seasons in this respect.

Hwowvwer there is in most places a £10 admin fee to refund tickets.

 

[Haywain]

Hwowvwer there is in most places a £10 admin fee to refund tickets.

Indeed, which I should have mentioned. Although the OP could avoid this by buying tickets one day at a time through a website like Southern which operates a “rainy day” guarantee for tickets not collected.

 

[infobleep]

Indeed, which I should have mentioned. Although the OP could avoid this by buying tickets one day at a time through a website like Southern which operates a “rainy day” guarantee for tickets not collected.

I'd forgotten about that scheme. Would still need to collect from a TMV daily but it's worth considering.

 

[kieron]

Whereas a discounted Anytime Day Return from Hitchin to London U12 is the cheapest working out as £21.45/day or £107.25/week.

Just to say, a return from Hitchin to Battersea Park (or almost any other station in zones 2-6) costs £20.05 with a railcard, and permits you to make one underground journey in each direction along the line of your journey.

Unfortunately, carnets (a system where you buy a few tickets in advance and decide which date to use them on later) aren't an option here, as they're not offered with railcard discounts.