Day Travelcard validity with Network Railcard

[ess]

Can travelcards with NSE discount from Reading be used within the zones before 10am M-F
on a TfL bus?

 

[JonathanH]

Can travelcards with NSE discount from Reading be used within the zones before 10am M-F
on a TfL bus?

No. Why should the restriction be any different?

https://www.network-railcard.co.uk/using-your-railcard/travel-times/

Network Railcard discounts are not valid on tickets for travel before 10.00hrs, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). This time restriction applies to all types of tickets.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Although its unlikely a bus driver would notice, know the restriction, or care.

 

[JonathanH]

Although its unlikely a bus driver would notice, know the restriction, or care.

Yes, but that doesn't mean the ticket is valid. A roving inspector might give the ticket a bit more inspection.

 

[island]

Officially no; in practice it’s unlikely to be challenged.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

In order to use a NSE-discounted Travelcard on a TfL bus inside the zones before 10am, you would have to have caught a train from Reading well before that time. I presume the barriers would be set to reject the ticket anyway?

 

[JonathanH]

In order to use a NSE-discounted Travelcard on a TfL bus inside the zones before 10am, you would have to have caught a train from Reading well before that time. I presume the barriers would be set to reject the ticket anyway?

I take the question as suggesting that the OP is planning to start a journey in the TfL zones before 10am , make a number of journeys in the zones after 10am and then travel to Reading later in the day.

Clearly once they get to Reading the ticket is no longer valid for travel and will be retained by the barriers.

 

[yorkie]

In order to use a NSE-discounted Travelcard on a TfL bus inside the zones before 10am, you would have to have caught a train from Reading well before that time. I presume the barriers would be set to reject the ticket anyway?

There is nothing to stop the ticket being used to start short. Barriers within Zones 1-6 will accept tickets at the appropriate time, though the NSE discount may be rejected before 10am, depending on how the barriers are configured.

I'm not sure what the rule is on buses, but it may simply be to accept tickets from 0930 onwards, and I can't imagine there ever being any problem in practise doing this, though whether it is technically valid on buses between 0930-1000 is perhaps a grey area, as the restrictions appear to apply to trains (and not all trains; there are numerous exceptions before 1000)

 

[matt_world2004]

I don't think there are any time restricted tickets on the London buses network.

 

[JonathanH]

I'm not sure what the rule is on buses, but it may simply be to accept tickets from 0930 onwards, and I can't imagine there ever being any problem in practise doing this, though whether it is technically valid on buses between 0930-1000 is perhaps a grey area,

How can it possibly be a grey area? All of the easements relating to Network Railcards relate to train travel. For everything else, how can you argue against the 10am restriction that you sign up to when you buy the railcard? A one day travelcard bought with a Network Railcard is not valid until 10am, whether that be for a bus, the underground or trains.

Network Railcard discounts are not valid on tickets for travel before 10.00hrs, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). This time restriction applies to all types of tickets.

Similarly, you can conclude that PlusBus discounted with a Network Railcard is not valid until 10am either.

I don't think there are any time restricted tickets on the London buses network.

Are you suggesting that an off-peak zones 1-6 paper travelcard is valid before 0930 on buses? Where is the evidence for that?

 

[yorkie]

The rule for buses (from the Big Red Book) is:

Off-peak Day Travelcards can be used from 09:30 Monday to Friday, and
from 00:01 on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. They are valid for the
date printed on the card up until 04:30 the following day.

I realise this may upset people, but there is enough other stuff for bus drivers to try to remember (the Big Red Book is nearly 200 pages long), I don't think it's worth worrying about the absolutely tiny number of people who may be using a Network Railcard discounted Off Peak Travelcard between 0930-1000.

Far easier just to say all Travelcards are valid on buses from 0930.

And don't forget, a Travelcard issued for any number of Zones is valid on buses regardless of Zones, so the validity on buses is not the same as it is on trains anyway.

 

[JonathanH]

Far easier just to say all Travelcards are valid on buses from 0930.

The purchaser of a Network Railcard should be aware that any tickets bought with it are not valid until 10am (subject to published easements connected to hourly train services many miles from London). That much is clear from the terms and conditions which don't include anything about earlier use on buses and apply in addition to any local restrictions in London.

It absolutely isn't worth anyone worrying about this. If a bus driver turns a blind eye to use earlier than that, fine, but it doesn't make it valid, doesn't override the 10am restriction, and an inspector would be within their rights to call it out.

Any outboundary travelcard is valid for zones 1 to 6 so totally irrelevant to which TfL buses it is valid on after 10am.

 

[bb21]

Similarly, you can conclude that PlusBus discounted with a Network Railcard is not valid until 10am either.

You don't need to conclude, it says so in the terms and conditions on the PlusBus website.

https://www.plusbus.info/frequently-asked-questions

Question 5 and click "restrictions".

https://www.plusbus.info/sites/default/files/Railcard discount restrictions for PlusBus.pdf

Railcard discount restrictions for PlusBus

NETWORK Railcard (Annual Gold Card) holders get 1/3 off the adult price of PlusBus day tickets for towns and cities located within the South East of England, upon presentation of their valid Network Railcard (Annual Gold Card), as follows:

• Mondays to Fridays after 10:00hours;
• Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holidays any time.

The £13 minimum fare restriction does not apply to PlusBus Day ticket purchases.

I am of the opinion that the specific blanket Railcard restriction applies, as there is no specific easement for bus usage, however I also agree the likelihood of being pulled up on it is very low.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In order to use a NSE-discounted Travelcard on a TfL bus inside the zones before 10am, you would have to have caught a train from Reading well before that time. I presume the barriers would be set to reject the ticket anyway?

There is no rule mandating the outward journey to be taken at all (and indeed I have on a number of occasions bought Travelcards to use in reverse, as it were - it seems for example to be the cheapest way to do Bletchley-Heathrow using TfL Rail - you use one off peak travelcard on the outward, and another one for the return) - the only thing you can't do is take the outward after you have used the Travelcard element or the return as all rail tickets must be used in the correct order.

 

[paul1609]

There is no rule mandating the outward journey to be taken at all (and indeed I have on a number of occasions bought Travelcards to use in reverse, as it were - it seems for example to be the cheapest way to do Bletchley-Heathrow using TfL Rail - you use one off peak travelcard on the outward, and another one for the return) - the only thing you can't do is take the outward after you have used the Travelcard element or the return as all rail tickets must be used in the correct order.

To/From Most out of Zones Southern Stations the cheapest way to do a off peak single journey to/ from most beyond Zone 1 underground stations is a Southern Station Super Off Peak Travelcard from the origin/ destination especially if you have a railcard.

 

[MikeWh]

Any outboundary travelcard is valid for zones 1 to 6 so totally irrelevant to which TfL buses it is valid on after 10am.

Travelcards are valid on all TfL buses, even those which go outside the zones, so it really doesn't matter what zones a travelcard is valid for, use on buses is not restricted in the same way at all.