Freedom pass boundary question - which first station outside London should I buy a ticket if travelling out London?

[Sweetjesus]

I regularly to go to Manchester and Birmingham - occasionally to Cardiff, Leeds and Sheffield.

If I use Euston, is it correct if I buy a ticket starting from Watford Junction?

For Marylebone, it's West Ruislip?

And Paddington, it's Hayes and Harlington?

If travelling to Sheffield via MML, that's Elstree & Borehamwood and if Leeds via ECML, that's Hadley wood?

 

[Haywain]

It's far from being that simple. Not all train companies accept the Freedom Pass, so for those who don't you need a ticket for the whole journey. And if you use Advance tickets you will also need them for the full journey as they do not apply from stations where the train doesn't stop.

 

[Hadders]

Just to add to what @Haywain has said as regards the Boundary Stations.

If I use Euston, is it correct if I buy a ticket starting from Watford Junction?

Hatch End is the station you need to use.

For Marylebone, it's West Ruislip?

Correct.

And Paddington, it's Hayes and Harlington?

West Drayton is the last station in Zone 6.

If travelling to Sheffield via MML, that's Elstree & Borehamwood

Correct.

and if Leeds via ECML, that's Hadley wood?

That's right.

Do check if there's a ticket from 'Boundary Zone 6' to your destination. If so these offer some additional flexibility, for example Boundary Zone 6 to Cambridge allows travel via the ECML (including the Hertford Loop) and WAML (both via Turkey Streey and via Enfield Lock). A ticket from a named station would only allow travel via that station only.

Also, check the fare from London Terminals as sometimes it is the same price.

 

[Haywain]

If travelling to Sheffield via MML, that's Elstree & Borehamwood

But not on East Midlands Railway services.

If travelling to ... Leeds via ECML, that's Hadley wood?

Only on Thameslink/Great Northern services.

Hatch End is the station you need to use.

But not on Avanti or Caledonian Sleeper services.

 

[JGurney]

Just to add to what @Haywain has said as regards the Boundary Stations.


Hatch End is the station you need to use.


Correct.



West Drayton is the last station in Zone 6.


Correct.


That's right.

Do check if there's a ticket from 'Boundary Zone 6' to your destination. If so these offer some additional flexibility, for example Boundary Zone 6 to Cambridge allows travel via the ECML (including the Hertford Loop) and WAML (both via Turkey Streey and via Enfield Lock). A ticket from a named station would only allow travel via that station only.

Also, check the fare from London Terminals as sometimes it is the same price.

In some cases when seeking tickets from those stations to distant places, you may be offered the 'via London' fare by default if that is faster. E.g. when booking from Surbiton to points West I often have to specify 'not via Clapham Junction' to get the lowest fares (I don't have a Freedom Pass, I just live near Surbiton).

I just looked at Hatch End to Manchester 'all stations'. Routes via London were offered until I specified not via London, and then the fares proved to be the same anyway for slower journeys. For West Ruislip to Birmingham Moor St, a mixture of journeys via Marylebone or via changing at High Wycombe were offered at the same non-advance fares, and with an advance via High Wycombe being £2 less than one via Marylebone.

 

[CyrusWuff]

It's far from being that simple. Not all train companies accept the Freedom Pass, so for those who don't you need a ticket for the whole journey. And if you use Advance tickets you will also need them for the full journey as they do not apply from stations where the train doesn't stop.

And in some cases, there's little to no difference in fare between a ticket from London and from the boundary station. Marylebone to Birmingham is one such example, with the Super Off-Peak and Off-Peak being the same price from West Ruislip as they are from Marylebone.

 

[Hadders]

To add to what @Haywain has alluded to above.

The Freedom Pass is not valid for travel on train services operated by:

• East Midlands Trains
• Grand Central
• Hull Trains
• Gatwick Express (Only available with the purchase of an extension ticket at the start of your journey)
• Heathrow Express
• London North Eastern Railway
• Southeastern high speed services to and from St Pancras International and Stratford International

National Rail | London Councils

www.londoncouncils.gov.uk

 

[Haywain]

To add to what @Haywain has alluded to above.

The Freedom Pass is not valid for travel on train services operated by:

• East Midlands Trains
• Grand Central
• Hull Trains
• Gatwick Express (Only available with the purchase of an extension ticket at the start of your journey)
• Heathrow Express
• London North Eastern Railway
• Southeastern high speed services to and from St Pancras International and Stratford International

National Rail | London Councils

www.londoncouncils.gov.uk

Although they don't mention them Lumo won't accept the Freedom Pass either.

 

[Snow1964]

It's also worth mentioning that Advance tickets can be valid at a time Freedom pass tickets aren't (Freedom pass isn't valid 04:30 - 09:30 Mon -Fri)

So could get early return train, get to London and be too early to continue the journey with the Freedom pass

 

[Sweetjesus]

But not on East Midlands Railway services.

Only on Thameslink/Great Northern services.

But not on Avanti or Caledonian Sleeper services.

Why not Avanti? I checked the London Councils website and they don't exclude Avanti?

In some cases when seeking tickets from those stations to distant places, you may be offered the 'via London' fare by default if that is faster. E.g. when booking from Surbiton to points West I often have to specify 'not via Clapham Junction' to get the lowest fares (I don't have a Freedom Pass, I just live near Surbiton).

I just looked at Hatch End to Manchester 'all stations'. Routes via London were offered until I specified not via London, and then the fares proved to be the same anyway for slower journeys. For West Ruislip to Birmingham Moor St, a mixture of journeys via Marylebone or via changing at High Wycombe were offered at the same non-advance fares, and with an advance via High Wycombe being £2 less than one via Marylebone.

Ah okay, it is probably pointless. The discounts used be significant when I lived in different cities back then. That's probably not the case for London unfortunately.

It's also worth mentioning that Advance tickets can be valid at a time Freedom pass tickets aren't (Freedom pass isn't valid 04:30 - 09:30 Mon -Fri)

So could get early return train, get to London and be too early to continue the journey with the Freedom pass

Very good point to consider. It's very easy to forget the restriction.

 

[Haywain]

Why not Avanti? I checked the London Councils website and they don't exclude Avanti?

Avanti, and their predecessor Virgin Trains, have never accepted the Freedom Pass - there is no logical reason why they should as they only serve one (terminal) station in London. All of the operators who do accept it serve more than one station in Greater London, so it could be used on journeys which do not leave the Freedom Pass area.

 

[fandroid]

I don't know if Avanti accept Freedom Passes, but they apparently should accept Boundary Zone tickets together with Travelcards. However, we've had forum members who have had serious difficulties with Avanti staff not accepting such tickets.

 

[Haywain]

I don't know if Avanti accept Freedom Passes, but they apparently should accept Boundary Zone tickets together with Travelcards.

Yes, Travelcards are a very different matter.