"Grace" period for peak travel?

[Howardh]

If you lived very near to an unbarriered station, you could even go to the station and tap in before 0635 then go back home for 20 minutes. You would pay the off-peak fare even though most people on your train would be paying the peak fare. The train companies would not be too happy with that if they caught you but I am not sure if it is actually against any rules.

That must happen quite a lot then, at a P+R wouldn't someone park up, tap in then return to their car for some time and then return to the station? Perhaps morning peak should start much earlier, say 4am?

But i do like the way TFL has off-peak for trips into London in the teatime peak. Wish that were happening up here in Manchester, where I'm charged more to go into the city when most are leaving.

 

[trebor79]

On some TVMs you can buy tickets for future travel, if you set the date to 'today' and the time to only a little bit later but after the end of peak restrictions it will offer you off peak tickets.

It really shouldn't be that difficult though. Perhaps 5% of people might think to do that?

 

[Andrew*Debbie]

In my limited experience Heathrow Express do not enforce the after 09:30 rule for two-together rail cards.

I don't recommend this. A guard can always decide your tickets are not valid.

 

[trebor79]

I'm sure there've been threads on this part of the forum posted by passengers doing this (either because they actually were travelling to/from the other side of London, or they spotted this hack too) and then had hassles from barrier staff at the London terminal on the way home - because "that's an Off-Peak ticket, and this is a Peak train".

Not sure how best to mitigate the risk of encountering poorly-trained but tenacious barrier / on-board staff with this one. Maybe a printed copy of the meaning of the particular restriction code from NRE website?

I've not had any issues so far, but I'm sure it will happen one day. I think the answer is as you say to suggest they check the validity code, or bring it up on the nre.co.uk site on my phone. If they debate it for too long and I miss my train because they insist my valid ticket isn't valid then that'll be a delay repay claim.

 

[Kite159]

When you are using contactless or Oyster PAYG, the words "peak" and "off-peak" apply to the time you pass through ticket barriers or validate your Oyster to begin a journey. They do not apply to the time you travel nor do they apply to trains.

If you tap in before 0635 on a working day, you will pay the off-peak fare even if you sit around in the station until 0700 before travelling, provided that you do not exceed the time limits for your journey. I am sure that there are some people who do this in big London stations that have cafes inside the barriers: you could get a "free" breakfast with the savings as long as you leave your house in time, even if you don't actually need to leave so early.

If you lived very near to an unbarriered station, you could even go to the station and tap in before 0635 then go back home for 20 minutes. You would pay the off-peak fare even though most people on your train would be paying the peak fare. The train companies would not be too happy with that if they caught you but I am not sure if it is actually against any rules.


If you use a national rail ticket (orange card, e-ticket, etc.) then peak and off-peak apply to either the scheduled time of a train, or the actual time of a train in some cases. They do not apply to the time you pass through ticket barriers even if ticket barriers are programmed to reduce abuse.

I've heard in the past there is normally at Redhill, there is a rush to touch in before 06:35 in order to pay the off-peak rate for the journey into London, I would imagine there is similar scenes at other stations where Oyster/contactless is valid to touch in when it's off-peak then travel into London, to save money compared to paying the anytime rate.

 

[MikeWh]

That must happen quite a lot then, at a P+R wouldn't someone park up, tap in then return to their car for some time and then return to the station? Perhaps morning peak should start much earlier, say 4am?

But i do like the way TFL has off-peak for trips into London in the teatime peak. Wish that were happening up here in Manchester, where I'm charged more to go into the city when most are leaving.

The reason why off-peak fares are charged in the early morning is to encourage people who can to travel early. The trains don't get really full until around 7-7.30 so a touch in at 6.30 is fine. If a few people grab a coffee on the platform and wait until later it's not going to break the bank. The longer you leave it the more chance you might exceed the maximum journey time so it's not open ended.

 

[bubieyehyeh]

Is there a guide that explains the off-peak cap and evening peak trick mentioned in the video, I looked on MikeWh site but could find any mention of it.

 

[MikeWh]

Is there a guide that explains the off-peak cap and evening peak trick mentioned in the video, I looked on MikeWh site but could find any mention of it.

It's basically that the off-peak cap, if applicable, limits charges after 0930, even in the evening peak. This is explained in the peak, off-peak and caps page. There is at least one example on the capping examples page.

 

[some bloke]

@MikeWh, I like your idea of calling the "peak" cap Anytime. Maybe the "off-peak" cap would be clearer as the After 09.30.

 

[MikeWh]

@MikeWh, I like your idea of calling the "peak" cap Anytime. Maybe the "off-peak" cap would be clearer as the After 09.30.

Not sure about that, especially as there are still a few places where it starts earlier.

 

[some bloke]

there are still a few places where it starts earlier.

Fair point! One reason "Off Peak" is liable to mislead is that off-peak early morning Monday to Friday journeys aren't included - I wonder how many people, particularly those new to London, think they are.

The other two complications (earlier eligible times from some stations, and evening peak journeys counting towards the off-peak cap) would mean nice surprises for the passenger; the early morning one wouldn't.

 

[yorkie]

That must happen quite a lot then, at a P+R wouldn't someone park up, tap in then return to their car for some time and then return to the station?

No way does this happen "quite a lot"; in fact I'd be surprised if anyone does this.