Is is possible to do a full circle on one ticket?

[Mathew S]

For example
2G89 1740 Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Piccadilly
It would be a nice little ride in the summer months

The problem with this is that however sneaky you tried to be, you would always be 'doubling back' because the trains call at the same stations going out to Hadfield as they do coming back from Hadfield. So, you would need a Manchester - Hadfield Return.

It depends what you class as a circle though. A Southport - York return allows you to travel Wigan - Manchester - Huddersfield - Leeds - Todmorden - Burnley - Preston - Wigan, which is a circle, it's just that you change trains many times on the way.

 

[geoffk]

What about the London Overground "Outer Circle"? Three trains needed as you have to change at Clapham Junction and Highbury & Islington, but you can go round the North, East, South and West London lines in just under two hours. Just one station, Shoreditch High Street, is in Zone 1.

 

[MikeWh]

What about the London Overground "Outer Circle"? Three trains needed as you have to change at Clapham Junction and Highbury & Islington, but you can go round the North, East, South and West London lines in just under two hours. Just one station, Shoreditch High Street, is in Zone 1.

Most people paying for just that journey would be using Oyster/contactless. If you tried the whole lot in one go it would break the maximum journey time and be charged as two maximum fares. If you get off at an appropriate station considered (by TfL) to be half way round then you will be charged a zone 2 single each way. If you don't mind paying one as a zone 1-2 single and missing a tiny chord then you can do Dalston Kingsland to Dalston Junction in two trains with the touch out/in at Clapham Junction whilst changing.

 

[geoffk]

Most people paying for just that journey would be using Oyster/contactless. If you tried the whole lot in one go it would break the maximum journey time and be charged as two maximum fares. If you get off at an appropriate station considered (by TfL) to be half way round then you will be charged a zone 2 single each way. If you don't mind paying one as a zone 1-2 single and missing a tiny chord then you can do Dalston Kingsland to Dalston Junction in two trains with the touch out/in at Clapham Junction whilst changing.

Thanks. A zone 2 single, even if I go through Shoreditch High Street? I'm a long way from London but have thought about doing this when on a visit!

 

[MikeWh]

A zone 2 single, even if I go through Shoreditch High Street?

Yes, if TfL think you could reasonably have gone either way then they'll only charge zone 2. Clapham Junction to Highbury & Islington is definitely in that category. When doing the south and east part change trains anywhere between Surrey Quays and Haggerston where it'll be same platform. The Dalston terminators use bays with the through lines on the outside, so it might be same platform, but might not.

 

[JBuchananGB]

When I did the London Outer circle I used a paper outboundary travel card from Billericay, travelled Stratford to Clapham Junction, then to Whitechapel before completing the loop, and then returning to Billericay via Stratford.