Of Gatwick and Oyster Gold tickets...

[TrainsOyster]

Hi,

I was wondering whether anyone might be able to advise on the most affordable options for the following journey:

Travel to/from Gatwick airport to Teddington for two adults (one has a Z1-6 Gold Travelcard). (Details: I will be aiming to arrive at Gatwick to pick up a guest around 16:30 on a weekday and 'd probably travel with them to see them off (again on a weekday) arriving at the airport by 7 am).

I have an Z1-6 Annual Travelcard loaded on an 18+ Oyster card (with no PAYG balance). I am also in posession of i) an 16-25 Railcard and ii) a separate Oyster with PAYG balance with the Annual Gold discount loaded (from my previously mentioned Z1-6 Gold ticket loaded on my 18+ Oyster card.

1. Myself:
I understand I can purchase a BZ6-Gatwick ticket for myself. Would the cheaper option for me be to do this on a paper ticket or via my 18+ Oyster card? If the latter, I suppose I should add some cash balance on it (which I have avoided so far to prevent any wrong charges from the cash balance when travelling within the validity of my Gold ticket (which is my usual journey anyway). Can/should I use either the 16-25 Railcard or Annual Gold card to discount my BZ6-gatwick fare? Also, is it possible to load the 16-25 Railcard onto the 18+ Oyster card?

2. Second adult:
Would they be OK for them to use my Oyster PAYG (with the Gold discount pre-loaded) or do I need to purchase a separate, paper ticket (with Gold discount) for their journey?

For some reason, the tfl website suggests that travelling from Gatwick to Teddington via Waterloo is cheaper than via Clapham Junction! Is this a case of more is less or a system glitch? I think we will be changing at Clapham Junction despite the incentive... I also seem to be getting so many different possible prices when checking on tfl and nationalrail on this journey...

Many thanks, in advance, for your advice.

 

[maniacmartin]

1. There's only one slot for National Railcards on Oyster (called 'NR Railcard'), which is either disabled or enabled until the railcard's expiry date, so attempting to load the the 16-25 Railcard will have no effect anyway until the Gold card expires. They are the same discount as far as Oyster is concerned.

2. The other person cannot use your other Oyster card as Oyster cards with railcard discounts on are non-transferrable. If you want to use your Gold card discount for the other person who is travelling with you, they will have to travel on paper, which might negate the railcard discount.

 

[mattdickinson]

Hi,

I was wondering whether anyone might be able to advise on the most affordable options for the following journey:

Travel to/from Gatwick airport to Teddington for two adults (one has a Z1-6 Gold Travelcard). (Details: I will be aiming to arrive at Gatwick to pick up a guest around 16:30 on a weekday and 'd probably travel with them to see them off (again on a weekday) arriving at the airport by 7 am).

I have an Z1-6 Annual Travelcard loaded on an 18+ Oyster card (with no PAYG balance). I am also in posession of i) an 16-25 Railcard and ii) a separate Oyster with PAYG balance with the Annual Gold discount loaded (from my previously mentioned Z1-6 Gold ticket loaded on my 18+ Oyster card.

1. Myself:
I understand I can purchase a BZ6-Gatwick ticket for myself. Would the cheaper option for me be to do this on a paper ticket or via my 18+ Oyster card? If the latter, I suppose I should add some cash balance on it (which I have avoided so far to prevent any wrong charges from the cash balance when travelling within the validity of my Gold ticket (which is my usual journey anyway). Can/should I use either the 16-25 Railcard or Annual Gold card to discount my BZ6-gatwick fare? Also, is it possible to load the 16-25 Railcard onto the 18+ Oyster card?

2. Second adult:
Would they be OK for them to use my Oyster PAYG (with the Gold discount pre-loaded) or do I need to purchase a separate, paper ticket (with Gold discount) for their journey?



Many thanks, in advance, for your advice.

Oyster fares to BZ6 will be cheaper.

Either the gold card or the 16-25 railcard can be loaded onto a student oyster card. There is no difference in the discount.

Oyster cards loaded with a railcard discount are not transferable.
They will need to buy a paper ticket to benefit from your gold card discount

 

[E3191]

There is a gotcha hidden away in this - TfL's single fare finder is quoting an Adult fare of £8.60 for Gatwick to Teddington, off-peak (not starting between 06.30-09.30 or 16.00-19.00) whereas brfares.com is showing the discounted anytime day single (not via London) as £8.70 (anytime after 09.30 on a Gold Card). So if your friend already has their own Oyster card the cheapest option is for them to use that unless you are starting between 16.00 and 19.00.

 

[MikeWh]

For some reason, the tfl website suggests that travelling from Gatwick to Teddington via Waterloo is cheaper than via Clapham Junction! Is this a case of more is less or a system glitch? I think we will be changing at Clapham Junction despite the incentive... I also seem to be getting so many different possible prices when checking on tfl and nationalrail on this journey...

Many thanks, in advance, for your advice.

It's almost certainly a glitch of some sort, but it occurs on pretty much any journey where there is an avoiding zone 1 option. I'm in correspondance with TfL about it, but these things take time.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Just to add, if you try and use your Oyster Travelcard on the Gatwick Express branded services from Victoria, you will probably be charged for the whole journey, not just BZ6-Gatwick. To avoid it you'll need to travel on a Southern or Thameslink branded train.

 

[TrainsOyster]

Many thanks for the replies.

So, we will be doing it all with paper tickets discounted with the GoldC.

Am I right in assuming that the costs are as follows (we will not be travelling on any service from Victoria and we will be travelling on a weekday in February):

1. BZ6-Gatwick Day Return, Out 16:00ish RTN 17:00ish
Brfares: Off Peak Day R (restriction code B1: £4.10)
Nationalrail.co.uk shows as the cheapest fare the £6.00 Off Peak Day R??

2. Gatwick-Teddington Return (via Clapham J), Out 17:00ish, RTN 05:44
Brfares: Anytime R £17.45 (restriction code RD)
Nationalrail.com shows as the cheapest fare the £26.00 Anytime Return??

Thanks

 

[button_boxer]

2. Gatwick-Teddington Return (via Clapham J), Out 17:00ish, RTN 05:44
Brfares: Anytime R £17.45 (restriction code RD)
Nationalrail.com shows as the cheapest fare the £26.00 Anytime Return??

£26.40 is the undiscounted price for the Anytime Return - you can buy an Anytime Return with the Gold Card discount, but because the discount is only valid after 0930 such a ticket is not permitted on the 05:44 train.

 

[Paul Kelly]

So in this case, rather than an undiscounted return, it would be cheaper to buy separate singles for the outward and return journeys, using the Gold Card on the outward but not the return.