• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Olympic Games Travelcard

Status
Not open for further replies.

David Goddard

Established Member
Joined
8 Aug 2011
Messages
1,502
Location
Reading
I was recently asked to reaserch train times for a colleague going to one of the Olympic events at Greenwich Park.
They have been given a Games Travelcard with their ticket- Is this treated just the same as a standard Travelcard?
For example, as they live in Bracknell can they purchase a Bracknell - Boundary Zone 6 return to use in conjunction with their travelcard, or would this not be valid?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

David Goddard

Established Member
Joined
8 Aug 2011
Messages
1,502
Location
Reading
Thanks for your help.

This appears the cheapest way for her to make the trip, so I will advise as such
 

Deerfold

Veteran Member
Joined
26 Nov 2009
Messages
12,569
Location
Yorkshire
They have been given a Games Travelcard with their ticket- Is this treated just the same as a standard Travelcard?

The games travelcard has the same validity as a normal travelcard plus it can be used between London St Pancras and Stratford International.

If going to certain events it can be used for a return journey to stations just outside London such as Slough (for Eton Dorney).
 

bennorthyork

Member
Joined
31 Oct 2008
Messages
367
If travelling from Gatwick Airport to the Olympics and holding a games travelcard what extra train ticket it needed? Is it just Gatwick to Boundary Zone 6? Also, how much is it for 1 adult single? Thanks in advance.
 

wibble

Member
Joined
23 Jun 2010
Messages
615
Bracknell - London Games: £4.90 Single (£9.80 Return) - Valid for travel at any time. Book through nationalrailgamestravel.co.uk

Bracknell - Boundary Zone 6: £11.60 Off Peak Day Return - Valid on Off Peak trains only.
 

bb21

Emeritus Moderator
Joined
4 Feb 2010
Messages
24,151
If travelling from Gatwick Airport to the Olympics and holding a games travelcard what extra train ticket it needed? Is it just Gatwick to Boundary Zone 6? Also, how much is it for 1 adult single? Thanks in advance.

Gatwick Airport - Boundary Zone 6
Route Any Permitted
Anytime Day Single
£8.10

Anytime Day Return
£15.30

Off-Peak Day Single
£7.70 Restriction C0

Off-Peak Day Return
£7.80 Restriction C0
 

soil

Established Member
Joined
28 May 2012
Messages
1,956
Gatwick - East Croydon is £5.90 Off Peak Day Return (£4.90 Anytime Single).

This is valid on all trains except the Gatwick Express and is much cheaper than the BZ6 fare.

If you want to travel on the Gatwick Express you need a Gatwick - London Games Any Permitted ticket for £3.70 each way from www.nationalrailgamestravel.co.uk Also if you are not returning the same day then buying tickets here is cheaper than the Anytime Return or buying a Game Single and then a Single on another day (You cannot book Games Singles heading away from London (Except to another Games venue), so you need to book returns TO London)

There is a £3.40 single First Capital Connect Only Games fare, which is £4.90 in First Class (FCC Only). The Any Permitted First Class fare is £5.40 each way.
 

PavlosA

Member
Joined
29 Jul 2011
Messages
95
Am I missing something?

I have tickets for Saturday 1st and Friday 7th (evening). I get the following price using the games ticket website:

Gravesend to London Games: £1.85 each way (with Gold Card)

If I use the NR site:

Gravesend to Slade Green: £3.10 return (with Gold Card) (Don't know what the Gravesend - boundary price is).

Is this just because they are off-peak journeys? The example above of Bracknell appears to be cheaper buying two singles...
 

Deerfold

Veteran Member
Joined
26 Nov 2009
Messages
12,569
Location
Yorkshire
Am I missing something?

I have tickets for Saturday 1st and Friday 7th (evening). I get the following price using the games ticket website:

Gravesend to London Games: £1.85 each way (with Gold Card)

If I use the NR site:

Gravesend to Slade Green: £3.10 return (with Gold Card) (Don't know what the Gravesend - boundary price is).

Is this just because they are off-peak journeys? The example above of Bracknell appears to be cheaper buying two singles...

As all the Games discounted tickets are singles to or from "London Games" it seems that in some cases where the journey is very near London they are not the cheapest option unless you are staying in London overnight.

As you note, they *are* (much) cheaper if you travel in the morning peak
 

PavlosA

Member
Joined
29 Jul 2011
Messages
95
Ah yes I see. Changing journey times to peak gives:

GRV to Games: £1.85 single (£3.70 return)

NR site:

GRV to SGR: £7.75 cheapest (2 singles)

Ooh just noticed I can also get +HS singles for £2.40. Cheaper than my usual +HS season ticket upgrade.

OK so, after reading other threads, I should ask - I can't use this site to purchase GRV to London Games tickets on days when my travelcard is not valid, can I? £3.70 return to London would be rather cheap...

Terms says: "If you are travelling to/from London on a date either side of your Games event, your 2012 Games train tickets are valid to/from the central London terminus relevant to the journey you are making."
 

causton

Established Member
Joined
4 Aug 2010
Messages
5,504
Location
Somewhere between WY372 and MV7
Terms says: "If you are travelling to/from London on a date either side of your Games event, your 2012 Games train tickets are valid to/from the central London terminus relevant to the journey you are making."

Never seen that before, but I guess it means the days immediately before and after...

e.g. if you had a ticket for the 5th you could travel to London Terminals on the 4th, go to the Olympic Park on the 5th and travel from London Terminals back home on the 6th...
 

Deerfold

Veteran Member
Joined
26 Nov 2009
Messages
12,569
Location
Yorkshire
Terms says: "If you are travelling to/from London on a date either side of your Games event, your 2012 Games train tickets are valid to/from the central London terminus relevant to the journey you are making."

You should be fine so long as travelling to London you've tickets for an event that hasn't happened yet and travelling from London you've a ticket for an event that has.
 

PavlosA

Member
Joined
29 Jul 2011
Messages
95
You should be fine so long as travelling to London you've tickets for an event that hasn't happened yet and travelling from London you've a ticket for an event that has.

So I can purchase return to London Terminals for £3.70 (or £4.80 with +HS) on any day of the Games period, as long as I carry my Games ticket with me...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
OK quick question. Don't wanna get stuck with a fine of some sort.

Now travelling to two events at Stratford - tomorrow evening and Saturday morning. I have a GRV to London annual gold card. My wife has no tickets.

Friday:
I'll be coming from Central London, so can use Games Travelcard to get to Olympic Park. Have purchased wife single Games ticket from GRV to Starford Intl (Games) (£3.60), without Gold Card discount as I won't be with her. She can hopefully collect from station. Need to purchase tickets home - I guess using same process, but both of us getting singles from Stratford Intl to GRV, now using Gold Card - £2.40 each.

Saturday: Will get wife two singles to Stratford and back, again at £2.40 each. However, I believe HS1 supplement from GRV of £3.60 each way is around £3.70 when off-peak return? Can't find the price of this anywhere, but would be a bit less than £4.80.

Does this all sound right and anyone know the supplement cost? Only pennies, but these tickets are confusing me...
 

soil

Established Member
Joined
28 May 2012
Messages
1,956
Never seen that before, but I guess it means the days immediately before and after...

e.g. if you had a ticket for the 5th you could travel to London Terminals on the 4th, go to the Olympic Park on the 5th and travel from London Terminals back home on the 6th...

they are selling olympic rail tickets for around two weeks after the games ends. Therefore it is clearly not restricted to the immediately preceding and following days.

Provided you carry an olympic or paralympic ticket with you, the games rail ticketis valid. (read the actual terms of the ticket.)

So yes, commuting is fine, as is travelling in the 'wrong' direction (i.e. towards an event after it has already taken place.)


 

Mojo

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
7 Aug 2005
Messages
20,382
Location
0035
OK so, after reading other threads, I should ask - I can't use this site to purchase GRV to London Games tickets on days when my travelcard is not valid, can I? £3.70 return to London would be rather cheap...

Terms says: "If you are travelling to/from London on a date either side of your Games event, your 2012 Games train tickets are valid to/from the central London terminus relevant to the journey you are making."

Never seen that before, but I guess it means the days immediately before and after...

e.g. if you had a ticket for the 5th you could travel to London Terminals on the 4th, go to the Olympic Park on the 5th and travel from London Terminals back home on the 6th...
I do not read that in the conditions that you may only travel either on a date on either side of your ticket. I can't see a reason why a customer holding a ticket for an event that happened on 10 August cannot buy a ticket from London for 1 September, nor that someone attending an event next Friday cannot buy a ticket to London and travel tomorrow.
 

markcowell

New Member
Joined
31 Aug 2012
Messages
2
Anyone know why I can only buy singles from Rochester to London games on the Games trains website?

I have the travelcard that came with the tickets and I am trying to work out the cheapest ticket to get me to Stratford International.

A standard return (with Network railcard) is £12.75, but the 2 London Games singles are £3.75 each (with railcard) so it's clearly cheaper. Just wondered why there is no return option.
 
Last edited:

island

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Dec 2010
Messages
15,982
Location
0036
Welcome to the forum.

I believe London Games tickets are sold only as singles.
 

Mike395

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
23 May 2009
Messages
2,894
Location
Bedford
they are selling olympic rail tickets for around two weeks after the games ends. Therefore it is clearly not restricted to the immediately preceding and following days.

Provided you carry an olympic or paralympic ticket with you, the games rail ticketis valid. (read the actual terms of the ticket.)

So yes, commuting is fine, as is travelling in the 'wrong' direction (i.e. towards an event after it has already taken place.)



This is incorrect.

The National Rail Games Travel website states that:

As an added benefit, your return journey is valid up to midday on the day after your booked date, in case you want to hang on and enjoy the atmosphere after your event has finished.

Therefore, you cannot use Games tickets to commute in days following your event.
 

Deerfold

Veteran Member
Joined
26 Nov 2009
Messages
12,569
Location
Yorkshire
So yes, commuting is fine, as is travelling in the 'wrong' direction (i.e. towards an event after it has already taken place.)



I wouldn't like to try that - whilst you don't have to be going immediately to the games, the tickets are designed only for those going to the games.

In theory if you had a ticket for the opening ceremony of the Olympic games and the closing ceremony of the Paralympic games then I think you'd be fine to travel whenever you wanted.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
This is incorrect.

The National Rail Games Travel website states that:

As an added benefit, your return journey is valid up to midday on the day after your booked date, in case you want to hang on and enjoy the atmosphere after your event has finished.


Therefore, you cannot use Games tickets to commute in days following your event.

I read that as meaning that if you bought a ticket to return on the 5th September it would be valid up until midday on the 6th instead of the usual cutoff of 0430, not that the return ticket could not be several days after the event you'd booked for.
 

soil

Established Member
Joined
28 May 2012
Messages
1,956
I wouldn't like to try that - whilst you don't have to be going immediately to the games, the tickets are designed only for those going to the games.

In theory if you had a ticket for the opening ceremony of the Olympic games and the closing ceremony of the Paralympic games then I think you'd be fine to travel whenever you wanted.

The terms

http://www.nationalrailgamestravel.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/2012-games-day-train-ticket/

don't say that you must be travelling to the Games.

There is also no restriction on outbound dates - the Paralympics end on 9th September, so it would be logical to restrict outbound travel to the 9th of September or earlier, but they don't - you can still buy tickets to London Games etc. up to the 9th.

If I were challenged I would point out my full compliance with the published terms.

I read that as meaning that if you bought a ticket to return on the 5th September it would be valid up until midday on the 6th instead of the usual cutoff of 0430, not that the return ticket could not be several days after the event you'd booked for.

Indeed, this is presumably to cater for late-running events and last trains that don't match up with them.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
This is incorrect.

The National Rail Games Travel website states that:

As an added benefit, your return journey is valid up to midday on the day after your booked date, in case you want to hang on and enjoy the atmosphere after your event has finished.

Therefore, you cannot use Games tickets to commute in days following your event.

No.
http://www.nationalrailgamestravel.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/2012-games-day-train-ticket/

"Tickets for the outward journey, i.e. to London or one of the co-Host cities, are valid for travel at any time on the date shown on the ticket.
Tickets for the return journey, i.e. from London or one of the co-Host cities, are valid for travel at any time on the date shown on your ticket and up to midday the following day."

Quite clear - this is additional flexibility for the walk-up single fares, to allow you to use it the following night, they are quasi-returns, even though sold as a single.

The Advances have a similar relaxation of terms:

"Tickets for the outward journey, i.e. to London or one of the co-Host Cities, are valid ONLY on the date and train service(s) shown on the ticket(s).

Tickets for the return journey, i.e. from London or one of the co-Host Cities, are valid on the date and train service(s) shown on the ticket(s). If you are delayed, your ticket can be used to travel on services up to three hours after the booked service shown on your ticket, or the next available service where this is more than three hours after the departure of the specified service. However you will not be able to use your reservation on any alternative service."

http://www.nationalrailgamestravel.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/2012-games-advance-train-ticket/
 

snail

Established Member
Joined
16 Jun 2011
Messages
1,848
Location
t'North
Terms says: "If you are travelling to/from London on a date either side of your Games event, your 2012 Games train tickets are valid to/from the central London terminus relevant to the journey you are making."
Don't see why not. I'm travelling to Euston today but our first ticketed event is not until after the weekend. If anyone tried to argue that I'm not travelling to a Paralympic event I think they would be on shaky ground.
 

Deerfold

Veteran Member
Joined
26 Nov 2009
Messages
12,569
Location
Yorkshire
Don't see why not. I'm travelling to Euston today but our first ticketed event is not until after the weekend. If anyone tried to argue that I'm not travelling to a Paralympic event I think they would be on shaky ground.


My argument was that you would not be valid to travel into London a couple of days after your event
 

stu44

Member
Joined
27 Aug 2012
Messages
7
Are these cards valid anywhere in the London zones whether or not travelling to any games?

I have print-at-home tickets covering 4 days from Thursday this week for my wife and I. If I queue on arrival the first day for a games travelcard, are we given 8 travelcards (1 each for each day), 4 (for both of us each day) or just 1 or 2 for all days?
 

PavlosA

Member
Joined
29 Jul 2011
Messages
95
Are these cards valid anywhere in the London zones whether or not travelling to any games?

I have print-at-home tickets covering 4 days from Thursday this week for my wife and I. If I queue on arrival the first day for a games travelcard, are we given 8 travelcards (1 each for each day), 4 (for both of us each day) or just 1 or 2 for all days?

The travelcards are valid in zones 1-9 on the specific dates you have games tickets for, but you need to carry the actual event tickets with them for them to be valid.

Yes, you will receive a games travelcard for each individual event ticket you have. They are valid for single days, so you'll get eight. We found the box office would ony give us travelcards for each printed ticket we had in our possession. So, although we ordered four, as we only had two of the printed tickets (since the other two were with friends already in the park) they only gave us two travelcards.

SO take along all your printed tickets on the first day.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top