Oyster fare and route validators for a Greenford - Snaresbrook journey

[General Zod]

So as from 6th Sept we now have control of what fare we pay for alternative routes for a particular journey. This is particularly useful if you want to go from A to B but need to avoid entering a zone which would result in you being charged a higher fare.
Journey in question : Greenford - Snaresbrook. The TFL fare finder gives fares for two alternative routes, Greenford - Snaresbrook direct on the Central Line ( via Zone 1) or the cheaper but far more interesting Greenford - Shepherds Bush LU - Shepherds Bush LO - Stratford - Snaresbrook ( non Zone1). If choosing the latter then would "touching in" at Shepherds Bush London Overground automatically validate the journey for the non-Zone1 route or will you additionally have to touch the "pink validators" at Stratford for the trip to be charged at the non-Zone 1 rate ?

cheers,
Z

 

[dan_atki]

Judging by the wording on the TfL site, you must use the route validator to show you travelled by a particular route and if you don't then the cheaper fare won't be taken into account.

It is probably worth just touching a pink reader at Stratford to be sure - even if it is thought of as unnecessary.

 

[Daniel]

Touching out at Shepherds Bush LU and then in at Shepherds Bush LO should automatically sort out your fare. There are certain locations around the network where foot connections are built into the system already. By touching in at Shepherds Bush LO you are proving you didn't use the central line via zone 1.

The pink validators are, AFAIK, for areas where you can take two different routes from the same station.

With regards to the pink validators though, dan_atki is right, if your not sure, tap it - they will never end up with you being charged more, so better safe than sorry.

 

[LondonLarry]

Judging by the wording on the TfL site, you must use the route validator to show you travelled by a particular route and if you don't then the cheaper fare won't be taken into account.

It is probably worth just touching a pink reader at Stratford to be sure - even if it is thought of as unnecessary.

That's correct - the pink validators prevent you from being charged the higher fare for the journey made.

It's good to know that the rail industry is moving towards simplifying things for our customers. Not only do you have ridiculously long names for rail fares, but you have yellow and pink PAYG validators!

 

[glynn80]

This issue was summarised quite well last week on the London Reconnections blog (http://londonreconnections.blogspot.com/2009/08/oyster-and-fares-news.html):

From the 6th of September, Oyster PAYG users at a number of stations in London will be faced with validators that are somewhat more colourful than they are currently used to.

The new, pink, validators are to be used by passengers making a PAYG journey when they interchange at any of the following stations:

* Blackhorse Road
* Gospel Oak
* Gunnersbury
* Highbury & Islington
* Kensington Olympia
* Rayners Lane
* Stratford
* West Brompton
* Willesden Junction

These validators are being put in place because the 6th is the day that the Oyster network is being upgraded across the whole of London, from which point onwards it will fully support multiple single fare options.

Essentially, interchange validation is intented to allow TfL to determine more precisely the method of travel (most notably the zones passed through) used by passengers when more than one journey option exists, and thus charge appropriately. Passengers will still be required to tap in and out on the standard yellow readers at the start and end of their journey, but will need to tap pink when interchanging if a pink reader is available.

A journey from Barking to Seven Sisters, for example, will be assumed to be via zone 1 if no pink tap has been recorded, but if the passenger swapped from Overground to Underground at Blackhorse Rd and tapped pink there, then it would be recorded as a journey that only took place in Zones 2 and 3. Obviously, the second of those two options would be charged at a lower rate.

In addition to those stations listed above, validators will also be installed at Wimbledon, Richmond and Woolwich Arsenal, although it seems unlikely that these will be activated yet (as there is no point doing so until PAYG is rolled out onto National Rail services).

 

[t0ffeeman]

Touching in and out at Shep Bush doesn't necessarily mean that you can't go via Zone 1 as you could then travel via Kenny O or W Brompton to Snaresbrook. Alternatively take the Central line to Stratford, touch the pink validator there and then get back on the Central Line!!

Methinks this should have been set up when Oyster or at least LOROL started. It still doesn't mean that Oyster will deduct the correct fare....

 

[bengley]

This just makes a great, simple system too complicated.

 

[General Zod]

Touching in and out at Shep Bush doesn't necessarily mean that you can't go via Zone 1 as you could then travel via Kenny O or W Brompton to Snaresbrook. Alternatively take the Central line to Stratford, touch the pink validator there and then get back on the Central Line!!

Methinks this should have been set up when Oyster or at least LOROL started. It still doesn't mean that Oyster will deduct the correct fare....

Perhaps the algorithm in place for the Greenford-Snaresbrook journey states that the lower fare will only be charge IF touching in at Shepherd's Bush LO AND touching the pink validator at Stratford. This would mean that Greenford - Stratford straight through on the Central line and touching the pink validator there would not qualify you for the cheaper fare. However, as you say, touching in at Shepherds Bush LO, then going on to Kenny 0 / West Brompton , changing for District then Central lines to Stratford and then touching the validator would get you the cheaper fare as you would have fulfiled the criteria for obtaining the cheaper route i.e touching in at ShepBush LO and Stratford.

Z

 

[paul1609]

Must admit the other day when I was travelling from Baker Street to Clapham junction via West Brompton I wasnt sure whether I was supposed to tap out when passing from LU to Southern or not, so the use of the 2 coloured validators may actually help.