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Oyster or Travelcard for a London day bash?

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Gathursty

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I've not figured out a precise itinery apart from the following:

- After 20th July
- A weekday
- Starting at the crack of dawn
- Have a 16-25 railcard
- Will be using all zones
- Want to use Tramlink
- Want to travel one way through Bat & Ball
- Want to do the Chiltern Railways Parly service.
- Want to use Epsom Downs and Tattenham Corner.
- Might be using Heathrow-Hayes and Harlington
- Will be starting/finishing at either Gerrards Cross, Chesham, Lea Bridge or Waltham Cross
- Finishing after 9pm.

Should I order an Oyster now or just get a travelcard on the day? If so which travelcard?

Thanks.
 
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ANDREW_D_WEBB

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Railcard discounts are not valid on Travelcards until 09:30 when off peak prices start. Hayes and Harlington to Heathrow is outside of Oyster and Travelcard zone at all times.

Remember that contactless credit / debit cards act in the same way as Oyster and cap at the relevant limit.
 

ashworth

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Link together your visits to Epsom Downs and Tattenham Corner by walking between the two rather than two separate journeys out from London. Make sure you have a good map or gps on your phone! It only takes 20-30 minutes to walk between the two but it's not easy to find your way if you are unfamiliar with the area. Can I suggest arrive at Epsom Downs and walk to Tattenham Corner as Epsom Downs is very difficult to find and if you miss the train there is a boring hour to wait for the next one with nothing to do in the area. Much more frequent service from Tattenham Corner plus shops and eating places near by.
I speak from experience as I did it the other way around and found Epsom Downs a pig to locate. It is just a single platform really hidden well off the main roads in a rather exclusive private housing estate. Also make sure that you exit Epsom Downs in the correct direction if walking to Tattenham Corner. It's through the housing estate beyond the platform and not a very obvious route to reach the main road which eventually leads up towards Epsom Race Course.
 
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Gathursty

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Remember that contactless credit / debit cards act in the same way as Oyster and cap at the relevant limit.

So I don't need to sign up for an Oystercard, just tap my bank card at the devices when I hit London?

I've had the pleasure of driving down that cul de sac to Epsom Down. It's a wiggly worm of a road. I will bear in mind the 20-30 minute walk and build that in.
 

Searle

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I'd definitely get a travelcard, and then buy any relevant extensions on top of that. If you had an Oyster and wanted to go from Hayes & Harlington to Heathrow and you had an Oyster, you'd either have to get off the train and tap out, then re-enter with a paper ticket, or just buy a ticket from Paddington, opposed to just buying a Hayes & Harlington return and staying on the same train with a paper ticket.
 

sonic2009

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Crewe
£21.70 Anytime Travelcard 1-9, paper ticket always best if bashing avoid max journey times on Oyster.

For the extensions you wish to do.

Boundary Zone 6 - Gerrards Cross SDR £4.10
If you plan to use Parliamentary service.

Hayes & Harlington - Heathrow or vv £4.10 SDS £8.20 SDR, only valid on Heathrow Connect.

BZ6 - Bat & Ball £3.45 CDR Valid after 0929, or £5.30 SDR

No minimum fare in July on 16-25 railcard.

Boundary Zone tickets do not require the train to stop at the last station in the boundary.
 

MikeWh

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Agree with Sonic2009, get a travelcard and avoid any issues with long times in system etc.

Remember that contactless credit / debit cards act in the same way as Oyster and cap at the relevant limit.

Except you can't add a railcard to a contactless payment card.
 

JonathanH

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29 May 2011
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Link together your visits to Epsom Downs and Tattenham Corner by walking between the two rather than two separate journeys out from London. Make sure you have a good map or gps on your phone! It only takes 20-30 minutes to walk between the two but it's not easy to find your way if you are unfamiliar with the area. Can I suggest arrive at Epsom Downs and walk to Tattenham Corner as Epsom Downs is very difficult to find and if you miss the train there is a boring hour to wait for the next one with nothing to do in the area. Much more frequent service from Tattenham Corner plus shops and eating places near by.
I speak from experience as I did it the other way around and found Epsom Downs a pig to locate. It is just a single platform really hidden well off the main roads in a rather exclusive private housing estate. Also make sure that you exit Epsom Downs in the correct direction if walking to Tattenham Corner. It's through the housing estate beyond the platform and not a very obvious route to reach the main road which eventually leads up towards Epsom Race Course.

In terms of efficiency and to try and stick to pavements, this is the best route which involves two short alleyways

https://goo.gl/maps/jqr3VpGcoVt

On a good day, a walk across the Downs may be preferable.
 

Hadders

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The usual advice to anyone 'bashing' in London is not to use Oyster or contactless. This is because you can inadvertently get charged maximum fares if you exceed journey times or trigger out of station interchanges.

Stick to a paper travelcard.
 

Kite159

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27 Jan 2014
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West of Andover
£21.70 Anytime Travelcard 1-9, paper ticket always best if bashing avoid max journey times on Oyster.

For the extensions you wish to do.

Boundary Zone 6 - Gerrards Cross SDR £4.10
If you plan to use Parliamentary service.

Hayes & Harlington - Heathrow or vv £4.10 SDS £8.20 SDR, only valid on Heathrow Connect.

BZ6 - Bat & Ball £3.45 CDR Valid after 0929, or £5.30 SDR

No minimum fare in July on 16-25 railcard.

Boundary Zone tickets do not require the train
to stop at the last station in the boundary.

I believe the Chiltern Parly only goes to Ruislip rather than running fast out of the zones.

Also wouldn't a BZ6-Sevenoaks be better to do the line via Bat & Ball? (Unless a BZ6 - Bat and Ball is valid via sevenoaks)
 

bb21

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4 Feb 2010
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Railcard discounts are not valid on Travelcards until 09:30 when off peak prices start. Hayes and Harlington to Heathrow is outside of Oyster and Travelcard zone at all times.

Incorrect. Railcard discounts are available before 0930 on Travelcards in some cases.

Cannot remember it off the top of my head but I think minimum fare £17.20 applies on Anytime Day Travelcards, but only on outboundary ones, so an Anytime Day Travelcard from Watford Junction will allow the OP to cover all of Zones 1-9 for £17.20 for the day if starting early on a weekday.
 
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