In a couple of weeks I need to travel from Clapham Junction to Finsbury Park using Oyster. The National Rail 'lookup' gives the obvious route changing at London Victoria for the Victoria Line. However I really dislike travelling on the Victoria Line mid-summer as it is usually like an oven. So whilst it's probably much further/longer would it be valid to travel on the overground from Clapham Junction to Highbury and Islington then just do the 1 stop final leg on the Victoria Line. Time isn't an issue and I would much prefer the overground route.
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Route validity question - Clapham Junction to Finsbury Park
- Thread starter Miken
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You can take whatever route you like when travelling by Oyster so long as you don't take longer than the maximum journey time.
Clapham Junction to London Bridge to Finsbury Park via Thameslink would be fine for example, or arguably even going via East Croydon.
Yes, fine via either route.
And as long as they're entirely within the Oyster area of validity, of course.
Nothing arguable about it - permitted routes don't apply to journeys made using PAYG.
I was thinking more about infringing the maximum journey time in the instance of going via East Croydon.
As already said, any route will do, as long you don't exceed Max Journey Time.
What intermediate touches you make will determine the fare paid: for details see either the Oyster Fares Central Oyster Fare Finder or TfL Single fare finder
What intermediate touches you make will determine the fare paid: for details see either the Oyster Fares Central Oyster Fare Finder or TfL Single fare finder
Indeed, going via Victoria, and triggering the mixed-mode premium is the most expensive way of making the journey at £5.30 peak and £4.70 off-peak, but if the £8.10 cap is going to be triggered that doesn't matter.
The Overground route, touching the pink reader on the Overground platform at Highbury & Islington is £1.90 peak, £1.80 off-peak.
Any route that doesn't involve touching in / out on route is £3.40 peak, £2.80 off-peak, which I think is priced to be used via West Brompton, but would also be the fare for going via Crystal Palace or East Croydon provided the user stays within the system.
SE%Traveller
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You could also take the Overground to Denmark Hill and then a Thameslink train to Welwyn, with one cross platform interchange at Denmark Hill during the Peaks or two (second at Blackfriars) off peaks.
Takes about the same time too, 45 mis according to Journey Planner (as changing to Victoria line at Victoria)
Takes about the same time too, 45 mis according to Journey Planner (as changing to Victoria line at Victoria)
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Would there be enough time to sneak in a crafty pint at the Phœnix upstairs within the maximum journey time?......
Does that involve going through the barriers?
Probably, although the last time I was there they were open. There is/was a door on the "paid" side of the station but I've never seen it open.
Note that this fare applies to changing from NR to Underground, not just at Victoria, but also at Waterloo, London Bridge, Blackfriers, Cannon Street, Charing Cross and Waterloo East.
However there is a loophole. Thameslink services run through the NR side of London Bridge, so you can travel through London bridge on a Thameslink service or even change from another rail operator to Thameslink at London bridge without triggering the premium.
Indeed, this fare is advertised as avoiding zone 1 by going clockwise on the overground via willisden junctoin but there doesn't seem to be anything stopping you from using it to travel anticlockwise on the overground via Shoreditch high street since the only required pink reader touch is at highbury and islington.
The basis of Oyster/Contactless fares is that they are from station (where you touch in) to another (where you touch out): the fare is defined based on the assumption that you will take some route. If you touch intermediately (either optionally on a pink reader, with the incentive of a lower fare, or compulsorily, by an OSI interchange), the system can change its assumption over route, justifying a different fare.
But the fare charged will be based on an assumed route, regardless of what route you did take - beyond touches, the system has no way of knowing what this is. This might result in you being charged a fare that might thought wrong (one way or other): but this is a feature of the system, not a bug.
But the fare charged will be based on an assumed route, regardless of what route you did take - beyond touches, the system has no way of knowing what this is. This might result in you being charged a fare that might thought wrong (one way or other): but this is a feature of the system, not a bug.
Surreytraveller
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The worst assumption is when on a Child Zip Oyster where you use only TfL, and the journey should therefore be free, but the system assumes you've used non-TfL National Rail and charges you
Assuming you mean the zip 5-10 card then this is no longer a problem within the zones. Child fares are only charged on some extensions.
Gerald Fiennes
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The Phoenix @ DMK is on the landside of the barriers, I'm afraid. There's a branch of FCB coffee there which serves airside passengers: perhaps if you asked nicely and slipped them some readies, they would go an get a pint for you from next door!
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