Thameslink to London Zone 2

[Parvus]

I am trying to help a friend (a little bit non-railway savvy) buy a single ticket from St Albans City to visit me at Canning Town. The route will be St Albans - Farringdon (Thameslink); Farringdon - Stratford (Elizabeth line); and Stratford - Canning Town (Jubilee). The Thameslink site will recognise a ticket SAC to Zones 1-4 (though not zones 1-2 as it should). But any attempt to buy the ticket produces "no results found". I wondered if anyone knew what I am doing wrong? Or does my friend have to buy one ticket to Farringdon and then use Oyster or contactless to at Farringdon?

Just wondering

Harry

 

[Haywain]

The simplest thing will probably be a day travelcard, but it could depend on the day and time of travel (both ways). With more information from you a better answer can be given.

 

[jeremyjh]

Unless your friend has a railcard or a special reason to want a paper ticket, they can travel the whole way from St Albans City using contactless. Looks like £31.70 travelling before 1000, or £24.40 thereafter, and far less on weekends.

 

[Haywain]

A day trip at a weekend could cost as little as £14.90, and that's without a railcard discount.

 

[Richardr]

Unless your friend has a railcard or a special reason to want a paper ticket, they can travel the whole way from St Albans City using contactless. Looks like £31.70 travelling before 1000, or £24.40 thereafter, and far less on weekends.

Contactless from St Albans is via TfL - and they don't have reduced weekend fares, just peak and off-peak.

buy a single ticket

Does that mean one direction only, as opposed to a return?

 

[MikeWh]

Looks like £31.70 travelling before 1000, or £24.40 thereafter,

Those prices are the caps. If travel starts before 0930 then the £31.70 is likely to apply, after 0930 the cap will be £24.40. If the only travel made is a return journey then the caps won't apply unless both ways are after 0930 and the return starts between 1600-1900.

There is another option for the journey which may be quicker. Stay on Thameslink until London Bridge and then take the Jubilee line from there.

 

[Richardr]

The other option is to change to the Jubilee at West Hampstead, and worth bearing in mind as an option, especially if there are delays or engineering work on the Thameslink core.

 

[miklcct]

Those prices are the caps. If travel starts before 0930 then the £31.70 is likely to apply, after 0930 the cap will be £24.40. If the only travel made is a return journey then the caps won't apply unless both ways are after 0930 and the return starts between 1600-1900.

There is another option for the journey which may be quicker. Stay on Thameslink until London Bridge and then take the Jubilee line from there.

The other option is to change to the Jubilee at West Hampstead, and worth bearing in mind as an option, especially if there are delays or engineering work on the Thameslink core.

Both of these options, and the one the OP has mentioned, use Zone 1.

The friend should change to the Overground at West Hampstead, then change again at Stratford (touch the pink reader there), in order to avoid Zone 1, and use contactless all the way.

 

[MikeWh]

Both of these options, and the one the OP has mentioned, use Zone 1.

The friend should change to the Overground at West Hampstead, then change again at Stratford (touch the pink reader there), in order to avoid Zone 1, and use contactless all the way.

The OP hasn't asked to avoid zone 1, but I agree that the above is also a viable alternative if cost is more important than time. Remember that not all Thameslink trains from St Albans call at West Hampstead. Some also don't call at London Bridge, but it's not too much of a wait at any core station for the following one which almost certainly will.

 

[miklcct]

The OP hasn't asked to avoid zone 1, but I agree that the above is also a viable alternative if cost is more important than time. Remember that not all Thameslink trains from St Albans call at West Hampstead. Some also don't call at London Bridge, but it's not too much of a wait at any core station for the following one which almost certainly will.

Changing direct to the Jubilee at West Hampstead is the fastest if the friend is willing to pay Zone 1 fare. Avoiding Zone 1 is better than what the OP mentioned in #1.

Jubilee is faster than Thameslink between West Hampstead and London Bridge and the walk is shorter at West Hampstead as well.