Was I overcharged? (Oyster)

[Harlesden]

Started Alexandra Palace at around 14:00 - unexpected diversion to King's Cross which I took in my stride. Touched out at King's Cross NR, touched in at King's Cross LU, traveled to Euston. Touched out at Euston LU and touched in at Euston LO for travel to Harlesden.
Was expecting a fare of £2.60/£2.70.
Started with a balance of £3.20 on my Oyster - after touching out at Harlesden, discovered I had a negative balance of 20p. Therefore charged £3.40 for my journey.

 

[sonic2009]

Upon checking the TFL single fare finder you were charged correctly.

All the prices are off-peak listed below :

Alexandra Palace [National Rail] to Harlesden £3.40

Alternative fares :

Route 1: Avoiding Zone 1 via Highbury & Islington and Willesden Junction, touching on the pink reader at Highbury & Islington & Willesden, you would of been charged £1.60

Route 2: Via King's Cross and Euston (not using London Underground in Zone 1) £2.10

If you had avoided using London Underground between Kings Cross and Euston, you would of been charged the above fare.

But because you used the Underground you have been charged the £3.40 fare.

 

[clagmonster]

Ally Pally-Kings Cross uses a red section of route, so you were charged the joint BR/LUL fare, see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/tickets/national-rail-map.pdf

Apply Pally and Harlesden are both in Zone 3, Kings Cross and Euston are in Zone 1.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf

The Zones 1-3 off peak joint BR/LT fare is £3.40, which you were charged.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14414.aspx

The £2.60 fare you were expecting is the Zone 1-3 LT only fare, which applies if you use LUL/DLR/green BR routes, but not red BR routes such as Ally Pally-Finsbury Park.

 

[Harlesden]

Thank you for the guidance.
Anyone know what the problem was between Alexandra Palace and King's Cross this afternoon.
At the same time my FCC train was briefly held at platform 1, there was an East Coast behemoth stuck at a red at platform 2

 

[34D]

Started Alexandra Palace at around 14:00 - unexpected diversion to King's Cross which I took in my stride.

Was the unexpected diversion your own choice, or was it because of the late running? Both the 14:01 and 14:11 were late today, but both did go through to Moorgate.

Could always contact the helpline and say that due to late running you had to take a more expensive route.

If you had avoided using London Underground between Kings Cross and Euston, you would of been charged the above fare.

But because you used the Underground you have been charged the £3.40 fare.

Please, "would have been charged".... Sorry if I'm a pedant.

 

[MikeWh]

Was the unexpected diversion your own choice, or was it because of the late running? Both the 14:01 and 14:11 were late today, but both did go through to Moorgate.

Could always contact the helpline and say that due to late running you had to take a more expensive route.

There's a little problem here. The expected fare was never going to materialise once entry at Alexandra Palace had occured. The OP hasn't stated what his intended route was, but it looks likely to have been one of two. Most likely in my opinion would have charged the same as it would have involved Underground between Moorgate and Euston. The less likely option would have charged considerably less as it avoided zone 1 completely by changing at Higbury and Willesden. Again, just my opinion, but if the OP had been wise to the savings to be made by avoiding zone 1 they would have known the significantly reduced fare and would probably have detrained at Finsbury Park to take the Underground to Highbury instead, thus preserving the cheap fare.

In all honesty this probably has to go down to experience.

 

[yorkie]

Started Alexandra Palace at around 14:00 - unexpected diversion to King's Cross which I took in my stride. Touched out at King's Cross NR, touched in at King's Cross LU, traveled to Euston. Touched out at Euston LU and touched in at Euston LO for travel to Harlesden.
Was expecting a fare of £2.60/£2.70.
Started with a balance of £3.20 on my Oyster - after touching out at Harlesden, discovered I had a negative balance of 20p. Therefore charged £3.40 for my journey.

If your planned route was:

[stn]AAP[/stn] depart 1401
[stn]HHY[/stn] arrive 1411 depart 1420
[stn]WIJ[/stn] arrive 1445 depart 1451
[stn]HDN[/stn] arrive 1453

That would have cost £1.60.

However, due to the delay on the 1401 being 19 minutes late, if you felt it would be quicker to go via Zone 1 so as to minimise the delay, then the Oyster system is always going to charge the higher fare when you do this, you'd need to contact the Oyster helpline and explain the situation, they won't know automatically.

I have no idea how legitimate a claim is in such circumstances or what the prospect of success would be.

If you are saying that you were always going to go via Zone 1, then there is no case, and no question you were charged the correct amount.

If you want to pay £2.60 and go via Zone 1 then you'd need to travel from Wood Green station on the Piccadilly Line, instead of Alexandra Palace.

This is because a journey that includes all of the following:...

• A 'Red route' National Rail line; and
• A London Underground line; and
• goes via, or is deemed to require travel via, Zone 1

... attracts a premium. This premium has been discussed in other threads, if you'd like to read more about it, here are some recent topics discussing the issue in the past 4 months:-

• Clapham Jn - Baker St : Oyster PAYG single fare query
• Oyster Charging Question
• St Margarets London to Greenwich (GNW) - Must go via London?!
• Using on Oyster on train and then tube

 

[34D]

However, due to the delay on the 1401 being 19 minutes late, if you felt it would be quicker to go via Zone 1 so as to minimise the delay, then the Oyster system is always going to charge the higher fare when you do this, you'd need to contact the Oyster helpline and explain the situation, they won't know automatically.

I have no idea how legitimate a claim is in such circumstances or what the prospect of success would be.

Articulated much better than I could