Watford-Wembley-Zone 1 ?

[30mog]

I am going south in few weekends time. Staying in Watford but likely to be 'commuting' into London both days. The Saturday is a bit more complicated as I am planning on attending an event at Wembley. Before heading for Zone 1 afterwards.

From Watford I notice a Travelcard varies quite a bit depending on whether you travel on Overground or Underground, £11.20 or £15.70 I think. On the other hand, Watford Junction - Wembley Central or Watford (Met.line) to Wembley Park is only £1.60 each way off peak with an Oystercard. Then with Wembley stations all in zone 4 - a Travelcard Z1-4 is about £8 paper ticket or Oyster.

It therefore appears I will save money, especially from Watford Junction or High Street, by using my Oystercard to get to Wembley one way or the other, and return. Then buying a paper Travelcard at Wembley. Please correct me if I'm wrong or you have any other ideas? The disadvantage I can see is when heading back from Z1 to Watford having to get off in zone 4, exit using paper ticket before re-entering with Oystercard?

 

[bb21]

You only mention Saturday. Is the other day Sunday?

An Off-Peak Day Travelcard from Watford Junction (valid throughout Zones 1-9 but only one return journey from Watford Junction to Zone 8 and return) is £15.70, which is also the Oyster daily cap (valid throughout Zones 1-9 and unlimited travel to/from Watford Junction). Watford Junction is not in any of Zones 1-9. It does not matter whether you use London Overground or other National Rail services to get/go from there.

An Off-Peak Day Travelcard from Watford High Street [Zone 8] or Watford Met [Zone 7] (also valid throughout Zones 1-9 but not Watford Junction) is £12.10, with the Oyster daily cap being £11.60. (I don't know where you got your £11.20 from.)

An Off-Peak Oyster PAYG Adult Single between Watford Met or Watford High Street and any station on those lines in Zones 3 and 4 (so to put it simply, from Watford Met it includes all stations on the Met/Jubilee from Northwick Park to Willesden Green, and from Watford High Street it includes all stations on the LO/Bakerloo from Kenton to Willesden Junction) costs £1.60. So if you only need to make one return journey between Watford Met/High Street and Zone 4 with the rest of your travels restricted within Zones 1-4 (£8 in paper form, £7.70 Oyster daily cap) then it would indeed be cheaper to pay for the additional distance by Oyster PAYG if you use a paper Day Travelcard, with the associated hassle of having to touch in/out in Zone 3/4 (same fare to/from either zone) nevertheless.

Travelling from Watford Junction need not be more expensive if you only need to make one journey from Watford Junction and then return at the end of the day, and split accordingly. An Off-Peak Oyster PAYG Adult Single between Watford Junction and anywhere within Zones 7-8 on that line is £1.50, and between Watford Junction and anywhere within Zones 3-6 on that line £1.60 (so same as from Watford Met/High Street if splitting with a Zones 1-4 paper Day Travelcard).