Cambridge-Greenwich season ticket price variation and permitted route

[Penpot123]

I'll soon be commuting Cambridge-Greenwich and am currently looking at the most affordable (!) way to do this with a weekly season ticket - I believe this will be the best option for me, as I can be in the office Thu-Fri-Mon-Tue and effectively get two working weeks in office on one weekly ticket.

Entering Cambridge-Greenwich on the Thameslink website and they will sell me a "Cambridge to London Travelcard Zones 2-6" weekly season ticket for £151.80 - none of the other TOC websites seem to offer me this ticket.

The website gives scant information on what journey is applicable with this ticket, other than the suitably vague "Travel is allowed via any permitted route".

Would this only be applicable going Cambridge-Tottenham Hale-Stratford-Greenwich (via DLR), because the travelcard on this ticket is only zone 2-6, so have to avoid zone 1? Or could I go Cambridge-City Thameslink-Greenwich?

Alternatively, the ticket that seems most likely to apply for my journey is to Travelcard Zones 1-6, any permitted route, for £197.60, but over a year that would be about £1,000 more expensive.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Watershed]

Welcome to the forum! You are exactly right - the season ticket to London Travelcard Zones 2-6 isn't valid in Zone 1. You would have to avoid Zone 1 with a route such as the one you suggest. Alternatively you could use buses if that helps, as they don't have zones - a Travelcard is valid on all TfL bus services throughout London (and beyond) regardless of the zones it's issued for.

You would need a Zones 1-6 season ticket to travel via Zone 1, which comes at a considerably higher cost.

Part of the reason the Travelcard is quite expensive is the validity you get on the Underground, DLR and buses (and on other National Rail services anywhere else in the Zones). You could pay less if you bought season tickets such that you just pay for National Rail validity (if you're happy to stick to trains).

To do this, you'd have to buy a combination of tickets (also known as "split tickets"), since there isn't a through Cambridge-Greenwich NR-only season ticket. I haven't undertaken detailed investigation of the cheapest option, but splitting at Finsbury Park would cost £172.80 a week for example, whilst splitting at Hadley Wood would cost £168 a week.

When using split tickets where (as here) one or both are season tickets, the only requirement is that you pass through the station where you change tickets. You don't need to take a train that stops at the split station. Splitting at Finsbury Park effectively therefore just means you have to travel via the ECML route and can't travel with Greater Anglia via Bishops Stortford. Splitting at Hadley Wood is a little more restrictive as you would have to travel via Welwyn - you couldn't go via Hertford on days when ECML trains are diverted, for instance.

Whether the saving from splitting at Finsbury Park or Hadley Wood is worthwhile the loss of flexivbility is something you'll have to work out for yourself.

 

[jfollows]

There’s also a £145.40 weekly to zones 3-6 isn’t there?
Presumably valid by a more convoluted route.

 

[Watershed]

There’s also a £145.40 weekly to zones 3-6 isn’t there?
Presumably valid by a more convoluted route.

Only by a rather convoluted route such as Cambridge-Tottenham Hale-Stratford-Woolwich Arsenal-Greenwich.

 

[jfollows]

Only by a rather convoluted route such as Cambridge-Tottenham Hale-Stratford-Woolwich Arsenal-Greenwich.

Yes, that was just about where I’d got to. Unlikely to be bought and used in practice.

 

[hkstudent]

Welcome to the forum! You are exactly right - the season ticket to London Travelcard Zones 2-6 isn't valid in Zone 1. You would have to avoid Zone 1 with a route such as the one you suggest. Alternatively you could use buses if that helps, as they don't have zones - a Travelcard is valid on all TfL bus services throughout London (and beyond) regardless of the zones it's issued for.

You would need a Zones 1-6 season ticket to travel via Zone 1, which comes at a considerably higher cost.

Part of the reason the Travelcard is quite expensive is the validity you get on the Underground, DLR and buses (and on other National Rail services anywhere else in the Zones). You could pay less if you bought season tickets such that you just pay for National Rail validity (if you're happy to stick to trains).

To do this, you'd have to buy a combination of tickets (also known as "split tickets"), since there isn't a through Cambridge-Greenwich NR-only season ticket. I haven't undertaken detailed investigation of the cheapest option, but splitting at Finsbury Park would cost £172.80 a week for example, whilst splitting at Hadley Wood would cost £168 a week.

When using split tickets where (as here) one or both are season tickets, the only requirement is that you pass through the station where you change tickets. You don't need to take a train that stops at the split station. Splitting at Finsbury Park effectively therefore just means you have to travel via the ECML route and can't travel with Greater Anglia via Bishops Stortford. Splitting at Hadley Wood is a little more restrictive as you would have to travel via Welwyn - you couldn't go via Hertford on days when ECML trains are diverted, for instance.

Whether the saving from splitting at Finsbury Park or Hadley Wood is worthwhile the loss of flexivbility is something you'll have to work out for yourself.

To retain flexibility of travelling on both ECML and West Anglia route, op can consider buying to Highbury & Islington where both via Stratford or Finsbury Park would he valid. And that’s same price as buying to Finsbury Park.


In conjunction with a zone 1-2 travelcard, then all routes towards London terminals can be used.

 

[30907]

To retain flexibility of travelling on both ECML and West Anglia route, op can consider buying to Highbury & Islington where both via Stratford or Finsbury Park would he valid. And that’s same price as buying to Finsbury Park.


In conjunction with a zone 1-2 travelcard, then all routes towards London terminals can be used.

Saves about £5/week vs the 1-6 Travelcard option.

There is a season Highbury-Greenwich via City TL/Surrey Q (so not underground) but I can't see that being valid via Liverpool Street

 

[hkstudent]

Saves about £5/week vs the 1-6 Travelcard option.

There is a season Highbury-Greenwich via City TL/Surrey Q (so not underground) but I can't see that being valid via Liverpool Street

The Surrey Q option is definitely via Stratford for route available via Dalston on London Overground.

Yet, it’s a bit tricky to argue to include the Elizabeth Line core section between Liverpool Street and Whitechapel for the transfer to via Surrey Quays.