Cheapest way to get from Central London to Kingston/Surbiton area in morning peaks

[ATrainSpotter]

First thread!

Anyway, I've recently started regularly commuting from Waterloo to Surbiton (against the morning influx, so going out), however every time I travel, I get charged a crazy £9.00 even with 1/3 railcard applied to my oyster!

I've resorted to using the Tube and a bus for now, but what I'm wondering is if there is a cheaper and similarly timed way.

I've thought about going into Zone 2 with a bus (I have a season pass, so unlimited travel for me on the buses and trams) but don't quite know how that would work and if it would even be any cheaper.

If anyone could help, that would be extremely helpful. Thanks in advanced!

 

[JonathanH]

Anyway, I've recently started regularly commuting from Waterloo to Surbiton (against the morning influx, so going out), however every time I travel, I get charged a crazy £9.00 even with 1/3 railcard applied to my oyster!

The Oyster fare without a railcard for Waterloo to Surbiton is £7.30 peak and £4.50 off peak.

There is no railcard discount in the morning peak (0630 to 0930), but before 0630 you could travel for £2.95 single.

The Oyster fare if you first take the underground in Zone 1 is £8.90 peak, £6.00 off-peak and £3.95 off-peak with railcard.

The same fares apply in each direction.

Travelling from Vauxhall to Surbiton is cheaper, £4.80 peak, £3.30 off-peak and £2.20 off-peak with railcard. However, a Zone 6 to Zone 2 journey in the evening period (1600 to 1900) will be charged at the peak rate, whereas Surbiton to Waterloo benefits from the 'into Zone 1' evening peak easement and therefore discounted fares.

Realistically, £7.30 to Surbiton in the morning and £2.95 back is a good deal, even if you think paying full fare in the morning is expensive.

Note that
£7.30 + £2.95 = £10.25
£4.80 + £4.80 = £9.60.

I've thought about going into Zone 2 with a bus (I have a season pass, so unlimited travel for me on the buses and trams) but don't quite know how that would work and if it would even be any cheaper.

Taking a bus to Vauxhall in the morning but returning to Waterloo in the evening is probably going to be the best way to reduce costs, although it will add time to your journey. You will have to consider if the £2.50 saving is worth it.

 

[ATrainSpotter]

The Oyster fare without a railcard for Waterloo to Surbiton is £7.30 peak and £4.50 off peak.

There is no railcard discount in the morning peak (0630 to 0930), but before 0630 you could travel for £2.95 single.

The Oyster fare if you first take the underground in Zone 1 is £8.90 peak, £6.00 off-peak and £3.95 off-peak with railcard.

The same fares apply in each direction.

Travelling from Vauxhall to Surbiton is cheaper, £4.80 peak, £3.30 off-peak and £2.20 off-peak with railcard. However, a Zone 6 to Zone 2 journey in the evening period (1600 to 1900) will be charged at the peak rate, whereas Surbiton to Waterloo benefits from the 'into Zone 1' evening peak easement and therefore discounted fares.

Realistically, £7.30 to Surbiton in the morning and £2.95 back is a good deal, even if you think paying full fare in the morning is expensive.

Note that
£7.30 + £2.95 = £10.25
£4.80 + £4.80 = £9.60.


Taking a bus to Vauxhall in the morning but returning to Waterloo in the evening is probably going to be the best way to reduce costs, although it will add time to your journey. You will have to consider if the £2.50 saving is worth it.

Thanks again, much appreciated. Totally forgot railcards don’t work at peak times. A little bit long winded but I guess it works out. The tube seems to charge me £4.50 roughly though at peak times in the morning going out?

By the way, do you know why the “going in” out/into Waterloo fare isn’t charged the same way in the morning as in the evening? I’m assuming it’s to encourage people to come in for nightlife from the suburbs, but could be wrong?

 

[JonathanH]

By the way, do you know why the “going in” out/into Waterloo fare isn’t charged the same way in the morning as in the evening? I’m assuming it’s to encourage people to come in for nightlife from the suburbs, but could be wrong?

Yes, I think it is perceived as why this is. There were complaints when Oyster was initially introduced that passengers travelling into Central London had to pay peak fares in the evening peak for the first time, and that it was affecting nightlife, although it wasn't until 2015 that this was extended to the NR scale fares, having applied on the LU scale in 2011.

Peak fares still apply for journeys which don't end in Zone 1, including those that cross Zone 1, so seems no one is as concerned about nightlife outside Zone 1.

https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/p...l-come-into-effect-from-sunday-2-january-2011

In a new initiative being introduced from 2 January 2011, during the evening peak, all Tube journeys into Zone 1 will be charged at the off-peak rate, as opposed to the peak fare currently charged.

This could save commuters up to £2.50 per journey and reflects the available capacity on these Tube journeys at this time.

The tube seems to charge me £4.50 roughly though at peak times in the morning going out?

Where are you getting the Tube to? NR peak fares are higher than those on the LU scale - eg Waterloo LU to Hatton Cross in Zone 6 is £5.10 peak, whereas Waterloo to Feltham is £7.30.

 

[ATrainSpotter]

Where are you getting the Tube to? NR peak fares are higher than those on the LU scale - eg Waterloo LU to Hatton Cross in Zone 6 is £5.10 peak, whereas Waterloo to Feltham is £7.30.

Bank to South Wimbledon

thanks for the background info!

 

[pelli]

I've thought about going into Zone 2 with a bus (I have a season pass, so unlimited travel for me on the buses and trams)

If you're already paying full price for a Bus and Tram pass and also intend to commute daily, then note that upgrading to a Travelcard can be a good deal. The Travelcard would include free travel on all buses (regardless of zone), and also all trams if covering any of zones 3,4,5,6, but would also cover part (or all) of your rail/tube journey, making it cheaper (or free).

For example, looking at monthly tickets to cover 20 working days, a Bus and Tram pass costs £89.50. A journey Bank (Z1) to Surbiton (Z6 rail) with railcard costs £8.90 undiscounted out in the peak and £3.95 discounted back (which has no evening peak due to the journey ending in Z1). Similarly going on the tube from Bank (Z1) to South Wimbledon (Z3) costs £3.60 out and £1.90 back.

The Z1-6 Travelcard costs £270.00, which is £180.50 extra, or £9.03 per working day, and would cover all your travels.

The Z1-2 Travelcard costs £147.50, which is £58 extra, or £2.90 per working day. I don't know how exactly the extension fare is calculated, but a guess would be that for tube to South Wimbledon and back you'd pay the equivalent of a Z3 single peak £1.80 (saving you £1.80) and off-peak discounted £1.05 back (saving you £0.85). On the train a wild guess is that you'd pay what it costs from Earlsfield (Z3) to/from Surbiton, which is £4.20 peak (saving £4.70) and £2.05 (saving £1.90) off-peak.

The Z1-3 Travelcard costs £173.60, which is £84.10 extra, or £4.21 per working day. This would cover the entire tube route (saving £3.60 out and £1.90 back). For the train, if the fares are the same as for Raynes Park (Z4) to/from Surbiton then it would be £3.40 peak (saving £5.50) and £1.85 off-peak (saving £2.10).

The Z2-3 Travelcard costs £110.60, which is £21.1 extra, or £1.06 per working day. On the tube, you'd probably pay a Z1 single, £2.50 peak (saving £1.10) and £1.65 off-peak (saving £0.25). If you take the bus out to Z2 before getting on the tube (probably Bank to Elephant & Castle) then the Travelcard covers the whole commute. I'm not sure how the train would be calculated, but it's unlikely to be good value.

 

[ATrainSpotter]

If you're already paying full price for a Bus and Tram pass and also intend to commute daily, then note that upgrading to a Travelcard can be a good deal. The Travelcard would include free travel on all buses (regardless of zone), and also all trams if covering any of zones 3,4,5,6, but would also cover part (or all) of your rail/tube journey, making it cheaper (or free).

For example, looking at monthly tickets to cover 20 working days, a Bus and Tram pass costs £89.50. A journey Bank (Z1) to Surbiton (Z6 rail) with railcard costs £8.90 undiscounted out in the peak and £3.95 discounted back (which has no evening peak due to the journey ending in Z1). Similarly going on the tube from Bank (Z1) to South Wimbledon (Z3) costs £3.60 out and £1.90 back.

The Z1-6 Travelcard costs £270.00, which is £180.50 extra, or £9.03 per working day, and would cover all your travels.

The Z1-2 Travelcard costs £147.50, which is £58 extra, or £2.90 per working day. I don't know how exactly the extension fare is calculated, but a guess would be that for tube to South Wimbledon and back you'd pay the equivalent of a Z3 single peak £1.80 (saving you £1.80) and off-peak discounted £1.05 back (saving you £0.85). On the train a wild guess is that you'd pay what it costs from Earlsfield (Z3) to/from Surbiton, which is £4.20 peak (saving £4.70) and £2.05 (saving £1.90) off-peak.

The Z1-3 Travelcard costs £173.60, which is £84.10 extra, or £4.21 per working day. This would cover the entire tube route (saving £3.60 out and £1.90 back). For the train, if the fares are the same as for Raynes Park (Z4) to/from Surbiton then it would be £3.40 peak (saving £5.50) and £1.85 off-peak (saving £2.10).

The Z2-3 Travelcard costs £110.60, which is £21.1 extra, or £1.06 per working day. On the tube, you'd probably pay a Z1 single, £2.50 peak (saving £1.10) and £1.65 off-peak (saving £0.25). If you take the bus out to Z2 before getting on the tube (probably Bank to Elephant & Castle) then the Travelcard covers the whole commute. I'm not sure how the train would be calculated, but it's unlikely to be good value.

Thank you, helpful

 

[GodSaveTheKing]

Bank to South Wimbledon

thanks for the background info!

Assuming your commute does start from Bank everyday, have you considered taking 344 bus to Vauxhall then train to Surbiton?

 

[ATrainSpotter]

Assuming your commute does start from Bank everyday, have you considered taking 344 bus to Vauxhall then train to Surbiton?

Not from Bank, thats where I get on the northern line. It starts near Kings Cross. I'm a bus nerd myself so I could get the 91 to Waterloo and change for a 77

 

[hkstudent]

To start with, I think you can try bus 85 from Putney (z2/3) to Kingston then another bus to Surbiton.
85 do zoom through bits of A3, which the journey time would be not very long and can be a good saving.

 

[GodSaveTheKing]

Not from Bank, thats where I get on the northern line. It starts near Kings Cross. I'm a bus nerd myself so I could get the 91 to Waterloo and change for a 77

Another option may probably then be taking Overground from Highbury and Islington to Wimbledon via Willesden Junction and West Brompton (change for District Line). It only costs you £2.00 at peak!