Clapham JUnction to Watford JUnction with a Freedom Pass

[RogerLH-SW4]

I've a friend coming down from Birmingham to Clapham Junction via Watford Junction. She walks with difficulty, with a stick. I have it in mind to take the train from Cl. Junction to Watford Junction to help her change and travel back to Cl. Juncion with her. I have a FreedomPass. Does anyone know if I can make these journeys on the Freedom Pass? I know that one can use it for a Euston Watford JUnction journey but I'm not sure if it works on the line to clapham Junction.

 

[bicbasher]

According to the Freedom Pass validity map, there is no validity on Southern between Harrow and Wealdstone and Watford Junction. The same for London Midland.

However it is valid on London Overground to Watford Junction which would require a change at Harrow and Wealdstone to connect for the Southern service or Willesden Junction for WLL Overground services.

If you want to stay on the Southern train, you can buy a SDR from H&W (no CDR's available to Watford Junction as Oyster is in operation) for £9.00. It'd be much cheaper to use Oyster, but that would require using the Oyster reader at Harrow and Wealdstone. An off-peak single from H&W is £1.60.

 

[Laryk]

Quoting from the London Councils website:

For Tube/Overground/DLR

The Freedom Pass is accepted all day, every day on the whole of the London Underground (the 'tube'), Overground (which replaced the old Silverlink service) and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) network.

For National Rail

Your Freedom Pass allows you to travel in Standard Class on most local rail services in London, provided you travel at the following times:

Monday to Friday from 9.30am and until 4.30am the following morning
Weekends and public holidays at any time

However this map (downloads a pdf) shows that you MUST use London Overground on journeys between Harrow and Wealdstone and Watford Junction.

Edit: As above. Typical

 

[CheapAndNerdy]

(bicbasher has beaten me to it, but I'm not letting all this typing go to waste )

To get from Clapham Junction to Watford Junction you can either use the hourly Southern service as far as Harrow and Wealdstone, and change there for a London Overground service to Watford.

Or you can use London Overground services from Clapham Junction to Willeseden Junction and change for another LO service to Watford Junction.

 

[benk1342]

I think the key on that map is quite ambiguous as far as validity on the dotted-line route (Watford Jn to Clapham Jn). My first impression on reading it was that, if it is a weekend or public holiday, free travel is permitted along the whole of the dotted line at any time on any carrier. Only if it is not a weekend or public holiday would I feel that the other bullets become relevant. This ambiguity is illustrated, I think, by trying to determine what the validity on Southern sevices is on weekends. Is this map THE definitive source for validity?

 

[Laryk]

Is this map THE definitive source for validity?

CheapAndNerdy's link explains that:

[The] Freedom Pass is valid at anytime at weekends and on public holidays on Southern services. On weekdays Disabled Persons Freedom Pass is valid at any time and Older Persons Freedom Pass is valid from 09.00.

Freedom Pass is NOT valid on Southern for travel beyond Harrow & Wealdstone, and beyond Clapham Junction Freedom Pass is valid from 09.30.

So I would assume travel between Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction is not valid, regardless of day/time.

Unfortunately there is still some ambiguity - which direction is "beyond"?

 

[bicbasher]

I suspect the Freedom Pass exemption to Watford Junction on Southern and LM is a revenue protection issue for London Midland.

Oyster PAYG is of course valid on all three operators between the two stations.

 

[RJ]

Freedom Pass holders who wish to travel between London and Watford Junction have the option of purchasing a Boundary Zone 6 to Watford Junction fare. The combination of the Freedom Pass and that extension fare can then be used on all Southern and LM services that stop at Watford Junction.

 

[bicbasher]

Freedom Pass holders who wish to travel between London and Watford Junction have the option of purchasing a Boundary Zone 6 to Watford Junction fare. The combination of the Freedom Pass and that extension fare can then be used on all Southern and LM services that stop at Watford Junction.

London Midland set that fare which is considerably cheaper than the SDR from Harrow and Wealdstone which is set by London Overground.