Extra charge on my Oyster card

[Barneygumbell]

Last week I bought a monthly season ticket for zones 3-6 on my Oyster card and every day I travel from zone 3 to zone 6 and get a £2.10 deduction on my payg balance but I have already paid £126 for the monthly ticket so why am I being charged extra on a daily basis? Am I missing something here? I spoke to the person working in the station and they couldn't explain it they said I shouldn't be being charged anything extra, but I have no choice but to keep paying the extra otherwise I can't exit the station.

If anyone could shed any light on this I would be very appreciative. Thank you.

 

[bb21]

What is your journey and exactly where did you touch in/out?

 

[Barneygumbell]

My journey is Barnes to Coulsdon south and back. I previously had a monthly travel card but last month I was unable to renew it and so got a monthly season ticket.. I thought they were both the same thing. Either way I should be covered zone 3-6.

I transfer at Clapham junction which is zone 2 but that was never an issue before and I never tap in or out there, and it shouldn't be a factor. I tap in/out in Barnes and Coulsdon south.

Thank you.

 

[bb21]

Barnes to Coulsden South is by default a Zones 2-6 fare. There is no fare avoiding Zone 2, so you were correctly charged a peak Zone 2 single.

I'm not sure what you are complaining about. You were correctly charged, as your Travelcard does not cover your whole journey.

 

[yorkie]

Welcome to the forum

You may have got poor advice elsewhere, but you are in good hands here.

Last week I bought a monthly season ticket for zones 3-6 on my Oyster card and every day I travel from zone 3 to zone 6 and get a £2.10 deduction on my payg balance but I have already paid £126 for the monthly ticket so why am I being charged extra on a daily basis?

The charge is correct; you travelled via Zone 2.

Am I missing something here?

Yes; your journey goes via Zone 2.

I spoke to the person working in the station and they couldn't explain it they said I shouldn't be being charged anything extra, but I have no choice but to keep paying the extra otherwise I can't exit the station.

They are wrong.

If you wish to travel from Barnes to Coulsdon South avoiding Zone 2, you will need to avoid Clapham Junction, for example you could take a train to Wimbledon (via Kingston) and tap on the tram reader, take the tram to East Croydon, tap in at East Croydon and the train from there to Coulsdon South. This will take a very long time. (other routes may be available)

It may be more cost effective to buy a Zones 2-6 Travelcard, or if a Travelcard isn't required, a point-to-point Barnes to Coulsdon South Season would be best.

 

[Richard_B]

My journey is Barnes to Coulsdon south and back. I previously had a monthly travel card but last month I was unable to renew it and so got a monthly season ticket.. I thought they were both the same thing. Either way I should be covered zone 3-6.

I transfer at Clapham junction which is zone 2 but that was never an issue before and I never tap in or out there, and it shouldn't be a factor. I tap in/out in Barnes and Coulsdon south.

Thank you.

So you travel through Z2 and are charged accordingly

 

[Hadders]

What ticket did you have before? If it was a paper zones 1-6 travelcard season then you risked a penalty fare if you were found using it at Clapham Junction.

 

[roversfan2001]

What ticket did you have before? If it was a paper zones 1-6 travelcard season then you risked a penalty fare if you were found using it at Clapham Junction.

Presumably you mean zones 3-6. I can see no reason why a zones 1-6 travelcard would be an issue at Clapham Junction.

 

[Hadders]

Presumably you mean zones 3-6. I can see no reason why a zones 1-6 travelcard would be an issue at Clapham Junction.

Sorry, yes. A typo on my part.

 

[Barneygumbell]

Thanks a lot for clearing this up for me.. I had no idea it worked like that. Previously I had always had zones 2-6 but then I moved to Barnes and just kept it at zone 2 even though I thought that I didn't really need zone 2 and only this month when I bought the season ticket I changed it.

I feel better now I know I'm not being overcharged.. I will have to keep my oyster payg topped up this month until I get my new monthly ticket next month.

Thanks again for all the responses!

 

[mrmartin]

Thanks a lot for clearing this up for me.. I had no idea it worked like that. Previously I had always had zones 2-6 but then I moved to Barnes and just kept it at zone 2 even though I thought that I didn't really need zone 2 and only this month when I bought the season ticket I changed it.

I feel better now I know I'm not being overcharged.. I will have to keep my oyster payg topped up this month until I get my new monthly ticket next month.

Thanks again for all the responses!

I'd be surprised if it wasn't possible to upgrade to 2-6 which will be cheaper. Even part way through the month.

 

[Feathers44]

Thanks a lot for clearing this up for me.. I had no idea it worked like that. Previously I had always had zones 2-6 but then I moved to Barnes and just kept it at zone 2 even though I thought that I didn't really need zone 2 and only this month when I bought the season ticket I changed it.

I feel better now I know I'm not being overcharged.. I will have to keep my oyster payg topped up this month until I get my new monthly ticket next month.

Thanks again for all the responses!

The key thing to remember is that your travelcard needs to be valid for the zones of all the stations you pass through in your journey if you want it to cover the journey. (The exception is for those stations that are in 2 zones for which you only need coverage of one of them to be valid)

 

[Barneygumbell]

It seems the knowledge here is much better than the staff at my stations.. So I guess they work it out based on the quickest route to your destination, that's good to know.

Is there any difference between a monthly travel card and a monthly season ticket? I think they must be the same thing but for tfl/national rail but my previous assumption was wrong so just want to double check.

 

[greatkingrat]

A travelcard also allows travel on buses and any other rail/tube services within the relevant zones.

If you only ever travel between Barnes and Coulsdon South then buying the season ticket will probably be better, but if you sometimes make other journeys then the travelcard may work out cheaper in total.

 

[bb21]

Thanks a lot for clearing this up for me.. I had no idea it worked like that. Previously I had always had zones 2-6 but then I moved to Barnes and just kept it at zone 2 even though I thought that I didn't really need zone 2 and only this month when I bought the season ticket I changed it.

I feel better now I know I'm not being overcharged.. I will have to keep my oyster payg topped up this month until I get my new monthly ticket next month.

Thanks again for all the responses!

It will likely be cheaper to swap it for a Travelcard, if that is what you need, with the correct zonal combination. You will have to pay the pro rata difference, but it is likely to be cheaper than keep paying the add-on fare each day.

 

[Barneygumbell]

I'm going to switch back to a monthly travel card zone 2-6 next month, I will go to a tfl station as the machine would only let me get a season ticket. Thanks everyone.