Recent changes by TfL to significantly increase the prices of travelcards have had some curious effects, some of which were documented on here when it looked like travelcards from Epsom (and Ashtead and Leatherhead) priced by Southern and routed Southern Only might undercut the price of the new Off-Peak Day Travelcard, £12. It seems TfL have stopped this however, stepping on Southern's toes by interfering with fares in Surrey.
However, as a result of this there are now a number of outboundary travelcards that are the same price as the cheapest inboundary travelcard. This doesn't work with outboundary travelcards where the station is in a zone, such as Carpenders Park, because that produces an AAA LDN ZONE 7-9 ticket.
These are:
The Super Off-Peak ones mentioned are currently only valid at weekends and on Bank Holidays, although it has been mooted that this might change.
Iver Off-Peak Day Travelcards cost just 10p more at £12.10.
It's also worth noting that Zone 7-9 travelcards now cost just 80p more, at £12.80.
I wonder if these TOCs are annoyed that TfL is effectively forcing them to charge more? I have to wonder how revenue allocation works with some of these travelcards, Three Bridges being the most striking example. If a passenger pays only £12 for a Thameslink Only TBD travelcard one weekend, if TfL were to pocket the full £12 GTR would undoubtedly be making a loss - or at very best giving their service between Three Bridges and the Zone 6 boundary away for free (a Southern ticket machine at TBD would probably sell it too, incurring payment of commission). It's also worth noting that if you simply want to travel off-peak in London, free single journeys are now available to all of these places by buying the travelcard from there. Of course you can't then return on that ticket, but a single to Boundary Zone 6 is very cheap in all of these cases and some of these places are served by TfL buses.
The last thing I'd like to ask is if anyone has any recommendations for travelcards that incorporate a long-distance journey that are good value - and many will now be even better value because of the increased price of an inboundary travelcard. My suggestions would be:
Milton Keynes Central Virgin Trains Only Off-Peak Day Travelcard - £20. £1 cheaper than London Midland, 50p cheaper than Southern. An Any Permitted MKC Travelcard is £27.50. The VT offering costs just £8 more than an inboundary travelcard, which means a London - Milton Keynes journey for £4 before any discounts.
Wolverhampton Via High Wycombe Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard costs just £34. Slightly more expensive than the London Midland option which costs £33, but this offers potentially much quicker journeys. Note significant differences in restrictions.
Anyway these both could offer very good 'split' locations to journeys from further north in order to help people beat the price rises in travelcards. From Crewe or Stoke on Trent, a London Midland only travelcard is now £43, but many people are put off these trains because of the much longer journeytime and overcrowding. They are even available from Liverpool for just £47.
However, as a result of this there are now a number of outboundary travelcards that are the same price as the cheapest inboundary travelcard. This doesn't work with outboundary travelcards where the station is in a zone, such as Carpenders Park, because that produces an AAA LDN ZONE 7-9 ticket.
These are:
- Leatherhead, Ashtead and Epsom, a Southern Only Off-Peak Day Travelcard.
- Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport, a Thameslink Only Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard.
- Cuffley, an Any Permitted Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard.
- Brookmans Park and Potters Bar, an Any Permitted Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard.
- Radlett, an Any Permitted Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard.
The Super Off-Peak ones mentioned are currently only valid at weekends and on Bank Holidays, although it has been mooted that this might change.
Iver Off-Peak Day Travelcards cost just 10p more at £12.10.
It's also worth noting that Zone 7-9 travelcards now cost just 80p more, at £12.80.
I wonder if these TOCs are annoyed that TfL is effectively forcing them to charge more? I have to wonder how revenue allocation works with some of these travelcards, Three Bridges being the most striking example. If a passenger pays only £12 for a Thameslink Only TBD travelcard one weekend, if TfL were to pocket the full £12 GTR would undoubtedly be making a loss - or at very best giving their service between Three Bridges and the Zone 6 boundary away for free (a Southern ticket machine at TBD would probably sell it too, incurring payment of commission). It's also worth noting that if you simply want to travel off-peak in London, free single journeys are now available to all of these places by buying the travelcard from there. Of course you can't then return on that ticket, but a single to Boundary Zone 6 is very cheap in all of these cases and some of these places are served by TfL buses.
The last thing I'd like to ask is if anyone has any recommendations for travelcards that incorporate a long-distance journey that are good value - and many will now be even better value because of the increased price of an inboundary travelcard. My suggestions would be:
Milton Keynes Central Virgin Trains Only Off-Peak Day Travelcard - £20. £1 cheaper than London Midland, 50p cheaper than Southern. An Any Permitted MKC Travelcard is £27.50. The VT offering costs just £8 more than an inboundary travelcard, which means a London - Milton Keynes journey for £4 before any discounts.
Wolverhampton Via High Wycombe Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard costs just £34. Slightly more expensive than the London Midland option which costs £33, but this offers potentially much quicker journeys. Note significant differences in restrictions.
Anyway these both could offer very good 'split' locations to journeys from further north in order to help people beat the price rises in travelcards. From Crewe or Stoke on Trent, a London Midland only travelcard is now £43, but many people are put off these trains because of the much longer journeytime and overcrowding. They are even available from Liverpool for just £47.
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