Heathrow to Chelmsford options

[SandLake]

Firstly, can I buy a physical Oyster card at Heathrow Terminal 5? I've seen advice that I can and also that I can't.

I occasionally travel from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Chelmsford and I typically pre-book and collect the tickets at T5 but I'm thinking it may be simpler/easier/(marginally) cheaper to use contactless/oyster.

I have a Senior railcard which I know cannot be 'applied' to my contactless credit card.

Can I simply tap in at T5 and tap out at Chelmsford?

I don't know if it is relevant, but I know that Harold Wood is at the limit of Zone 6 so do I need to somehow or other tap out at Harold Wood and get a ticket for the rest of the journey.

I can't do the entire journey on one train and probably the best place to change is Stratford where I can get a 'fast' train to Chelmsford, so tap out there and get a seperate ticket from Stratford to Chelmsford.

Maybe it is more straightforward to just use RailUK Tickets and get a split ticket for the entire journey picking the physical ticket up at T5?




Thanks in advance

 

[Pushpit]

You can buy Oyster cards from the dedicated silver and blue machines both upstairs (Arrivals level, between M&S and Costa) and at platform level. There are more machines upstairs so I would buy from there. Just note that the first screen asks about how much value you wish to attach - that doesn't include the cost of the card, but that becomes evident on the next screen. Also for some reason after confirming the transaction there is a slightly lengthy pause before the card rattles down into the box below for collection. Obviously any contactless card and Apple/Google gizmo will also do at the T5 gateline. You can also collect national rail tickets from T5, the collection machine is slightly on from the Oyster machines.

If you also want a Senior Railcard added into the new Oyster, well that may well be possible at the platform level but I've a feeling the staff there are not regular TfL employees (or rather not all of them) so go at a low staff time and it may not be possible. If that is the case then use the free ride to T2/T3 on the new Oyster, which runs like a more standard tube station.

The complexities of travel in Essex is beyond my experience so someone else will need to help on that.

 

[pwharley]

If you buy an Oyster card at T5, you would need to go to the Piccadilly Line station to get a Senior Railcard applied to it.
It can't be done at the Elizabeth Line station.

 

[JonathanH]

Can I simply tap in at T5 and tap out at Chelmsford?

No. You will need to switch somewhere on the way. You can tap out at Shenfield, and then buy a paper ticket to get from there to Chelmsford.

Tapping out at Stratford, and a paper ticket from there, is likely to be quicker though.

 

[TFN]

If you buy an Oyster card at T5, you would need to go to the Piccadilly Line station to get a Senior Railcard applied to it.
It can't be done at the Elizabeth Line station.

Not possible at T5 LU or Rail stations. Both are staffed by Heathrow Rail employees.

Also T5 machines only take card AFAIK.

 

[island]

If you buy an Oyster card at T5, you would need to go to the Piccadilly Line station to get a Senior Railcard applied to it.
It can't be done at the Elizabeth Line station.

There is no facility to attach Railcards at T5. The passenger would need to travel to T2&3 (which is free) where it can be done.

 

[vinnym70]

Tapping out at Stratford and changing to Greater Anglia for a fast train to Chelmsford will be quickest way to complete the eastern end of the journey.
If you can buy the Stratford - Chelmsford ticket in advance, that will save having to buy a ticket at Stratford which means a trip down the main entrance which in itself will probably take 10 mins or so.

 

[cactustwirly]

What is the difference in price between that option and an outboundary travel card from Chelmsford

 

[island]

What is the difference in price between that option and an outboundary travel card from Chelmsford

It's the exact same price if departure from Stratford is within the super off-peak times (http://nre.co.uk/D6) and otherwise the travelcard is more expensive.

If the OP really wants to pinch the pennies they can save a few quid by taking (for example) the Piccadilly+Central to Stratford rather than the Elizabeth line. In the extreme case there's probably some daft route using the overground to avoid zone 1.

 

[talldave]

I suspect that split paper tickets with railcard for the full journey are unbeatable if you want to be able to use the Elizabeth Line from Heathrow.

 

[island]

I suspect that split paper tickets with railcard for the full journey are unbeatable if you want to be able to use the Elizabeth Line from Heathrow.

An Oyster card with the Railcard discount loaded undercuts the paper ticket from Heathrow to Stratford by just under three quid, albeit with the need to find somewhere to touch out at Stratford.

 

[JonathanH]

An Oyster card with the Railcard discount loaded undercuts the paper ticket from Heathrow to Stratford by just under three quid, albeit with the need to find somewhere to touch out at Stratford.

There are many readers within the station complex. In terms of touching out within the station on a through journey Stratford is probably the easiest station to do so in London.

Does switching between Oyster and paper ticket work out cheaper at Shenfield than Stratford on this particular journey?

 

[island]

Does switching between Oyster and paper ticket work out cheaper at Shenfield than Stratford on this particular journey?

With a Senior Railcard throughout

it’s £17.95 off peak £26.50 evening peak switching from Oyster to a single ticket at Shenfield

£20.10 off peak £24.50 evening peak switching at Stratford

£14.80 off peak and £19.40 evening peak switching at Harold Wood albeit one cannot take a fast service from Stratford.

I have not bothered to do morning peak (when the senior discount would be unavailable on both paper and Oyster).

 

[JonathanH]

£14.80 off peak and £19.40 evening peak switching at Harold Wood albeit one cannot take a fast service from Stratford.

Yes, and a further time penalty for going to the barriers and back between stopping services, but the saving isn't immaterial.