Off Peak on South Western.

[billburns2]

There seems to be conflicting advice as to what constitutes off peak travel on Southwestern.

I'm using an oyster card to travel from Surbiton (Zone 6 South Western Trains) to Oxford Circus (Zone 1 Tfl)

The South Western website states that an off peak fare is one which arrives at Waterloo after 10am
The staff at Surbiton say I need to touch in after 9.30.

If I touch in at 9.31, I can catch a train which arrives at Waterloo at 9.59. Would that be classed at peak travel?

Alternatively, if I touch in at 9.29, sit in the waiting room and catch the 9.42 which arrives at Waterloo at 10.07, would that be classed as peak travel?

I suppose I could try both and see what the computer charges me, but I wanted to ask the experts first.

Thanks.

 

[higthomas]

There seems to be conflicting advice as to what constitutes off peak travel on Southwestern.

I'm using an oyster card to travel from Surbiton (Zone 6 South Western Trains) to Oxford Circus (Zone 1 Tfl)

The South Western website states that an off peak fare is one which arrives at Waterloo after 10am
The staff at Surbiton say I need to touch in after 9.30.

If I touch in at 9.31, I can catch a train which arrives at Waterloo at 9.59. Would that be classed at peak travel?

Alternatively, if I touch in at 9.29, sit in the waiting room and catch the 9.42 which arrives at Waterloo at 10.07, would that be classed as peak travel?

I suppose I could try both and see what the computer charges me, but I wanted to ask the experts first.

Thanks.

Off peak is entirely ticket dependent, the rules for oyster and paper tickets may well be different. In your case, on oyster only touch in time matters.
For your ticket (using oyster) off peak means touching in after 0930. Arrival time doesn't matter.

For oyster the definitive check is to use the tfl fare finder.

Edit: The reason that the website says that is that for many paper tickets valid into Waterloo, off peak is defined as arrival after 1000. Your tickets is obviously one of the many exceptions to that guide.
Their website is wrong in making the claims it does about off peak times. (I have noticed they do have the following line:

You can sometimes travel earlier, particularly if you're travelling long-distance - these are called easements.

Not true, but at least they do mention that it isn't a universal rule.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

There seems to be conflicting advice as to what constitutes off peak travel on Southwestern.

I'm using an oyster card to travel from Surbiton (Zone 6 South Western Trains) to Oxford Circus (Zone 1 Tfl)

The South Western website states that an off peak fare is one which arrives at Waterloo after 10am
The staff at Surbiton say I need to touch in after 9.30.

If I touch in at 9.31, I can catch a train which arrives at Waterloo at 9.59. Would that be classed at peak travel?

Alternatively, if I touch in at 9.29, sit in the waiting room and catch the 9.42 which arrives at Waterloo at 10.07, would that be classed as peak travel?

I suppose I could try both and see what the computer charges me, but I wanted to ask the experts first.

Thanks.

Off-Peak means many different things. What exactly it means depends on the fare in question - there isn't one general definition of "off-peak" across an operator or indeed the country.

For the purposes of Oyster travel from outside Zone 1, to Zone 1 itself, Off-Peak fares are charged on weekdays if you first tap in to start your journey from 00:00 to 06:34 inclusive, or from 09:27 to 23:59 inclusive. In other words, it is officially 06:30-09:29 that Anytime fares are charged, but there is a small grace period either side in favour of the passenger.

For paper National Rail tickets, the definition of "Off-Peak" varies wildly, being controlled by what is known as a "restriction code". (Almost) all Off-Peak tickets have an associated restriction code. This is a two-character code like B1 or GP that has an associated text describing the restrictions applicable. There are just under 500 different restriction codes so it is no wonder that it is confusing!

However, it is easy to find out what the restriction code is that applies to the ticket you have in mind - if you haven't yet got the ticket, you can look it up at www.brfares.com, for example a Guildford to London Terminals Off-Peak Day Return, route "Clandon/Woking" has restriction code US. You can then look up any restriction code at www.nationalrail.co.uk/US, where the two letters after www.nationalrail.co.uk/ are the restriction code.

If you already hold the ticket, the restriction code applying to a ticket is printed on it nowadays - either in the corner next to "see restrictions" if you have an old-style ticket, or if you have a new-style ticket then it will explicitly refer you to the relevant www.nationalrail.co.uk (or nre.co.uk, which works the same) link.

 

[swt_passenger]

The website was completely dumbed down in late SWT days, and SWR seem to have maintained this policy. You cannot navigate to the ticket types info from the home page as far as I can see, the page that should take you to the descriptions gives a 404 error.

Using the way back machine, I found SWT’s more detailed description of offpeak day restrictions, and I suspect it is still correct:

Off Peak Day Single & Day Return
Including Off Peak Day Travelcard

Ticket validity Valid on the date printed on the ticket. All travel must be completed by 0429 the following day.
Travel time*

• Towards London Waterloo and any station in London Zones 1-6: Generally valid on trains arriving into London Waterloo at 1000, or later, Monday to Friday*.
• From London Waterloo: Generally valid on trains departing London Waterloo at 0900, or later, Monday to Friday.
• From any station in London Zones 1-6 to most stations beyond Zone 6: Valid at 0930, or later, Monday to Friday. You will be able to travel before 0930 if your journey starts on a South West Trains service within London Zones 1-6.
• In addition, First Class Off Peak tickets are not valid if you board a train at: London Waterloo or Victoria between 1600 and 1900; Vauxhall between 1604 and 1904; Clapham Junction between 1607 and 1909. All times are inclusive, Monday to Friday*. No restriction applies to journeys wholly with London Zones 1-6.

Tickets are valid at any time during weekends and public holidays.

https://web.archive.org/web/2015030...uthwesttrains.co.uk/comparetickets.aspx#99416

 

[yorkie]

There seems to be conflicting advice as to what constitutes off peak travel on Southwestern.

You can see what the restrictions are for any Off Peak fare using www.brfares.com

I'm using an oyster card to travel from Surbiton (Zone 6 South Western Trains) to Oxford Circus (Zone 1 Tfl)

For Oyster/Contactless PAYG you can use http://www.ltfares.com/#home or https://www.oyster-rail.org.uk/fares-guide/oyster-fare-finder/

The South Western website states that an off peak fare is one which arrives at Waterloo after 10am

There is no paper Off Peak fare from Surbiton to Waterloo.

PAYG is based on touch in time.

The staff at Surbiton say I need to touch in after 9.30.

PAYG fares are based on the touch in time as follows:
Monday to Friday from 0630-0930 £6.60
At all other times including public holidays £4.10

If I touch in at 9.31, I can catch a train which arrives at Waterloo at 9.59. Would that be classed at peak travel?

Off peak fare would be charged for that journey.

Alternatively, if I touch in at 9.29, sit in the waiting room and catch the 9.42 which arrives at Waterloo at 10.07, would that be classed as peak travel?

Off peak as it's based on touch in time.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Off peak as it's based on touch in time.

In this particular case, I think you meant Anytime fare, but it is indeed Off-Peak because of the grace period.

 

[billburns2]

Thankyou for the advice.
An off peak return is £11.20.
Add a single bus fare and it's £12.70
Peak fare capped is £12.80.

Looks like the Wonderful World of Off Peak isn't very wonderful.

 

[Hadders]

Surbiton - Waterloo Off Peak is £4.10 each way on Oyster PAYG/Contactless.

If going to Oxford Circus I'd get the Bakerloo Line rather than a bus.

Surbiton - Oxford Circus Off Peak is £5.60 each way on Oyster PAYG/Contactless

 

[Joe Paxton]

If going to Oxford Circus I'd get the Bakerloo Line rather than a bus.

For speed, yes.

If rapidity is less of a consideration then shank's pony is an interesting and pleasant way to go.