Redhill to Watford Junction avoiding zone 1

[londonbridge]

Fare finder has no “avoiding zone 1” fare for this journey. Using contactless, if you go Redhill-Clapham Junction-pink reader-Southern to Watford Junction what can you expect to be charged?

 

[Somewhere]

I would imagine a normal point to point ticket. Although both stations are within the Oystercard area, perhaps the default and only fare using contactless is via Zone 1?

 

[JonathanH]

Fare finder has no “avoiding zone 1” fare for this journey. Using contactless, if you go Redhill-Clapham Junction-pink reader-Southern to Watford Junction what can you expect to be charged?

The "avoiding zone 1" is the default. If you go via Victoria or London Bridge you pay more.

Peak £16.40
Off-peak £10.80

Is the fare via Shepherds Bush. No pink reader needed.

Peak £19.00
Off-peak £12.60

Is the fare via va Zone 1 changing between National Rail and London Underground at Blackfriars, London Bridge or Victoria (or Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Waterloo or Waterloo East)

One reason why a pink reader touch is not needed at Clapham Junction is due to the East Croydon to Watford Junction service.

A slightly cheaper fare is available changing at West Hampstead. However the default fare also applies for a change at St Pancras / Euston.

A further saving can be had by touching out / touching in at certain stations between Redhill and London Bridge, for example East Croydon.

 

[londonbridge]

That’s what’s confusing me, £10.80 is the first fare listed in the results, but then there’s a “via zone 1 changing at West Hampstead and Willesden Junction” for a tenner?

 

[JonathanH]

That’s what’s confusing me, £10.80 is the first fare listed in the results, but then there’s a “via zone 1 changing at West Hampstead and Willesden Junction” for a tenner?

It looks like the West Hampstead fares are some sort of 'via Zone 1 excluding the mixed mode premium' fare.

When you compare Watford Junction to Coulsdon South with Watford Junction to Redhill, you can see that splitting is a good idea.

 

[greatkingrat]

Depending on travel times a paper ticket may well be cheaper. An Off-Peak Single via Olympia is only £8.20, or £11.20 for any permitted.

 

[redreni]

That’s what’s confusing me, £10.80 is the first fare listed in the results, but then there’s a “via zone 1 changing at West Hampstead and Willesden Junction” for a tenner?

Yeah, other things being equal single mode fares tend to be cheaper than mixed mode.

I get this on my regular journey: Slade Green to any Thameslink core station is £5 off-peak, but Slade Green to any zone 1 LU station is £6.70. Same zones.

Blame Boris Johnson - Ken Livingstone and successive Labour Transport Secretaries were renewing NR franchises that included stopping trains within London on the basis that Oyster must be accepted and fares had to align with London Underground, but this was a slow process. Johnson secured oyster acceptance from all the relevant remaining TOCs, but on the basis that they could charge half the day return fare for a single journey and the mixed mode fares would be bodged.

So we went from a simple Oyster fare structure that any regular user could easily memorise (essentially a fixed price per zone, with a minimum fare of two zones, plus a zone 1 premium where applicable) to a system where you simply don't know what you'll be charged unless you look it up.

 

[JonathanH]

Depending on travel times a paper ticket may well be cheaper. An Off-Peak Single via Olympia is only £8.20, or £11.20 for any permitted.

Yes, that is a Project Oval fare, while the Contactless fares remain at pre-Project Oval rates.

Presumably if phase 1 of Project Oval becomes live the Contactless fares will reduce in line with the revised 'paper' fares.