Theo Markettos wrote on 20 January
2013 17:35:08 ...
Heathrow Connect doesn't accept Oyster cards (between Heathrow and
Hayes & Harlington). So what's the recommended method to make a journey
between Heathrow and somewhere in Oysterland, for example Stratford changing
to/from the Central at Ealing Broadway?

1. Buy paper ticket LHR to Ealing, touch in at Ealing, change to Central line
2. Paper LHR to H&H, jump off train, touch validator, dive back on again
3. Westbound only: Paper travelcard plus BZ6 to LHR (does that exist?).[1]
4. Westbound only: Paper travelcard (eg Z1-3) plus Ealing to LHR addon

Where are the 'touch in' points at H&H - is (2) likely to happen without
waiting half an hour for the next train? Similarly, is a 'touch in' at
Ealing easy without coming all the way out of the station and going back in
again?

To make life more confusing, the Network Railcard discount applies to H.Conn
tickets on weekends, but not to Oyster. Presumably there's no 'LHR to BZ6'
ticket either (no, can't find one).

[1] Hmm, BZ6 to LHR does exist:
http://www.brfares.com/#fares?orig=0...&rlc=%20%20%20
but it's more expensive (6.00) than H&H to LHR (5.20). OTOH BZ3 to LHR
http://www.brfares.com/#fares?orig=0...&rlc=%20%20%20
is cheaper (6.60 v 7.40) than Ealing to LHR.

And paper travelcards are quite expensive if you're only making one journey.
Would be cheaper to get a paper single, if you can get a Z1-3 single at LHR
(and the gates don't complain that it's never been previously seen)

Any better ideas?

Sigh. If only Heathrow Connect was 'zone 99' or something, would make life
a lot easier.

Theo

Why do you want to use Connect anyway? It runs only every 30 minutes,
and only from the T1&3 station. Take the Piccadilly Line from whichever
terminal you arrive at and change somewhere, e.g. at Holborn if you're
going to Stratford.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)