On 20/01/2013 22:07, Paul Corfield wrote:

On 20 Jan 2013 17:35:08 +0000 (GMT), Theo Markettos
wrote:

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?

[big snip]

Any better ideas?

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

From memory the validators at Hayes and Harlington are in the ticket
hall so you would miss your train - no dashing on and off the same
one. I think the FGW frequency is not bad at H&H so the wait might not
be too long.

There are interchange validators at Ealing Broadway so you can touch
in and out on the "interchange route" between tube and NR services.

If you were not laden with luggage and didn't mind the interchange I'd
simply get the 140 bus from H&H - every 8 mins and stops right outside
the station door. This is on the assumption that you're determined to
maximise Oyster card use and avoid ticketing nonsenses. Might be no
good if you're time pressured.


The 140 would be my recommendation too, what with it stopping right
outside H&H station on the road overbridge - see the bus spider map:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/hayesharlington-a4.pdf

For legacy reasons, the Oyster PAYG fare scale in use on the suburban
GWML is the TfL one (i.e. Tube rate), rather than the NR one. This means
that if you were to continue a journey from Paddington on the LU
network, you'd only be charged at the TfL (Tube) rate, rather than the
more expensive 'through fare' for TfL+NR journeys.