"AstraVanMan" wrote in message
...
Following on from my previous thread, it seems an all zones travelcard
from
Gatwick (return), even if it does say "FCC only", as it'll be valid on all
overground trains within the Greater London area, so as long as they
change
for an FCC (ex-Thameslink - same ****, different name) train at East
Croydon
then their tickets should be valid absolutely fine.

I would try and find a "not gatwick express" version of the all-zone
travelcard, and use Southern from Victoria. This shouldn't cost much (if
anything) more that the "FCC only" travelcard, and they will avoid ending up
on the truly abysmal FCC rolling stock.

East Croydon is a busy station, and they're likely to have to change
platforms (long ramps, dodging a lot of people coming the other way) between
Southern and FCC services. The change between the underground and main-line
at Victoria is quite a long walk, but at least it's fairly level.

They could, of course, get confused (easily done, being Aussie tourists)
and
forget to change, and stay on the Victoria train all the way to Gatwick.
If
they did do this (providing it wasn't the Gatwick Express, and stopped at
East Croydon). Would there be much chance of them getting a fine for
doing
this?
I'm thinking the chances are no-one would notice as the ticket
machines at Gatwick wouldn't be able to tell what train they came in on,
leaving the only potential for a fine being if a ticket inspector noticed
they weren't on an FCC train between East Croydon and Gatwick, but
presumably they can excercise a bit of discretion in these matters?

Gatwick is an open station with no ticket gates and minimal ticket checks.

There is a good chance of having tickets checked (FCC or Southern) between
East Croydon and Gatwick (especially on off-peak trains) and I would *not*
assume the inspectors would exercise discretion - they're on commission ...


D A Stocks



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