London Banter - View Single Post - Kings Cross Thameslink and London Terminals

Colin Rosenstiel · January 2nd 07, 11:19 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article , x
com (Paul Corfield) wrote:

On 1 Jan 2007 15:17:08 -0800, "SamB"
wrote:

Sorry to bring this topic up yet again! Have been out of the
country and therefore a bit out of the loop.

I know that there were all the problems with KXT, and not being
London Terminals from the south, etc etc. I also read that, in
January, it *would* be classed as London Terminals. When does this
start? From 2nd, I assume?

Not quite correct I'm afraid. The change does apply from today. The
fare to each station in Zone 1 will be the same from say Haywards Heath

Are you sure? See below.

However you must purchase a ticket to your destination station and
cannot use it to a station further on even if the fare is the same.
For example a ticket issued to Farringdon cannot be used to Kings Cross
Thameslink even though the fare will be the same. If you did travel
beyond Farringdon and encountered a ticket inspection you would be
subject to an excess / penalty fare (I don't know if Penalty Fares
operate on Thameslink or not).

This was the explanation provided by Barry Doe in Rail magazine.
IMO it's a rather nasty and deceptive tactic by FCC - why on earth they

have made things more complicated than before rather than give
passengers what would be convenient I do not know. They will have to
do so eventually when full zonal fares integration arrives and they
have to adopt PAYG.

None of this lifts the confusion over the right ticket for my saver
return, starting from a Southern station and returning to KX TL.
Presumably there isn't an FCC-only ticket at a higher price any more? The
ATOC web page says nothing about savers.

laterEek! Now the TL-Brighton saver return is cheaper than a Victoria
Brighton saver return (15.85 to 16.45 with Network Card discount)! I hope
this is all clear by next September.

--
Colin Rosenstiel