On 15/07/2012 17:10, Ian F. wrote:
Thanks for the responses. Next time the situation arises I'll try buying
a ticket from the last Z6 station and see what happens!

In my very limited experience the ticket staff seem to accept this. But
it seems to me that if the train does not stop at the change-over
station this is technically invalid, whereas a Boundary Zone ticket
would be (as it's zonal). Now that we know that many train companies
are ruthless in prosecuting every single infraction of the rules, that
may be a significant risk.


--
Clive Page

In message , at 15:34:13 on Tue, 17 Jul
2012, Clive Page remarked:
Now that we know that many train companies are ruthless in prosecuting
every single infraction of the rules,

The pendulum continues to swing on this one, current discussion of
RPI+3% fares increases and continued reluctance to make the fares system
actually simpler for the normal traveller is beginning to make people
ask whether or not such activity is very bad PR for the ToCs.

The trick, of course, is sorting out the regular offenders from the
"caught by surprise", although the PF Scheme has quite a lot in it about
treating the latter with kid gloves (not that the ToCs, and more
especially their RPIs, are reminded of this often enough).
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at 18:11:38
on Fri, 13 Jul 2012, Jim
remarked:
When buying rail tickets on line via whatever websites, is it
possible to specify 'Boundary Zone 6' as your start-point? I've
never thought it possible as I've never seen that as an option. Or
does one just specify a station in zone 6 to start from?

I think the logic is that it is not a BZ to/from wherever 'ticket'.
It is a BZ 'extension fare' used in conjunction with a ticket that you
already have in your possession.

An online site cannot determine if you already hold a suitable ticket
to be extended...

Why does that matter? They don't have the same problem selling any
other kind of half-a-split-ticket (or are they institutionally in
denial that split tickets are valid).

I have always bought online tickets from websites using the last station
in Z6 according to my journey, assuming the TOC allows it.

Never had a problem with Harold Wood, Elstree & Borehamwood, or
Upminster and fares have tallied with the Boundary Zone 6 fares.

If you can get a ticket from the last-station-in-Z6 that's as good as a
BZ6 ticket (if the train stops there). But might be more expensive.

For example a BZ6-Hinchley Wood is £2.50, which is the same as from
Surbiton. But I'm not sure that's always been the case.


Note that the BZ6 ticket can cost more than the one from the last staion
in zone 6. I suppose because it is valid on trains that do not stop
there.

e.g. Ewell East to Epsom cheap day return is £2.70 and BZ6-Epsom is 2.80


--
Mark

Clive Page wrote in :

On 15/07/2012 17:10, Ian F. wrote:
Thanks for the responses. Next time the situation arises I'll try buying
a ticket from the last Z6 station and see what happens!

In my very limited experience the ticket staff seem to accept this. But
it seems to me that if the train does not stop at the change-over
station this is technically invalid, whereas a Boundary Zone ticket
would be (as it's zonal). Now that we know that many train companies
are ruthless in prosecuting every single infraction of the rules, that
may be a significant risk.

In my fairly lengthy experience if you are travelling inbound to London and
ask for a single to BZ6, they invariably sell you a single to the first
station inside Z6, regardless of whether the train stops there. In some
cases - Gatwick used to be an example and maybe still is - the price is
slightly higher than the outbound BZ6 to wherever ticket (sorry, coupon).

Peter

--
|| Peter CS ~ Epsom ~ UK | pjcs02 [at] gmail.com |

In message , at 14:22:21 on Mon, 23
Jul 2012, Peter Campbell Smith remarked:
Thanks for the responses. Next time the situation arises I'll try buying
a ticket from the last Z6 station and see what happens!

In my very limited experience the ticket staff seem to accept this. But
it seems to me that if the train does not stop at the change-over
station this is technically invalid, whereas a Boundary Zone ticket
would be (as it's zonal). Now that we know that many train companies
are ruthless in prosecuting every single infraction of the rules, that
may be a significant risk.

In my fairly lengthy experience if you are travelling inbound to London and
ask for a single to BZ6, they invariably sell you a single to the first
station inside Z6, regardless of whether the train stops there. In some
cases - Gatwick used to be an example and maybe still is - the price is
slightly higher than the outbound BZ6 to wherever ticket (sorry, coupon).

For the record, currently BZ6-Gatwick is £5.70, as is the single from
Gatwick to Coulsdon South.
--
Roland Perry

On 23/07/2012 15:22, Peter Campbell Smith wrote:

Clive Page wrote in :

On 15/07/2012 17:10, Ian F. wrote:
Thanks for the responses. Next time the situation arises I'll try buying
a ticket from the last Z6 station and see what happens!

In my very limited experience the ticket staff seem to accept this. But
it seems to me that if the train does not stop at the change-over
station this is technically invalid, whereas a Boundary Zone ticket
would be (as it's zonal). Now that we know that many train companies
are ruthless in prosecuting every single infraction of the rules, that
may be a significant risk.

In my fairly lengthy experience if you are travelling inbound to London and
ask for a single to BZ6, they invariably sell you a single to the first
station inside Z6, regardless of whether the train stops there. In some
cases - Gatwick used to be an example and maybe still is - the price is
slightly higher than the outbound BZ6 to wherever ticket (sorry, coupon).

AIUI, Boundary Zone tickets are only available for journeys that emanate
*from* the London zones (i.e. singles or returns), and aren't available
for standalone journeys into the zones.