Oyster question - national rail
 

Having gone through the T.F.L. telephone rigmarore to speak to a
customer assistant, only to discover that I was No. 26 in the queue, I
thought I'd get a reply much quicker here!

I have a weekly Zone 1-2 Travelcard on Oyster (not by choice, but my
local newsagent gave an Oyster card as the only available option - I'd
have preferred a paper card).

For 2 days, Wednesday and Thursday, I need to travel 1 stop out of zone
2, to Balham (by rail from Clapham Junction). I don't have or want "pay
as you go", and I don't think this is valid on national rail over that
route anyway.

How do I go about getting a day return 1-station extension on my Oyster
card? Will they be able to deal with this at Clapham Junction? I don't
want to spend 15 or 20 minutes queuing tomorrow morning only to find
that they can't sell me what I want anyway.

And, if the worst comes to the worst, and I end up having to start my
journey at Clapham Junction without buying the relevant extension, will
I be able to buy it at Balham or will there be a penalty fare to pay?

Many thanks for any answers!

Marc.

Oyster question - national rail
 

wrote in message
ps.com...
Having gone through the T.F.L. telephone rigmarore to speak to a
customer assistant, only to discover that I was No. 26 in the queue, I
thought I'd get a reply much quicker here!

I have a weekly Zone 1-2 Travelcard on Oyster (not by choice, but my
local newsagent gave an Oyster card as the only available option - I'd
have preferred a paper card).

For 2 days, Wednesday and Thursday, I need to travel 1 stop out of zone
2, to Balham (by rail from Clapham Junction). I don't have or want "pay
as you go", and I don't think this is valid on national rail over that
route anyway.

How do I go about getting a day return 1-station extension on my Oyster
card? Will they be able to deal with this at Clapham Junction? I don't
want to spend 15 or 20 minutes queuing tomorrow morning only to find
that they can't sell me what I want anyway.

And, if the worst comes to the worst, and I end up having to start my
journey at Clapham Junction without buying the relevant extension, will
I be able to buy it at Balham or will there be a penalty fare to pay?

Many thanks for any answers!

I think whether your season ticket is on Oyster or not is a red herring in
this case. You just need to buy a single/return Clapham Junction - Balham.

Peter Smyth

Oyster question - national rail
 

Peter Smyth wrote:
wrote in message
ps.com...
Having gone through the T.F.L. telephone rigmarore to speak to a
customer assistant, only to discover that I was No. 26 in the queue, I
thought I'd get a reply much quicker here!

I have a weekly Zone 1-2 Travelcard on Oyster (not by choice, but my
local newsagent gave an Oyster card as the only available option - I'd
have preferred a paper card).

For 2 days, Wednesday and Thursday, I need to travel 1 stop out of zone
2, to Balham (by rail from Clapham Junction). I don't have or want "pay
as you go", and I don't think this is valid on national rail over that
route anyway.

How do I go about getting a day return 1-station extension on my Oyster
card? Will they be able to deal with this at Clapham Junction? I don't
want to spend 15 or 20 minutes queuing tomorrow morning only to find
that they can't sell me what I want anyway.

And, if the worst comes to the worst, and I end up having to start my
journey at Clapham Junction without buying the relevant extension, will
I be able to buy it at Balham or will there be a penalty fare to pay?

Many thanks for any answers!

I think whether your season ticket is on Oyster or not is a red herring in
this case. You just need to buy a single/return Clapham Junction - Balham.

Peter Smyth

Peter, thanks for your reply, but I don't want a return from Clapham
Junction to Balham - I want it from Wandworth Common or whatever the
nearest zone 2 station is. The point I am making is: will they be able
to read (or need to read) my Oyster Travelcard at Clapham Junction
before selling me the extension I want? If I had a paper Travelcard,
the issue would not arise.

Thanks for any further thoughts.

Marc.

Oyster question - national rail
 

On 19 Sep 2006 12:01:07 -0700, "
wrote:


Peter Smyth wrote:

[snip]
I think whether your season ticket is on Oyster or not is a red herring in
this case. You just need to buy a single/return Clapham Junction - Balham.

Peter Smyth

Peter, thanks for your reply, but I don't want a return from Clapham
Junction to Balham - I want it from Wandworth Common or whatever the
nearest zone 2 station is. The point I am making is: will they be able
to read (or need to read) my Oyster Travelcard at Clapham Junction
before selling me the extension I want? If I had a paper Travelcard,
the issue would not arise.

I understand that all NR ticket offices within Greater London (as a
minimum) have been provided with hand held Oyster card readers. There
should be no issue at all in the Clapham Junction ticket office issuing
you with a Boundary Zone 2 to Balham return ticket for use on Southern's
trains. As I'm sure you know the queues at Clapham Junction can be long
so allow plenty of time if travelling at peak times.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

Oyster question - national rail
 

They shouldn't need to read your Oyster - it's of no consequence to
*them* whether or not you have the travelcard on your Oyster, so they
should just sell you the ticket, and then if you don't have the
travelcard you would get done by a ticket inspector. Wherever you go to
buy the extension (anywhere is fine), just ask for a Boundary Zone 2 to
Balham return.

And no, don't try and buy it on arrival at Balham.



Paul Corfield wrote:
On 19 Sep 2006 12:01:07 -0700, "
wrote:


Peter Smyth wrote:

[snip]
I think whether your season ticket is on Oyster or not is a red herring in
this case. You just need to buy a single/return Clapham Junction - Balham.

Peter Smyth

Peter, thanks for your reply, but I don't want a return from Clapham
Junction to Balham - I want it from Wandworth Common or whatever the
nearest zone 2 station is. The point I am making is: will they be able
to read (or need to read) my Oyster Travelcard at Clapham Junction
before selling me the extension I want? If I had a paper Travelcard,
the issue would not arise.

I understand that all NR ticket offices within Greater London (as a
minimum) have been provided with hand held Oyster card readers. There
should be no issue at all in the Clapham Junction ticket office issuing
you with a Boundary Zone 2 to Balham return ticket for use on Southern's
trains. As I'm sure you know the queues at Clapham Junction can be long
so allow plenty of time if travelling at peak times.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

Oyster question - national rail
 

wrote in message
oups.com...

Peter Smyth wrote:
wrote in message
ps.com...
Having gone through the T.F.L. telephone rigmarore to speak to a
customer assistant, only to discover that I was No. 26 in the queue, I
thought I'd get a reply much quicker here!

I have a weekly Zone 1-2 Travelcard on Oyster (not by choice, but my
local newsagent gave an Oyster card as the only available option - I'd
have preferred a paper card).

For 2 days, Wednesday and Thursday, I need to travel 1 stop out of zone
2, to Balham (by rail from Clapham Junction). I don't have or want "pay
as you go", and I don't think this is valid on national rail over that
route anyway.

How do I go about getting a day return 1-station extension on my Oyster
card? Will they be able to deal with this at Clapham Junction? I don't
want to spend 15 or 20 minutes queuing tomorrow morning only to find
that they can't sell me what I want anyway.

And, if the worst comes to the worst, and I end up having to start my
journey at Clapham Junction without buying the relevant extension, will
I be able to buy it at Balham or will there be a penalty fare to pay?

Many thanks for any answers!

I think whether your season ticket is on Oyster or not is a red herring
in
this case. You just need to buy a single/return Clapham Junction -
Balham.

Peter Smyth

Peter, thanks for your reply, but I don't want a return from Clapham
Junction to Balham - I want it from Wandworth Common or whatever the
nearest zone 2 station is. The point I am making is: will they be able
to read (or need to read) my Oyster Travelcard at Clapham Junction
before selling me the extension I want? If I had a paper Travelcard,
the issue would not arise.

Thanks for any further thoughts.

Wandsworth Common is in zone 3 so Clapham Junction is the nearest zone 2
station.

Peter Smyth

Oyster question - national rail
 

Peter Smyth wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Peter Smyth wrote:
wrote in message
ps.com...
Having gone through the T.F.L. telephone rigmarore to speak to a
customer assistant, only to discover that I was No. 26 in the queue, I
thought I'd get a reply much quicker here!

I have a weekly Zone 1-2 Travelcard on Oyster (not by choice, but my
local newsagent gave an Oyster card as the only available option - I'd
have preferred a paper card).

For 2 days, Wednesday and Thursday, I need to travel 1 stop out of zone
2, to Balham (by rail from Clapham Junction). I don't have or want "pay
as you go", and I don't think this is valid on national rail over that
route anyway.

How do I go about getting a day return 1-station extension on my Oyster
card? Will they be able to deal with this at Clapham Junction? I don't
want to spend 15 or 20 minutes queuing tomorrow morning only to find
that they can't sell me what I want anyway.

And, if the worst comes to the worst, and I end up having to start my
journey at Clapham Junction without buying the relevant extension, will
I be able to buy it at Balham or will there be a penalty fare to pay?

Many thanks for any answers!

I think whether your season ticket is on Oyster or not is a red herring
in
this case. You just need to buy a single/return Clapham Junction -
Balham.

Peter Smyth

Peter, thanks for your reply, but I don't want a return from Clapham
Junction to Balham - I want it from Wandworth Common or whatever the
nearest zone 2 station is. The point I am making is: will they be able
to read (or need to read) my Oyster Travelcard at Clapham Junction
before selling me the extension I want? If I had a paper Travelcard,
the issue would not arise.

Thanks for any further thoughts.

Wandsworth Common is in zone 3 so Clapham Junction is the nearest zone 2
station.

Peter Smyth

Thanks for all your helpful replies, and again, Peter for pointing out
that Wandsworth Common in actually in Zone 3! I was working purely from
a Tube map and assumed (wrongly) that the zone boudary would have been
to the South of Wandsworth Common.

Marc.

Oyster question - national rail
 

SamB wrote:
They shouldn't need to read your Oyster - it's of no consequence to
*them* whether or not you have the travelcard on your Oyster, so they
should just sell you the ticket, and then if you don't have the
travelcard you would get done by a ticket inspector. Wherever you go to
buy the extension (anywhere is fine), just ask for a Boundary Zone 2 to
Balham return.



They don't seem to insist on seeing your travelcard when you buy
extension tickets now, presumably because of Oyster, but they always
used to.

Oyster question - national rail
 

Peter Smyth wrote:

Wandsworth Common is in zone 3 so Clapham Junction is the nearest zone 2
station.

Going outwards, you don't need to concern yourself with that. Ask for
a ticket from Boundary Zone 2 to your destination. It should be issued
with that, and not a specific station, as the origin.

Neil

Oyster question - national rail
 

In message .com, MIG
writes

SamB wrote:
They shouldn't need to read your Oyster - it's of no consequence to
*them* whether or not you have the travelcard on your Oyster, so they
should just sell you the ticket, and then if you don't have the
travelcard you would get done by a ticket inspector. Wherever you go to
buy the extension (anywhere is fine), just ask for a Boundary Zone 2 to
Balham return.



They don't seem to insist on seeing your travelcard when you buy
extension tickets now, presumably because of Oyster, but they always
used to.

I've certainly had my Oyster ticket insisted on being inspected when
buying extensions. Not that it has helped much - generally the NR ticket
office people (both within and without London) look confused! Inevitably
I explain in words of one syllable what an Oyster card is. I don't
actually get this problem at NR station where they also sell
oystercards, presumably because the staff are more familiar with them.

--
Paul G
Typing from Barking