Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

Hello all,

We're about to move back into London from Hertfordshire and my gf will
need to commute from Walthamstow to Ware. This would be going on the
tube from Walthamstow to Tottenham Hale and then on the National Express
Hertford East line to Ware.

However, trying to figure out the prices is coming up with some right
anomalies, so we're trying to figure out a way which is (a) cheaper than
other ways, (b) legal and (c) practical (e.g. no jumping off trains to
touch on a reader and then jumping back on the train)

OPTION 1

PAYG Oyster from Walthamstow to Tottenham Hale = £44/month
Monthly Season from Tottenham Hale to Ware = £199.70/month
TOTAL = £243.70


OPTION 2

Zone 3-5 Travelcard = £82.80/month
Monthly Season from Brimsdown to Ware = £146/month
TOTAL = £248.80

Brimsdown being the last stop before Z5 boundary but this would only
work if one could get a paper Travelcard or else you'd have to jump off
and on. This is more expensive and we're not looking at this option but
just compare it to Option 3 below.

OPTION 3

Zone 3-5 Travelcard = £82.80/month
Monthly Season from Brimsdown to Hertford East = £94.80/month
TOTAL = £177.10

Again, there's the Brimsdown problem but look at the crazy price on the
season ticket. If you buy a season all the way to Hertford East but
always alight at Ware, one stop earlier, the season is £60 cheaper. From
what I can understand, you're allowed to do this, which is why buying a
season to Hertford instead of Ware is something we're considering.


So, does anyone have any idea what the most sensible thing to do for
this journey is please?

Thanks in advance,

Dave

Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

Oops - I meant to also post this in uk.railway but screwed it up. Let's
try that again...

David E Newton wrote:
Hello all,

We're about to move back into London from Hertfordshire and my gf will
need to commute from Walthamstow to Ware. This would be going on the
tube from Walthamstow to Tottenham Hale and then on the National Express
Hertford East line to Ware.

However, trying to figure out the prices is coming up with some right
anomalies, so we're trying to figure out a way which is (a) cheaper than
other ways, (b) legal and (c) practical (e.g. no jumping off trains to
touch on a reader and then jumping back on the train)

OPTION 1

PAYG Oyster from Walthamstow to Tottenham Hale = £44/month
Monthly Season from Tottenham Hale to Ware = £199.70/month
TOTAL = £243.70


OPTION 2

Zone 3-5 Travelcard = £82.80/month
Monthly Season from Brimsdown to Ware = £146/month
TOTAL = £248.80

Brimsdown being the last stop before Z5 boundary but this would only
work if one could get a paper Travelcard or else you'd have to jump off
and on. This is more expensive and we're not looking at this option but
just compare it to Option 3 below.

OPTION 3

Zone 3-5 Travelcard = £82.80/month
Monthly Season from Brimsdown to Hertford East = £94.80/month
TOTAL = £177.10

Again, there's the Brimsdown problem but look at the crazy price on the
season ticket. If you buy a season all the way to Hertford East but
always alight at Ware, one stop earlier, the season is £60 cheaper. From
what I can understand, you're allowed to do this, which is why buying a
season to Hertford instead of Ware is something we're considering.


So, does anyone have any idea what the most sensible thing to do for
this journey is please?

Thanks in advance,

Dave

Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

David E Newton wrote:

We're about to move back into London from Hertfordshire and my gf
will need to commute from Walthamstow to Ware. This would be going
on the tube from Walthamstow to Tottenham Hale and then on the
National Express Hertford East line to Ware.

Season tickets are based on the cost of five day returns for people
commuting *towards* London... if you are commuting *away* from London, day
returns should be cheaper. I'd imagine that a tube season for Zone 3 and day
returns from Tottenham Hale to Ware may be the cheapest option.

Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

Basil Jet wrote:
David E Newton wrote:
We're about to move back into London from Hertfordshire and my gf
will need to commute from Walthamstow to Ware. This would be going
on the tube from Walthamstow to Tottenham Hale and then on the
National Express Hertford East line to Ware.

Season tickets are based on the cost of five day returns for people
commuting *towards* London... if you are commuting *away* from London, day
returns should be cheaper. I'd imagine that a tube season for Zone 3 and day
returns from Tottenham Hale to Ware may be the cheapest option.

£8.50 * 22 = £187 + £44 PAYG = £231 is still lots more than the cheapest
(but weird) combination I found above

Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

David E Newton wrote:
Basil Jet wrote:
David E Newton wrote:
We're about to move back into London from Hertfordshire and my gf
will need to commute from Walthamstow to Ware. This would be going
on the tube from Walthamstow to Tottenham Hale and then on the
National Express Hertford East line to Ware.

Season tickets are based on the cost of five day returns for people
commuting *towards* London... if you are commuting *away* from
London, day returns should be cheaper. I'd imagine that a tube
season for Zone 3 and day returns from Tottenham Hale to Ware may be
the cheapest option.

£8.50 * 22 = £187 + £44 PAYG = £231 is still lots more than the
cheapest (but weird) combination I found above

Okay, sorry, I don't know which site you're using so can't check my
suggestions.
I think you should also check
* Travelcard season 3-5 + day returns Brimsdown to Ware
* Travelcard season 3-5 + day returns Brimsdown to Hertford East.

I have a suspicion that using these tickets require that the train stops at
Brimsdown, but she is unlikely to have to actually take her bum off the
seat. The trains will be nearly empty anyway, if my experience of commuting
out to Hertford *North* some years ago is anything to go by.

Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

On Oct 15, 8:45*pm, David E Newton wrote:
OPTION 3

Zone 3-5 Travelcard = £82.80/month
Monthly Season from Brimsdown to Hertford East = £94.80/month
TOTAL = £177.10

Again, there's the Brimsdown problem but look at the crazy price on the
season ticket. If you buy a season all the way to Hertford East but
always alight at Ware, one stop earlier, the season is £60 cheaper.

There are two monthly seasons between Brimsdown and Hertford East in
the National Fares Manual NFM 04 CD:
Route "Any Permitted": £146 monthly. No Restriction Applies
Route "Flexitime": £94.90 monthly. "Restriction : ES
LER HERTS & ESSEX FLEXITIME SEASON
Tickets are subject to the same issuing procedures as other Season
tickets.
Availability: In the country-bound direction travel is permitted on
any train on any day. In the London-bound direction, travel is only
permitted on trains timed to depart after 1200 (midday) on Mondays to
Fridays No restriction applies on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank
Holidays."

So, does anyone have any idea what the most sensible thing to do for
this journey is please?

If your partner is able to meet the time restriction, then the
Flexitime season may well form part of the best option.

John

Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:29:04 +0100, "Basil Jet"
wrote:

Season tickets are based on the cost of five day returns for people
commuting *towards* London... if you are commuting *away* from London, day
returns should be cheaper. I'd imagine that a tube season for Zone 3 and day
returns from Tottenham Hale to Ware may be the cheapest option.

Perhaps the TOCs need to consider offering asymmetric season tickets
for such journeys? It could be done by having a time restriction on
arrival at London (the same as an off-peak day ticket, perhaps), but
none in the other direction.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:55:29 -0700 (PDT), "John @ home"
wrote:

Availability: In the country-bound direction travel is permitted on
any train on any day. In the London-bound direction, travel is only
permitted on trains timed to depart after 1200 (midday) on Mondays to
Fridays No restriction applies on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank
Holidays."

Well... if I'd read this before my other post. Seems that they
already do do such a season ticket.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

Neil Williams wrote:

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:29:04 +0100, "Basil Jet"
wrote:

Season tickets are based on the cost of five day returns for people
commuting *towards* London... if you are commuting *away* from London, day
returns should be cheaper. I'd imagine that a tube season for Zone 3 and day
returns from Tottenham Hale to Ware may be the cheapest option.

Perhaps the TOCs need to consider offering asymmetric season tickets
for such journeys? It could be done by having a time restriction on
arrival at London (the same as an off-peak day ticket, perhaps), but
none in the other direction.

And it would stop people putting them in the gates the wrong way round.

--
http://gallery120232.fotopic.net/p13857113.html
(Black "Orion" nameplate on 47 083 at Basingstoke, 17 Apr 1985)

Cheapest rail + tube season ticket option question
 

On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:12:41 GMT, Neil Williams wrote:

Availability: In the country-bound direction travel is permitted on
any train on any day. In the London-bound direction, travel is only
permitted on trains timed to depart after 1200 (midday) on Mondays to
Fridays No restriction applies on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank
Holidays."

Well... if I'd read this before my other post. Seems that they
already do do such a season ticket.

But only for certain journeys - there's a Flexitime season for
Brimsdown to Hertford East, as mentioned, but not for Brimsdown to
Ware, or Tottenham Hale to Hertford East, or Hertford East to R3456.
This seems very odd.