A site visitor queried why they had been charged the zone 1-3 cap instead of the expected zone 1-2 cap recently, and it has thrown up a missing route option between a number of stations in SW London. The system thinks you’ve gone via zone 3 even when you haven’t. The problem affects Putney and Wandsworth Town to Stockwell, Oval, Kennington, Elephant & Castle LU, Clapham South and Clapham Common.
In all cases the default route is zone 2-3 via Clapham Junction and Balham. There is also a zone 2 route via Vauxhall and Stockwell and a zone 1-2 route via Waterloo (and other London Terminals). What is missing is a zone 2 route via Clapham Junction and Clapham High Street/Clapham North.
Currently, if you use the interchange between Clapham High Street and Clapham North the system thinks you’ve used the default route because you haven’t followed one of the prescribed alternatives. You are therefore overcharged for the single fare, and potentially subject to a higher cap.
The problem has been reported to the helpdesk yesterday and they have promised to pass it to the fares people on Monday.
Also why does Wimbledon to Richmond cost more than Wimbledon Park to Richmond or Wimbledon to Kew Gardens?
Hi Stuart,
Wimbledon to Richmond is expected to be made via Clapham Junction using SWT and is therefore priced at the National Rail rate. The other two cases seem to be priced as if you make the journey via Earls Court and thus at the TfL LU rate. Whether you do or not is open to interpretation.
Hi Mike
I’ve recently moved to the Kew/North Sheen area and use PAYG oyster for my journey to Monument. If I use Kew Gardens to Monument on the district line, I get charged the standard zone 3-1 charge, which is fine. However, using North Sheen to Waterloo and then the Waterloo and city line to Bank, I get charged more even though I’m moving through the same zones. Would I be better off just buying a travelcard for zone 3 to 1? Should I not be tapping into the Waterloo and city line?
I’m not in the office everyday so haven’t bought the travelcard before but seems like I may be better off? Would the travelcard zone 3-1 be ok to use on the North Sheen to Bank route?
Hi Will,
Travelling via Waterloo uses National Rail and when combined with the Waterloo and City line it will charge considerably more. Take a look at the fares guide pages and you’ll see. District line only is TfL-LU while via Waterloo to Bank is NR1-T.
Having said that, a zone 1-3 travelcard will cover both routes. If you go the expensive way both times in a day then the daily cap for zones 1-3 will be activated and limit the overall charge. If you take the District line both ways then you won’t hit the cap.
I possess both a 60+ Oyster and a Senior Railcard. It is not possible to add any Railcard to a 60+ Oyster. What are the cheapest options between Victoria and Gatwick Airport, bearing in mind I have free travel as far as East Croydon.
Hi Jim,
A ticket from East Croydon to Gatwick Airport discounted with your railcard is probably best. Don’t worry about not touching out on the 60+ Oyster.