Can you please clarify something about Contactless in the evening peak? Is it the definitely the case that case that if I touch my first reader before 16:00 M-F, I will never be charged the peak fare – irrespective of how many times I pass in an out of gates en route after 16:00? For example, mainline to Euston, then tube then train to Sevenoaks (at least 4 intermediate touches).
Reason for question is that if you look up the Oval cash fare (single or day return) say from Beaconsfield to Sevenoaks, the last train that you can catch with an offpeak fare is given as the 14:09 from Beaconsfield. This because later trains connect into trains leaving London after 16:00. Same goes for other similar cross-London journeys starting on National Rail. I want to find out whether use of contactless overcomes this issue and is not affected by the departure time from the London terminus.