Hey all,
I regularly travel between Cookham (GWR) to Canary Wharf via zone 1. Prior to the March increase, the peak contactless single fare was £18.00, but it’s now up 13% to £20.40. Bizarrely travelling peak both ways triggers daily capping below price of 2 singles, at £39.40 total. Booking the same peak journey via GWR is £19.80 single /£37.40 return on the new fares.
In contrast travelling from Maidenhead, which is 2 stops closer (and reachable on Elizabeth line as well as GWR). New contactless fare is £17.50 single (up 3.5% from £16.90) and £35 return at peak times. GWR return is £35.10, so that makes more sense.
I have always used contactless because my travel is quite erratic, and the contactless fares used to be aligned with GWR, but it feels like they are penalising heavily for using the GWR service to Cookham on contactless.