I am considering a journey to Harold Wood the coming Sunday, but unfortunately West Croydon is closed for engineering work on that day, with no trains calling at Anerley and Penge West.
TfL’s official advice is basically pissing us off to tell us to use local buses (which will incur an extra bus fare if I am using Oyster), or Southern services between East Croydon and Crystal Palace (which does not run on a Sunday).
If I force my journey planner to pass through Surrey Quays, it will tell me to take a fast train from East Croydon to London Bridge, a train back to New Cross or New Cross Gate, then the Windrush line to Whitechapel for the Elizabeth line to Harold Wood. This will also be more expensive than the fare from West Croydon because I am entering the system at East Croydon, and the need to double back between London Bridge and New Cross Gate is putting me off as well.
What will the best way for me to travel with a single TfL Zone 2-6 Oyster fare from Croydon to Harold Wood on that day?
P.S. It seems unfair that “engineering works” nearly always mean “extra fare”, has this issue been discussed in the London Assembly?