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Chris – this may not help but it reflects my experience when looking into the same issue. I wanted to do a ‘Tube Challenge’ so needed a ‘go anywhere’ ticket. I didn’t buy the paper ticket. After a lot of research and advice from others I bought a Z1-6 Day Travelcard electronically & loaded it onto a Smart Card. I used Chiltern Railways but you can use other companies too. The only part of the Tube not included was the NW part of the Met line, and I used PAYG for that. During the day I tapped in and out of the tube, buses & overground, with no issues at all. From memory, last September, the TC cost under £15.
Hello Alan,
I’ll PM you later re your latest FNC … bit off-topic for this forum.
Noted re the z1-6. I realised what you say, which is why I went for contactless to North Harrow and then a SmartCard Travelcard z1-6 “from” HotH after that. The “from” was understood as not being a departure point (in fact it wasn’t for me, Rayners Lane was) but I had to put in a HR station, not a tube station, when buying on the Chiltern Rail app.
Thanks for the advice on the 7-day Oyster option … should it ever be needed.
Well done on your latest success!
A final update – yesterday I completed the Tube Challenge (a ‘Full Network Challenge’, or ‘FNC’, of all current 272 stations). I will do a write-up at tubechallenge.com but will comment here on the ticketing for my trip.
Before Alan White asks, my time was slightly slower than both of his but, as are his times, mine was rather faster than the only Guinness-validated world record for the new configuration of 272 stations.
I followed Alan’s advice and used a combination of Day Travelcard (loaded onto a Smartcard) and contactless. I don’t live in London so all this was first-time for me hence, I suppose, the original question all those months ago.
I started from Chesham so the original plan was to purchase a Day Travelcard from Amersham, which would allow travel throughout Z9-1. But from this thread, I had learned that although that would work from Amersham if travelling directly to London by the Met line, it would not work for the Chesham and Watford branches, even though it is advertised as being valid for Zones 7-9 also. In fact, although I can’t find it now, I did find a bit of small-print on Chiltern’s website which said something like “your Travelcard is also valid for Zones 7-9 but it will not operate the gates on the Chesham and Watford branches. This is for technical reasons and if you need to travel to those branches you should speak with a member of staff at the barrier there.”
So, in the end, I realised that Alan’s approach is indeed the best one. I used contactless from Amersham to my first tap-out point, which was North Harrow. It cost £2.20. I bought a Day Travelcard, stating when purchasing that it was to ‘start’ from Harrow-on-the-Hill, that being the first station within Z1-6 for which it was possible to buy a Day Travelcard from Chiltern if travelling on my route. That cost £21.50. I bought it on my phone and uploaded it to my Chiltern Smartcard using my phone. I used it for the first time, with trepidation, not at HotH but on a bus from North Harrow, and it worked perfectly, as it did throughout the day at all Tube stations in Z1-6 where I needed to tap, on all buses, the London Overground and the Elizabeth Line.
So £23.70 for the entire FNC and zero hassle. It will be a great shame if TfL do abandon the Day Travelcard, as has been suggested.
My thanks again to everyone who helped and I hope that, along with previous comments, the above can be taken as a confirmed way to ticket an FNC.
Having started this thread, an update, with special thanks to those who have done a lot of research and testing and, indeed, a real Full Network Challenge. I am going to do my own (first) FNC at some point over the next few weeks and am looking forward to it very much. I will start at Chesham (convenient to be dropped there at sparrow-crack) so it sounds very much like the way to ticket it will be contactless for all the Met travel down to Moor Park then z1-6 Travelcard (loaded onto a smart card) thereafter, so ensure no trouble with maximum journey times etc. Having something that definitely works has always been more important than ensuring that I get the cheapest ticketing solution. Obviously the entire network after (and including) Moor Park is z1-6. I now have a pile of smartcards from all the companies but I’m pretty sure they are all much the same, as Mike pointed out. As I will be starting in the Chiltern neck of the woods I will load up my Chiltern smart card. I am not remotely looking for a world record (difficult at my age at any rate) so I am just doing the challenge ‘because it is there’. I sailed around Great Britain last year for much the same reason. I will write back with a report after the event. Thanks again to everyone.
It’s pretty clear that there isn’t a single, issue-free way of getting a totally flexible, Z1-9 day Travelcard on a Smartcard. Thanks to all for input and experimentation. I just wish that somebody knew how real-life tube challengers actually managed (not planned, not intended, not believed) their ticketing for their challenges. Looks like no joy on that front. I’m wondering now, for my own challenge, if the only way to get a Z1-9 on a Smartcard which will definitely work is to get a weekly one. Costs more, but I wouldn’t want hassle on the way round.
Alan – great idea about having two TCs (one paper, one not). I’m not too concerned about the cost – within reason of course – and am not going for a world record, but I don’t want to be felled by ticketing and your response has made me feel a bit more positive!
Thanks for that, Alan. Disappointing news as I thought that the question of ticketing for the TC was solved. I wonder if there is anyone out there who has done the TC recently who might have something to add? Now that the weather is better I’m hoping to do my first attempt before too long.
Best, Jonathan
Dear Alan,
Many thanks for trying out this solution and for confirming that it works. I’m all set for my Tube Challenge now!
It remains a mystery why it took people like us to smoke the solution out. I was surprised at the outset that I could not find the solution easily from TfL (I did email them and they responded, but they did not offer a solution).
Best, Jonathan
Hello Alan,
Good to see your response. I haven’t done the Tube Challenge yet what with Christmas, strikes etc but I definitely plan to try to do it at some point this year. I’m very much looking forward to it. The resolution to my original query remains as in my last post above but I haven’t tried to purchase the Travelcard for real. As far as I know you purchase as you say – using the app then the purchase onto the smart card (which I have) using your phone.
Whilst it all seems possible it is mighty strange that only one company seems to offer the day Travelcard so until I, or someone else on here actually completes a successful purchase we can’t be certain that this is the way to go. I hope it is!I take it back – Alan is right. My Greateranglia card came today and I’ve just spent a few minutes on their website.
I tried Amersham to London, peak time. A DAY Travelcard is offered – £25.70.
So that is the solution I need. Many thanks to all.
(I would post a screenshot but that facility doesn’t seem to be available).
Yes – a DAY TC is definitely available (paper ticket, to be discontinued in Jan 23) but I fear I’m looking in vain for a DAY TC on any type of Smartcard. I really want to avoid a paper ticket because of the need to pass quickly thorough barriers. I think it remains the best option to either put up with a paper DAY TC or get a WEEKLY one on Oyster (or one of the other Smartcards), possibly surrendering it after the Challenge.
If anyone can report on actual experience of buying a DAY TC for Z1-9 on a SmartCard then please report!Thanks, Alan,
I’ve just signed up with GA and have ordered a Smart Card. I attempted to order a DAY Travelcard and one is offered, but instructions are given for collection – not sure that even GA will put a DAY Travelcard on their Smart Card.
I have done as much research as I can and I am sure that, at present, TfL only offer a paper DAY Travelcard; it says in their website that they will cease to offer the paper DAY Travelcard in January 2023.
I get the feeling that an electronic DAY Travelcard is simply not available. Perhaps it will be after January 2023.
It is certainly the case that for Oyster, EMR, GA and doubtless others, a WEEKLY electronic Travelcard can be purchased.Chris – got the EMR app, registered, ordered a SmartCard. Having played with the app I’m pretty sure that a ONE-day TC is not available. A 7-day one is. So I guess the EMR SmartCard option is effectively the same as Mike’s Oyster option … buy for a week then cancel. (I have an Oyster so don’t need to buy one).
