Maidenhead Commuting

[whole diary]

[autotank]

Hello,

I'm thinking of moving to Maidenhead and am doing some research on season ticket options. I work shifts just near to Oxford Circus so I think that a saving can be made on the Maidenhead - Z1-6 season ticket which is currently ^3496.

Here is my plan - I want to check it's allowed!

I would buy a Z1-4 travelcard for ^1744 which would be valid as far as Southall from Paddington on the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line). If I buy this from Chiltern I believe this qualifies me for free weekend travel with them and a Gold Card?

Would I be correct in saying that in order to travel to London on a weekday during the Peak I would need to buy:
Anytime Day Single Maidenhead - Southall ^7.40
Off Peak Day Single with a Gold Card Maidenhead - Southall ^4.55 (although this wouldn't be valid on some fast Paddington - Maidenhead service in the evening?)

If I wanted to travel Off-Peak I would just need to purchase:
Off Peak Day Return Maidenehead - Southall with a Gold Card ^4.60

At weekends my plan would be to drive to Beaconsfield and use the free Chiltern Railway travel. Also if I'm on a really early or late shift (about once a week) then work pay for a cab either too or from work thus reducing the cost still further.

I know that Oxford Circus isn't that far from Paddington and I could walk, but I like the flexibility a travelcard gives me as I often travel around London to see friends ect after work.

Thanks in advance for your tips/advice!

[ChrisB]

I think the Chiltern purchase needs to be valid for travel on their network in order to obtain free travel across the remainder of their network. The Gold Card is also obtainable when purchased from FGW^▸ (First Great Western)....

[Network SouthEast]

Yes, but it is perfectly legitimate to buy a Z1-4 Travelcard from Chiltern in this instance as Chiltern have three stations in zone 4. Zone 4 travel is also valid east of Southall, so no problem.

[ChrisB]

You may find they sell them on an Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card, which is valid on Chiltern within the zonal system. Is it valid on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) within the zones?

[Network SouthEast]

Of course, why wouldn't it be?

[ChrisB]

Wasn't sure if all TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) now accept Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) out to zone 6....

[Network SouthEast]

They always accepted Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) travelcard seasons, it was the Pay As You Go that was the issue. Although even that is a redundant issue as all TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) now accept Oyster PAYG^▸ (Pay as you go).

[JayMac]

A Zone 1-4 Travelcard Season would be valid for travel on Chiltern. As the free weekend travel offer terms mention having the Season on Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services), it follows that a Season wholly for use in the Travelcard zones is eligible for the offer.

I see no problems with what autotank wishes to do. You can either purchase add-on tickets to/from Southall or Boundary Zone 4. Same price, same validity. No requirement to call when used in combination with a Season.

If you use an Off Peak Day Single in the BZ4/Southall - Maidenhead direction, in combination with the Travelcard Season, you are okay to use any train off Paddington in the evening. The restriction code in that direction for the ticket from BZ4/Southall is W1 (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/pdfs/OffPeak.pdf#page=121), valid after 0930, no evening peak restrictions.

However, if you buy an Off Peak Day Return with origin Maidenhead to BZ4/Southall, the restriction code is the infamous P7 (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/pdfs/OffPeak.pdf#page=86) and you cannot catch any trains on the 'barred' list. However, the only direct fast service, that calls at Maidenhead, on that list is the 1750 to Worcester SH. You'll also need to avoid the 1649 and 1851 to Oxford, changing at Slough.

[ChrisB]

Indeed - so how much will this save you autotank?

[NickB]

As a fellow Maidenhead commuter I've looked into this option before and I struggled to come up with any savings (assuming you are travelling 5 days a week normally?)

My maths was as follows:

Daily Maidenhead-->Southall return = ^7.40 + ^4.55 = ^11.95.
Multiplied by 200 (days of the year, allowing for a decent holiday quota!) = ^2390.

Plus the ^1744 for the Z1-4 travelcard = ^4134

You'd have to be only travelling in to London on 146 weekdays (2.8 per week) before this became a saving on the ^3496 season ticket, and thats before the hassle of queuing up every morning and evening to get a new ticket....

Well, that was my maths anyway. 

PS> an afterthought is that at least as a daily traveller you would qualify for 'proper' compensation everytime your train was delayed rather than the 5% shocker us season ticket travellers suffer.

[JayMac]

You haven't factored in the cost of regular free week-end travel anywhere on the Chiltern network, NicKB.

autotank will be allowed free weekend travel if a Travelcard Season is bought from Chiltern. Won't be allowed free weekend travel on Chiltern if a Maidenhead to Zones 1-6 Travelcard is purchased.

Free weekend travel on Chiltern is only available if the origin station is on the Chiltern network or in the Travelcard zones.

Whether the value of the free weekend travel is worth the ^640 difference, will depend on how often and to where autotank chooses to travel on the Chiltern Network.

There's also the point that autotank has said that some of his Maidenhead-London return trips will be wholly in the Off-Peak meaning the daily add-on fare will be ^4.60 rather than ^7.40+^4.55.

[ChrisB]

Free weekend travel on Chiltern is only available if the origin station is on the Chiltern network or in the Travelcard zones.

Also, from Chiltern's website -

If your Season Ticket is on an Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card you must also have your paper record card to travel free at weekends

So, keep it with your Oyster....could be expensive if you forget it!

[autotank]

Thanks for all your replies - very useful!

As I work shifts I only have to travel up to London during the morning peak once or twice a week maximum, so I think there are savings to be made doing it this way. The free travel on Chiltern at weekends would also be useful as I used to live in Leamington Spa and it makes a trip to the SVR or a spin on the Shakespeare Express much cheaper!

A couple more quick questions:

I'd prefer to get the Z1-4 travelcard on Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services), but will this present me with issues at Paddington when using fast services from Platforms 2-5? Also if I touch in at Paddington does it matter that I won't touch out? (i.e. I won't get charged the Oyster maximum penatly fare)

Would I need proof of holding a Z1-4 travelcard other than an Oyster if I get gripped between Paddington and Maidenhead on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train)? (I assume Train Managers don't have Oyster readers?)

Thanks!

[JayMac]

If you can't touch in or out with an Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card loaded with a season ticket it doesn't matter. There is no requirement for a journey using an Oyster Season to be 'complete' (i.e. touching in and touching out). As long as you are travelling within the zones for which your Oyster Season is valid, no credit will be deducted from any PAYG^▸ (Pay as you go) balance you might also have stored on the Oyster. Even if you touch in in Zone 1 (Paddington) and then travel to Maidenhead with the correct add-on paper ticket fare, you won't be penalised. The system assumes you've made a journey within the validity of your season ticket.

If you are travelling from a platform at Paddington without barriers/Oyster readers there is no need to touch in. In combination with your add-on fares you have tickets valid for your entire journey. Oyster is just a different medium on which the season ticket is held. As the combination is valid for the entire journey without the need to call at the split point then there's no need, or even practical opportunity, to touch out where the validity of your Oyster Season ends. Indeed, if you had a Boundary Zone 4-Maidenhead add-on, it would be impossible. Boundary Zones are an abstract construct, not physical locations.

It also matters not one jot whether on-board staff have the ability to check your Oyster. You have a valid ticket. Whether it can be checked on board or not is their problem, not yours. Although carrying the record card won't do any harm.

[ChrisB]

I suspect they may be able to detain you with the assistance of RPIs^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) or the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) until they can verify your Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) should you get an obstreperous TM^‡(resolve)