Train travel from Thatcham to Brentwood (Essex)

[whole diary]

[BerkshireBugsy]

Ok virtual friends, I could do with your help on this one.

I did a job a few months back which required me to commute from Thatcham to Stratford (east London) and for this journey I found a weekly travel card wored well.

I now have some work coming up which requires me to travel from Thatcham to Brentwood. My understanding is that the daily or weekly travel card doesn't cover Brentwood - is this correct?

So how can I "top up" the weekly travel card or is it easier to buy a weekly season ticket?

Any advice great fully received

Dave

[JayMac]

There are no Seasons available between Thatcham and Brentwood.

Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) is available at Brentwood, but I've struggled to find a combination using an Oyster 7 day season and paper tickets between Zone 6 and Thatcham that'll cost less than the following:

Stick with your Thatcham - Zones 1-6 Travelcard, then buy, on a daily basis, a Boundary Zone 6 to Brentwood Anytime Day Return. ^4.60 daily.

Or a BZ6-Brentwood Off Peak Day Return if you are passing the Boundary Zone (Harold Wood is the nearest physical location) after 0930 on your outward journey. With return allowed at any time. ^4.20 daily.

You should be able to buy dated BZ6-Brentwood tickets at the same time as you buy your weekly Thatcham to Zones 1-6 Travelcard Season.

The combination of tickets allows you to travel on through trains to Brentwood.

I'm not 100% certain this is the cheapest option. London and Oyster Seasons are a bit of a blind spot in my fares knowledge.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Many thanks BNM - much appreciated

Dave

[JayMac]

A slightly cheaper option, now that I've discovered that all trains from London Liverpool St to Brentwood call at Harold Wood, is, if you are travelling daily for at least 5 days, to buy a Harold Wood to Brentwood 7 Day Season for ^21.90.

Having two Seasons (Thatcham-Zones 1-6 and Harold Wood-Brentwood) means you have to travel on a train that calls at a station where you switch from one ticket to the other. That would be Harold Wood, the last station in Zone 6.

May be slightly less hassle to buy the two Seasons than one Season and a series of Boundary Zone tickets

[Southern Stag]

A Thatcham-Brentwood 7 Day Season is available, the price just has to be calculated manually. It is issued as route London Zones 1-6 and is itself a Travelcard Season for Zones 1-6.
The price would be ^148.40. I don't know how favourably that compares with bignosemac's suggestions.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Many thanks guys . What is not yet certain is how many days it will actually be on site. It will be a minimum of 3 which makes justifying a weekly travel card easy as the break point seems to be about 2.5 days. So I will probably go for that plus daily extensions.

As always thanks for your answers

[BerkshireBugsy]

Just wanted to say thanks again guys - the advice regarding boundary tickets was spot on

Next week I am working in London for 3 days and Aylesbury for 1

So given that I start my journey in Thatcham can I buy a boundary to Aylesbury via marlybone on tip of my travel card and if so how much?

Thanks

Dave

[JayMac]

Thatcham to Aylesbury is valid via London so a Boundary Zone fare can be added to a Thatcham - Zones 1-6 Travelcard Season.

Boundary Zone 6 - Aylesbury Anytime Day Return is ^16.90.

If passing Boundary Zone 6 after 0930 (taking the 0927 from Marylebone):

Boundary Zone 6 - Aylesbury Off Peak Day Return is ^12.00