Cost of a weekly ticket from Reading to Watford tube station

[whole diary]

[BerkshireBugsy]

All, for the last few weeks I have been commuting between Thatcham  and site in the Watford area. I am catching the bus to Reading so have been buying a weekly ticket from Reading to Watford Jn (WFJ). This is fine

This ticket costs just below £160 for 7 days

But I now want to think about going to Watford station which is on the Met line. This caused confusion in Reading this morning because the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) person - who tried to be very helpful - couldn't find the right price and quoted me £130ish pounds  which to me is wrong because it should be about the same price as the WFJ ticket. Can anyone tell me how much it should be? I declined the £130 ticket this morning because it was wrong and told the lady so.

[ChrisB]

I don't think there is a fare to Underground stations beyond zone 6 from outside the London zonal area. You can get a zone 9 season from within the zonal area, I do know, but I don't think there is such a product from outside it. Happy to be corrected.

Various options include going to Watford High Street which isn't very far from Watford Met Line station (probably cheaper than, but slower than) or buying a London Terminals ticket & an underground pass to zone 9 on Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) or contactless or an extension from the zone 1-6 Travelcard available (but you'd need to alight at zone 6, touch in with Oyster/contactless and out at Watford)

**I may have Watford in thr wrong zone here, but it's definitely beyond zone 6 so the options remain

[paul7575]

I suspect the problem is that Watford Met needs a travelcard valid out to Zone 7, which will come at a premium compared to the fare to Watford Jn which is an ordinary rail 'point to point' fare with cross London validity.  

Watford Jn is not actually in the fare zones, as you possibly know already, so you are effectively travelling into the zones and out the "other side" as it were.

Paul

[BerkshireBugsy]

Thank you Paul. I'm getting confused here about the zones for Watford Jn and Watford tube stations

My colleague - who travels to Watford (met line) leads me to believe that station is in Zone 7

I'm still trying to confirm the zoning for Watford Junction.

I'm confused (which is exactly why I came here!)

Thanks again

[ChrisB]

Watford Junction isn't actually in a numbered zone - it is, for Travelcard/Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)/contactless purposes, in Zone 'W' I believe, which is simply an add-on beyond zone 9.....

[BerkshireBugsy]

Watford Junction isn't actually in a numbered zone - it is, for Travelcard/Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)/contactless purposes, in Zone 'W' I believe, which is simply an add-on beyond zone 9.....

So does that mean Watford (Zone 7) should be cheaper than WFJ (Zone W)?

[ChrisB]

On what type of ticket?

As I say, there is no rail fare to Watford, so it's nye on impossible to say whether it is 'cheaper'. Cheaper for what journey/ticket?

[BerkshireBugsy]

On what type of ticket?

As I say, there is no rail fare to Watford, so it's nye on impossible to say whether it is 'cheaper'. Cheaper for what journey/ticket?

A weekly travel card (or season ticket)

Thanks

[ChrisB]

There is fare from RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) to Watford, thus no Travelcard or season either. Your options are as listed in my post above, which do you prefer?

[BerkshireBugsy]

There is fare from RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) to Watford, thus no Travelcard or season either. Your options are as listed in my post above, which do you prefer?

Thank you Chris - I had assumed (wrongly) that because I had a weekly ticket from RDG to WFJ (which says travel card on it) a similar thing would be available for Watford (Met) but I was wrong.

Thanks for your advice

Dave

[ChrisB]

Indeed, and I missed a word out - There is *no* fare from RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) to Watford tube.

[Fourbee]

Would it be possible to combine the appropriate fare on Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) from here:
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/adult-fares-2017.pdf
(£65.40 Zones 1-7 for Watford Met or £86.10 Zones 1-9 + Watford Junction)
with a £71.30 Reading to West Drayton 7 Day Season?

[ChrisB]

yep, but as it's a season-to-season combo, he would need to catch trains stopping @ West Drayton. not appealing?

[grahame]

yep, but as it's a season-to-season combo, he would need to catch trains stopping @ West Drayton. not appealing?

Under current NRCOT^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Travel), I thought season to season is allowed without a stop, whereas under NRCOC^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Carriage) it wasn't?  I'm advised this may not have been an intent of the rewrite and that RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) are "consulting" on another change (I suspect an internal consultation rather than asking the customers!) but for the moment ...

[JayMac]

yep, but as it's a season-to-season combo, he would need to catch trains stopping @ West Drayton. not appealing?

Incorrect. Season to season splits do not require a stop at the split point.