Topic ID 3267
I have an annual season ticket from Hertford North with the underground which runs out at the end of this year. I have worked out that renewing my ticket by buying an annual ticket to Crews Hill plus an all zones travelcard will save £360. Has anyone else bought a split season like this? Did you encounter any problems and could you buy both at Hertford North station? Apparently according to a friend of mine, there is a notice at Watton station advising people to do this. I'm also wondering will I be able to travel on the Hertford East line with these tickets. Any advice/experience welcome. Julie
Reply ID 47063
I think this has been covered on another thread - probably about the same time last year & the year before. As I recall it involved varied use of Travelcards or Oyster. Have a look through the older threads on the topic Julie.
Reply ID 47064
I found an old thread (lots of complicated pricing! as far as I remember, it wasn't worth my while this time last year) - didn't answer my question as to whether I could buy both tickets at Hertford North and whether I could travel from/to Hertford East. thanks
Reply ID 47068
quote:I would suspect that if you buy two separate tickets one will be a season ticket specifically for travel from Hertford North to Crew's Hill - it won't be "Hertford Stations" to Crews Hill as there is no direct service between Hertford East and Crews Hill?
Originally posted by joolsbabe17
I found an old thread (lots of complicated pricing! as far as I remember, it wasn't worth my while this time last year) - didn't answer my question as to whether I could buy both tickets at Hertford North and whether I could travel from/to Hertford East. thanks
Reply ID 47069
Yes but has anyone tried it? My ticket doesn't say Welwyn GC but I can travel there on it (it's a Hertford ticket) as some time ago, WAGN said that commuters with HN tickets could go to WGC. I do travel on the HE route occasionally and wouldn't like to feel guilty every time I do it.
Reply ID 47083
If you had a zones 1-6 Oyster card and a Hertford North to Crews Hill ticket, you would only be able to use the Hertford East line if you purchased another ticket between the end of Zone 6 to Hertford East. Your specific Hertford North to Crews Hill ticket would not cover you anywhere else. I thought they were supposed to be closing this loop hole saving, but your research suggests they haven't as yet.
Reply ID 47086
quote:Yes I have. You won't be able to buy the Oyster card at Hertford North, you'll need to buy it at an Underground station. If you already have an Oyster card, you should be able to load an annual season ticket on it via the internet.
Originally posted by joolsbabe17
Has anyone else bought a split season like this? Did you encounter any problems and could you buy both at Hertford North station?
Reply ID 47087
It depends on which travelcard zones you need. If you work in zone 1 or zone 2 (e.g. Docklands), it is cheaper to buy a sason ticket from Hertford North to Bowes Park and then zones 1-3 travelcard. I used to do this when I worked in Docklands - it saved about £50/month. I'm not sure if you can use it from Hertford East or WGC. Best thing to do is ask at Hertford North.
Reply ID 47094
quote:You can buy your oyster card season online too - it gets posted to your house - plus you can still use it as a pre-pay card as well if you do have to go outside the zones on your season.
Originally posted by Katequote:Yes I have. You won't be able to buy the Oyster card at Hertford North, you'll need to buy it at an Underground station. If you already have an Oyster card, you should be able to load an annual season ticket on it via the internet.
Originally posted by joolsbabe17
Has anyone else bought a split season like this? Did you encounter any problems and could you buy both at Hertford North station?
Reply ID 47100
It would of course make life a lot easier if the Oyster zone was extended to Hertford Stations -trouble is some of the train cos won't play ball with Ken.....
Reply ID 47101
ok so i've had a bit of free time today, hertford north to bowes park on FCC is £1080 rtn peak. (2008) zones 1-3 travel card is £1096 (2007). giving me travel on buses and tubes 24*7 any time of day total cost £2176. currently pay £2100 hertford north to london plus pay as you go oyster of £3 per day - i'm in. roughly £684 total cost £2784 new method of payment for travel equals £608 saving woohoo holiday anyone ;)
Reply ID 47107
Joolsbabe ask the guy at HN ticket counter (slim chap with glasses) as he has always been helpful in suggesting the cheaper options.
Reply ID 47108
quote:For ticketing purposes Hertford is still Hertford Stations - even if you get a ticket to Bowes Park/Crews Hill or even Ware, but I suspect that Hertford North - Ware via London would not be considered a reasonable route. You need to ask your self the question - how many times do you need to travel on the Hertford East line - because for £600 of savings that is over 60 single trips from Liverpool Street to Hertford. I think for single journeys you can also buy extension tickets from the boundary of your travelcard zone to your destination. I had one once travelling to Bracknell with my 3 zone travelcard.
Originally posted by Deverauxquote:I would suspect that if you buy two separate tickets one will be a season ticket specifically for travel from Hertford North to Crew's Hill - it won't be "Hertford Stations" to Crews Hill as there is no direct service between Hertford East and Crews Hill?
Originally posted by joolsbabe17
I found an old thread (lots of complicated pricing! as far as I remember, it wasn't worth my while this time last year) - didn't answer my question as to whether I could buy both tickets at Hertford North and whether I could travel from/to Hertford East. thanks
Reply ID 47114
Hi - thanks all for helpful suggestions - I think I'll get a Crews Hill return & zones 1-6 oyster. I'd prefer to get the 1-6 rather than 1-3 (with Bowes Park) as I make a lot of other leisure journeys around and outside of London. cheers
Reply ID 47127
Jools, me and the good lady did this for the last few years. Cheapest option is an annual ticket between Hertford & Bowes Park, then a Zones 1-3 Oyster card, which you can get from any tube station. We had no problems using these tickets, apart from one ticket inspector who was adament the combined ticket didn't cover our entire journey. He had no real argument though, as the paper ticket covers you to Bowes Park, which is ion Zone 3, and the Oyster covers you to the Boundary of Zone 3, therefore the entire journey is covered. I spent a good few hours working out the costs from all stations, and the Bowes Park option is deffinitely the cheapest. I even wrote to WAGN (who ran the traoins at the time) and complained about them ripping off every season ticket holder by over £600. Their response was pretty much dismissive. The only downside is I bet they would do something about it if everyone who got a season ticket from Hertford North changed it to this method
Reply ID 47149
I am not sure there is too much they can do about this except increase the price of tickets to Bowes Park. And as the price of Season tickets is regulated even this may not be allowed.
Reply ID 47178
quote:When investigating this for my re-animated commuter life in April of this year, they cartainly do close loopholes when they find them. The last loop hole was that it was cheaper to get a season ticket to Finsbury Park then use your Oyster into Zone 1 than getting a full whammy season ticket. Now they have upped the cost of the season ticket between Hertford stations and FPark to make sure that when combined with an Oyster, the cost is just as expensive getting the full whammy season ticket. They must think it's like shooting fish in a barrel...
Originally posted by jez_p
I am not sure there is too much they can do about this except increase the price of tickets to Bowes Park. And as the price of Season tickets is regulated even this may not be allowed.
Reply ID 47226
My understanding is that an oyster card has to be validated to be acceptable to a ticket inspector, be it a season ticket or pay as you go, so unless you jump off at Bowes Park and swipe it then back on I'm not sure that would be classed as validated. But, on the other hand, if you can get away with it for a while and then claim ignorance should an inspector catch you, and £20 fine or whatever it is now could well be worth the savings.
Reply ID 47244
I went to Hertford North today to ask about these - the guy behind the counter (not the slim guy with glasses) - he was black, I think he must be new - said the cheapest option was HN to Bowes Park then zones 1-3 (cost £2070 (i think) saving about £800) and he could do both at HN so that's what I'm getting next weekend. Needs to be from 1 January (before increase) even though I only need it from 2nd but for one day ... I expect the £800 saving will more than cover any add ons when I travel out of London anywhere. Thanks for help
Reply ID 47263
quote:when does the increase take effect?
Originally posted by joolsbabe17
Needs to be from 1 January (before increase)
Reply ID 47268
quote:Im guessing the 2nd !
Originally posted by Mr Pquote:when does the increase take effect?
Originally posted by joolsbabe17
Needs to be from 1 January (before increase)
Reply ID 47345
quote:Never had a problem with a ticket inspector - they just have a reader that reads the Travelcard part on your Oyster and that is fine. Also there are no Oyster readers at Bowes Park to "validate" an oyster card anyway. You only need to touch in and touch out if you are using Oyster Pre-Pay which is not valid past Finsbury Park anyway.
Originally posted by CLB
My understanding is that an oyster card has to be validated to be acceptable to a ticket inspector, be it a season ticket or pay as you go, so unless you jump off at Bowes Park and swipe it then back on I'm not sure that would be classed as validated. But, on the other hand, if you can get away with it for a while and then claim ignorance should an inspector catch you, and £20 fine or whatever it is now could well be worth the savings.
Reply ID 47351
quote:Me neither, and a couple of times I've had to produce both tickets due to confusion as to where I was in the journey and being at my changeover station when the inspector appeared.
Originally posted by jez_p Never had a problem with a ticket inspector - they just have a reader that reads the Travelcard part on your Oyster and that is fine.
Reply ID 47352
Was nice to hear the other day one of the HN ticket office staff explaining to someone that a yearly to Bowes Park & a 3 zone travelcard was the cheapest way to commute to Oxford Circus [:)]
Reply ID 47362
Anyone know what the new fare to Bowes Park is? idle curiosity only reason for asking.
Reply ID 47493
Monthly to Bowes Park - £103.70 Monthly Travelcard Zones 1-3 - £109.10 Total £212.80 Monthly to London Terminals £201.60 Monthly Travelcard £293.80
Reply ID 49884
I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but a friend who is using the split-ticket option was caught on a train that didn't stop at Bowes Park. The inspector let him off but told him that, by choosing that train, he was liable to a fine for mis-use. He was told that he didn't have to get off at Bowes Park [and get back on] but he should only travel on a train that stops at Bowes Park.
Reply ID 49947
I can't believe how many ticket collection staff FCC now employ - It seems to need 2 people to operate the 3 gates at Hertford North then on the off peak trains there seem to always be a check at some point. What is really annoying is when some little oik gives some guff about not realising their oyter pere pay is not valid all the way to Palmers Green then jumping off the train and disappearing into the wild blue yonder. Rant over
Reply ID 49974
Agreed it takes well over 5 minutes to get out of Hertford North in rush hour and the ticket inspectors at the automated gates are clueless.
quote:
Originally posted by jez_p
I can't believe how many ticket collection staff FCC now employ - It seems to need 2 people to operate the 3 gates at Hertford North then on the off peak trains there seem to always be a check at some point. What is really annoying is when some little oik gives some guff about not realising their oyter pere pay is not valid all the way to Palmers Green then jumping off the train and disappearing into the wild blue yonder. Rant over
Reply ID 49983
quote:I find the gate keepers at Hertford North very helpful - they will often open the barrier for me as I approach. In my opinion, most of the problems are caused by; People with the wrong, or no, ticket. People who think it is beneath themselves to use the barriers and expect forelock tugging servitude instead. People, who get to the barrier, then decide to rummage through their handbag/rucksack/jacket pockets to find a ticket. K*obheads. [;)]
Originally posted by Wrapper
Agreed it takes well over 5 minutes to get out of Hertford North in rush hour and the ticket inspectors at the automated gates are clueless.
Reply ID 50154
I'm afraid I'm guilty of getting a member of staff to open the gates for me every time I come through, having got seriously fed up of having to replace my ticket every few weeks because it wouldn't open the barriers - and I'm far from alone in this having seen many others do likewise. The Annual tickets just don't last. It seems odd that Hertford got 'picked on' with the barriers and heavy staff presence - I was really surprised to discover recently that stations in between Hertford and London still have no monitoring of tickets at all.
Reply ID 50198
quote:Not really odd as overall it is the busiest station on the loop. The stats for 2005/2006 show twice as many users as any other station on the loop. See http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/xls/station_usage_2005-06.xls
Originally posted by Kate
I'm afraid I'm guilty of getting a member of staff to open the gates for me every time I come through, having got seriously fed up of having to replace my ticket every few weeks because it wouldn't open the barriers - and I'm far from alone in this having seen many others do likewise. The Annual tickets just don't last. It seems odd that Hertford got 'picked on' with the barriers and heavy staff presence - I was really surprised to discover recently that stations in between Hertford and London still have no monitoring of tickets at all.
Reply ID 50209
If Hertford is the busiest station - how come some trains terminate at Gordon Hell
Reply ID 50937
Just renewed my season ticket so enquired as to the difference in price between one to Finsbury Park and one to london terminals - told that the fp one is more expensive than the london terminals one because 'the train company have got it wrong' - has anyone had the same problem and is there any logic in it?[;)]
Reply ID 50939
Daily Return Fares... Hertford North - Finsbury Park = £12.50 (Peak) Hertford North - London Terminals = £12.00 (Peak) Off Peak, Hertford North - Finsbury Park is cheaper than to London Terminals.
Reply ID 52016
Apologies if this has been covered already but most of the posts seem to discuss cheapest journeys from H. North. I live near H. East and will be commuting to Temple in central London. I'm trying to work out the optimum route combination for low cost/reliability/journey time. I think the quickest journey would be from H. East to Liverpool St then round the circle line to temple. Anyone know what the best journey/ticket combination would be? Eg: An annual travelcard from H.East and go via Liverpool St and get the Circle line to Temple. A season ticket from H.East to Tottenham Hale then a zones 1-3 travelcard (without changing train at Tott Hale) then Circle line as above from Liv St. Or am I better off going via H North and getting a season ticket to Bowes Park and a 1-3 zone travelcard as discussed previously? Or is an Oyster card (pay as you go?) a better option instead of a travelcard? Any thoughts much appreciated. Thanks.
Reply ID 52034
I'll let you look up the prices of the tickets as anything I know is out of date. I work about five minutes away from Temple near Kingsway/Aldwych. If I go from HE on the 0708 I get to Liverpool Street around 0800 and work at about 0825 - how see later. If I go from HN on the 0720 I get to Finsbury Park at 0745ish and I am at work by 0815 via Picadilly Line and a walk from Holborn. But you also have to walk to HN which is about 15 minutes so factor that in and the excercise you get as well. From Liverpool Street there are three ways to Temple 1) Central Line to Holborn and walk. Don't. The Central Line is the Hades of tube system as far as I am concerned. The trains are packed, people push in front of you, you can't get on, can't get off and if you do get off to let someone else off then they don't let back on again. I blame the people who come from "East London"/Essex. Sorry if you come from that area, but generally your fellows are awful. 2) Circle Line to Temple. It's OK but Circle Line trains are not very regular; you may have to wait 7 or 8 minutes; sometime 10. But perhaps it delivers you to where you want to be. 3) Bus, 11 or 23 from Liverpool Street to Royal Courts and a short walk. Buses leave avery few minutes and even if there is a very long queue it soon goes down when a bus comes in (they start from Liverpool Street so are empty) and, thankfully, people don't often seem to want to push in from of you. Except for boys who go to a school near St. Pauls, they push in. And the bus fare is cheapest - use an Oyster and it is 90p rather than £1.50 on the tube. Buy an Oyster Card - I wish I had done it years ago. It will save you over a Travelcard unless you want to the card to nip around London to the shops or catch a bus a couple of stops. If you're on your hols you don't pay.
Reply ID 55561
quote:Anyone know if this still works? It's season ticket renewal time for me.
Originally posted by JohnSmith
Was nice to hear the other day one of the HN ticket office staff explaining to someone that a yearly to Bowes Park & a 3 zone travelcard was the cheapest way to commute to Oxford Circus [:)]
Reply ID 55582
I've got that sort of ticket. It cost me £2216.00 at the beginning of September. £1136.00 for 1.2 and 3 zone travelcard and £1080.00 for the Hertford North to Bowes Park ticket.
Reply ID 55584
quote:gosh..my ticket to Ally Pally, on station further on is 300 quid more!!
Originally posted by Bengeo Bob and £1080.00 for the Hertford North to Bowes Park ticket.