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Yet Another stupid question - this time re: the Oyster Card

JohnBoyUK
JohnBoyUK Posts: 9,049
edited April 2010 in Not Sports Related
With my house move coming up, I'm going to be commuting from Welling rather than Barnehurst, so will be moving from Zone 1-4 rather than 1-6. With the re-opening of the East London line come next month, I can commute to Whitechapel & Mile End/Stepney Green for work without the need for Zone 1, so can get rid of it and get a Zone 2-4 travel card in theory, saving me a lot of cash.

I've been told the best way to get around Zone 1 when needed afterwards is with an Oyster Card.

So...this is where I get confused...

Say I go out for a beer in the City or West End on a Friday night so need Zone 1, so need to use the Oyster Card. Got no problem with that.
But what happens on the way home? If I have to swipe in at London Bridge on the way home...am I right in saying I will be charged the full possible fair if I dont swipe out again at the end of my route? So presumably, my only option is to swipe in at London Bridge, swipe out at Welling. So wouldnt I be charged the Zone 1 to 4 route on the Oyster, rather than just Zone 1 and then reply on my travelcard for 2 to 4?

Dont think I've explained that very well but does it make sense? Whats the best thing to do?

Comments

  • Riscardo
    Riscardo Posts: 2,338
    Get a Zone 2-4 travelcard, and a top up on the same card for when you go out of these zones. Just keep £5 on it.
  • cafcfan
    cafcfan Posts: 11,207
    My experience is that after I've been out for "a beer" I never remember to swipe my oyster card at the end of my journey and get hit for the full fare!
  • aliwibble
    aliwibble Posts: 26,501
    If your travelcard is on your Oystercard, then it just charges you for the bits that are outside your travelcard area. So you'd just get charged for the zone 1 leg of the journey.
  • JohnBoyUK
    JohnBoyUK Posts: 9,049
    Aha, of course, I put my travelcard on the Oyster too. Ok panic over chaps, ta muchly :-)
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 38,020
    Just bunk it.
  • JohnBoyUK
    JohnBoyUK Posts: 9,049
    [quote][cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]Just bunk it.[/quote]

    lol well there's always that option. I'm doing the commute by bike next week so if I take to it, I may give up public transport alltogether.
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 38,020
    From Welling?!....thighs like Chris Hoy by June.
  • JohnBoyUK
    JohnBoyUK Posts: 9,049
    Its easy, its only 14 and a bit miles door to door through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. Can do it in just a fraction over an hour, whereby train/tube takes 1hr 15-20mins.
    Have thighs like Chris Hoy now. Unfortunately, I have the upper body of Big Daddy to go with them.
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 21,638
    [cite]Posted By: JohnBoyUK[/cite]With my house move coming up, I'm going to be commuting from Welling rather than Barnehurst, so will be moving from Zone 1-4 rather than 1-6. With the re-opening of the East London line come next month, I can commute to Whitechapel & Mile End/Stepney Green for work without the need for Zone 1, so can get rid of it and get a Zone 2-4 travel card in theory, saving me a lot of cash.

    I've been told the best way to get around Zone 1 when needed afterwards is with an Oyster Card.

    So...this is where I get confused...

    Say I go out for a beer in the City or West End on a Friday night so need Zone 1, so need to use the Oyster Card. Got no problem with that.
    But what happens on the way home? If I have to swipe in at London Bridge on the way home...am I right in saying I will be charged the full possible fair if I dont swipe out again at the end of my route? So presumably, my only option is to swipe in at London Bridge, swipe out at Welling. So wouldnt I be charged the Zone 1 to 4 route on the Oyster, rather than just Zone 1 and then reply on my travelcard for 2 to 4?

    Dont think I've explained that very well but does it make sense? Whats the best thing to do?

    Kanu?
  • JohnBoyUK
    JohnBoyUK Posts: 9,049
    Ok, how do I get my travelcard onto a oyster card?
    Do I go back to the railway station that issued the travelcard in the first place?

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  • razil
    razil Posts: 15,041
    you can buy a travelcard on your oyster I think
  • McLovin
    McLovin Posts: 2,307
    The gates at London Bridge are always open after 9. It's the train companies way of saying sorry.
  • JohnBoyUK
    JohnBoyUK Posts: 9,049
    Sorry, to explain, I've still got 6 months of my existing 1-6 travelcard which I want reduced to a 2-4 and put on my oyster... so not looking to buy a new travelcard until the old one runs out...
  • razil
    razil Posts: 15,041
    just use oyster pay as you go when not doing those journeys although they may be willing to do what you want anyway, you just need to ask at a ticket office - tube probably best bet assuming your journey uses tube
  • Riscardo
    Riscardo Posts: 2,338
    Or cash in the annual travelcard ... and buy a monthly oyster until you get the money back and put that towards an annual oyster