On 23 Jan, 17:00, Matthew Dickinson
wrote:
I note that National Rail do not recognise the existence of Zones 7 to
9.

http://www.atoc.org/retail/_download...8_Common_K.pdf

"National Rail do not issue tickets with a description of Zones 7,8,9
but use the actual station description"

Also "All Zones" means Zones 1-6 as far as National Rail are
concerned.



I've been intending to post on this subject for a while - as you say,
an "All Zones Travelcard" as sold by National Rail doesn't quite have
the same definitive meaning it once did - in other words...

Q: When is "All Zones Travelcard" not valid in all the zones?
A: When it is sold by National Rail.

I think TfL are to be applauded for bringing the Watford - Euston DC
lines, at least as far as Watford High Street, into the zonal system,
and adjusting the zoning for the portion of the nearby Metropolitan
line that is also outside Greater London (the stations that used to be
zones A - D).

However the zones 7-9 solution are a kind of TfL only zones, in the
same manner as the old zones A - D on the Metropolitan line.

What would be good would be if National Rail systems were updated so
that they too could issue Travelcards that include zones 7-9. In a
sense they can, as they use the actual station description - but I'm
unclear whether such Travelcards that include actual stations as the
origin (or destination - but I think only origin is possible) can be
used for unlimited travel as opposed to just being valid for a
straight return journey.

Perhaps this is TfL's fault for moving too fast, or possibly ATOCs
fault for being too stuck in the mud. Nevertheless it presents an
opportunity for maximum confusion.

Incidentally last year's now obsolete Tube map with the old zones A -
D, but with the London Overground network (including the Watford -
Euston DC lines), is still available here on the TfL website:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/images/...d-tube-map.gif

Compare and contrast to the current Tube map:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...d-Tube-map.gif


One question - has anyone bought a Railcard discounted Day Travelcard
from an LU ticket office yet this year - and if so, does it include
zones 7-9 as a 'free' extra? (i.e. Is the situation similar to how
zones A-D used to be included for 'free'.)