In message , Ian F.
writes

Still not sure it's of much use to me. I travel a few times a week from Zone
3 into central London, an occasional bus ride, and a few Southern trains
between Balham, Victoria, Croydon etc., on which I understand you can't use
Oyster.

Would there be any point in loading a one day Travelcard (say zones 1-4)
onto an Oyster card on a day when I need it, or might I just as well carry
on buying paper tickets?

As others have said, you cannot load a one-day Travelcard.

If you have Oyster pre-pay, fares at Oyster rates will be deducted and,
if your daily total exceeds a one-day Travelcard, the Oyster will give
you the benefit of the total being capped at one-day Travelcard level.

However, without more detail of the specific journeys (especially how
you get from Zone 3 to Central London), it is impossible to say whether
or not you would be better off.

IMO, Oyster has little to offer significant numbers of Londoners until
surface rail is brought into the scheme.

--
Paul Terry

"Paul Terry" wrote in message
...
In message , Ian F.
writes


IMO, Oyster has little to offer significant numbers of Londoners until
surface rail is brought into the scheme.


It offer EVERYONE the benefit of not having to wait behind oyster users at
ticket machine as often. The benefit to none oyster users of oster can be
more then the benefit to oyster users.

"Paul Terry" wrote in message
...

However, without more detail of the specific journeys (especially how
you get from Zone 3 to Central London), it is impossible to say whether
or not you would be better off.

I usually buy a Z1-4 off peak travelcard and travel into central London
using the tube, although sometimes I go overground to Victoria and take a
bus, or a tube from there - in Balham we have tube and overground and it's
usually quicker to go by train to Victoria than by tube to Victoria. I
travel into Z1, on average, twice a week. Other times, I might buy a Z2-6
off-peak travelcard and use it locally, sometimes to go to Croydon,
sometimes to go via Clapham Junction to Richmond or Kingston or elsewhere.
Other times, I might just use local buses. The majority of the travel is
off-peak, although occasionally I have to go into the West End early
morning.

If you could give me some advice, it would be great - I've been travelling
in London all my life (I'm 54), but the Oyster situation has me baffled!

Ian

Ian F. wrote:
"Paul Terry" wrote in message
...


However, without more detail of the specific journeys (especially how
you get from Zone 3 to Central London), it is impossible to say whether
or not you would be better off.


I usually buy a Z1-4 off peak travelcard and travel into central London
using the tube, although sometimes I go overground to Victoria and take a
bus, or a tube from there - in Balham we have tube and overground and it's
usually quicker to go by train to Victoria than by tube to Victoria. I
travel into Z1, on average, twice a week. Other times, I might buy a Z2-6
off-peak travelcard and use it locally, sometimes to go to Croydon,
sometimes to go via Clapham Junction to Richmond or Kingston or elsewhere.
Other times, I might just use local buses. The majority of the travel is
off-peak, although occasionally I have to go into the West End early
morning.

If you could give me some advice, it would be great - I've been travelling
in London all my life (I'm 54), but the Oyster situation has me baffled!

Basically, once capping comes, in Oyster is good for everything apart
from National Rail.

If you plan to use NR as part of a day's travels, then Oyster is most
likely not for you unless it's a simple return Tube+rail trip where the
rail fare is cheaper than the price of the travelcard minus the Oyster
return price for the Tube.

So Oyster would be good if you were travelling around just on local
buses or used the Tube from Balham into London and any bus or Tube
services in London. But if you want to use overground rail into Victoria
or Clapham Junction then it's probably best to stick with paper Travelcards.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

"Dave Arquati" wrote in message
...

So Oyster would be good if you were travelling around just on local
buses or used the Tube from Balham into London and any bus or Tube
services in London. But if you want to use overground rail into Victoria
or Clapham Junction then it's probably best to stick with paper
Travelcards.

Thanks Dave - most helpful.

Ian

"Ian F." typed


"Paul Terry" wrote in message
...

However, without more detail of the specific journeys (especially how
you get from Zone 3 to Central London), it is impossible to say whether
or not you would be better off.

I usually buy a Z1-4 off peak travelcard and travel into central London
using the tube, although sometimes I go overground to Victoria and take a
bus, or a tube from there - in Balham we have tube and overground and it's
usually quicker to go by train to Victoria than by tube to Victoria. I
travel into Z1, on average, twice a week. Other times, I might buy a Z2-6
off-peak travelcard and use it locally, sometimes to go to Croydon,
sometimes to go via Clapham Junction to Richmond or Kingston or elsewhere.
Other times, I might just use local buses. The majority of the travel is
off-peak, although occasionally I have to go into the West End early
morning.

If you could give me some advice, it would be great - I've been travelling
in London all my life (I'm 54), but the Oyster situation has me baffled!

Ian


It strikes me you might save money with Oyster PrePay, especially if you
travel at weekends or after 7pm, when the fares are much lower. You
really have to think ahead for each days travel, using the fares
leaflet, and then work out what will be cheapest. SORRY!

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:

It strikes me you might save money with Oyster PrePay, especially if you
travel at weekends or after 7pm, when the fares are much lower. You
really have to think ahead for each days travel, using the fares
leaflet, and then work out what will be cheapest. SORRY!

Fine, but plans do change especially if you're out for a day. Costing out
what might be the cheapest option in advance isn't always a practical
solution. And whilst TfL fares all come together in a nice easy to read
guide, nothing equivalent exists for the plethora of NR point to point
tickets prices covering the same area. Hence a ODTC is the ideal solution
in many cases.

PrePay capping is an obvious advantage, pay for what you've used with the
guarantee of not having to pay more than the cost of the ODTC. Unless of
course you use NR......

--
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

"Helen Deborah Vecht" wrote in message
...

It strikes me you might save money with Oyster
PrePay, especially if you travel at weekends or
after 7pm, when the fares are much lower. You
really have to think ahead for each days travel,
using the fares leaflet, and then work out what
will be cheapest. SORRY!

I thought the whole point of capping is that you *don't* have to think ahead
for each days travel, using the fares leaflet, and then work out what will
be cheapest.

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes

John Rowland wrote:
"Helen Deborah Vecht" wrote in message
...

It strikes me you might save money with Oyster
PrePay, especially if you travel at weekends or
after 7pm, when the fares are much lower. You
really have to think ahead for each days travel,
using the fares leaflet, and then work out what
will be cheapest. SORRY!


I thought the whole point of capping is that you *don't* have to think ahead
for each days travel, using the fares leaflet, and then work out what will
be cheapest.

True... but since prepay is not yet here for National Rail, Ian is
probably better off considering what he might be doing in advance.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London