At the weekend we decided to visit London Zoo (branded ZSL) on a First
Great Western 2for1 deal. (South West Trains offer the same). The
leaflets for these deals are available at numerous stations within the
Greater London boundary, and also presumably beyond. They are
extensive and cover 100s of 'attractions' in London. However - as we
found to our cost - the conditions in the small print on the back (so
small that you can hardly read them) state that the offers are only
available for 'paper' tickets to London (obviously from further
afield), also they are NOT available for Oyster Tickets. And no
mention is made of Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.

So when we got to ZSL our 2for1 coupons was declined and we got
clobbered for the full adult price of £17 each. Actually we elected
not to pay the 'voluntary' donation to help to preserve tigers (or
something like that) so it was slightly less.

But it is now obvious to us that the 2for1 deals - widely advertised
throughout London - actually EXCLUDES most Londoners especially those
who have to use Oyster Cards, Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
Apparently even local London paper tickets are excluded because these
have to be from outside London into London - although the conditions
do not state how far outside London you need to be, nor do they define
what a ticket into London exactly means.

C.J.Brady

On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:00:30 -0700 (PDT), CJB
wrote:

At the weekend we decided to visit London Zoo (branded ZSL) on a First
Great Western 2for1 deal. (South West Trains offer the same). The
leaflets for these deals are available at numerous stations within the
Greater London boundary, and also presumably beyond. They are
extensive and cover 100s of 'attractions' in London. However - as we
found to our cost - the conditions in the small print on the back (so
small that you can hardly read them) state that the offers are only
available for 'paper' tickets to London (obviously from further
afield), also they are NOT available for Oyster Tickets. And no
mention is made of Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.

So when we got to ZSL our 2for1 coupons was declined and we got
clobbered for the full adult price of £17 each. Actually we elected
not to pay the 'voluntary' donation to help to preserve tigers (or
something like that) so it was slightly less.

But it is now obvious to us that the 2for1 deals - widely advertised
throughout London - actually EXCLUDES most Londoners especially those
who have to use Oyster Cards, Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
Apparently even local London paper tickets are excluded because these
have to be from outside London into London - although the conditions
do not state how far outside London you need to be, nor do they define
what a ticket into London exactly means.

C.J.Brady

When you say you visited 'on a First Great Western 2 for 1 deal' did
you travel on First Great Western? If so, presumably you had a
ticket. Was this not the ticket they wanted to see rather than an
Oyster card?

I can see their logic with an Oyster card. Unless they have a card
reader in the zoo they would have no way of knowing whether you had
used it to make a journey that day or not. I think the basis of the
offer is to 'reward' those usiing the train not those who happen to
have an Oyster card in their wallet.

On Jun 30, 10:17*am, Scott wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:00:30 -0700 (PDT), CJB
wrote:





At the weekend we decided to visit London Zoo (branded ZSL) on a First
Great Western 2for1 deal. (South West Trains offer the same). The
leaflets for these deals are available at numerous stations within the
Greater London boundary, and also presumably beyond. They are
extensive and cover 100s of 'attractions' in London. However - as we
found to our cost - the conditions in the small print on the back (so
small that you can hardly read *them) state that the offers are only
available for 'paper' tickets to London (obviously from further
afield), also they are NOT available for Oyster Tickets. And no
mention is made of Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.

So when we got to ZSL our 2for1 coupons was declined and we got
clobbered for the full adult price of £17 each. Actually we elected
not to pay the 'voluntary' donation to help to preserve tigers (or
something like that) so it was slightly less.

But it is now obvious to us that the 2for1 deals - widely advertised
throughout London - actually EXCLUDES most Londoners especially those
who have to use Oyster Cards, Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
Apparently even local London paper tickets are excluded because these
have to be from outside London into London - although the conditions
do not state how far outside London you need to be, nor do they define
what a ticket into London exactly means.

C.J.Brady

When you say you visited 'on a First Great Western 2 for 1 deal' did
you travel on First Great Western? *If so, presumably you had a
ticket. *Was this not the ticket they wanted to see rather than an
Oyster card?

I can see their logic with an Oyster card. *Unless they have a card
reader in the zoo they would have no way of knowing whether you had
used it to make a journey that day or not. *I think the basis of the
offer is to 'reward' those usiing the train not those who happen to
have an Oyster card in their wallet.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

My friend had a paper ticket from Newbury to Hayes & Harlington,
extended by a 1-day all zone Travel Card. I had a London Freedom
Pass.

ZSL stated that they needed TWO *paper* tickets from 'outside' London
to London - although they couldn't define the term 'outside' nor the
exact destination London station required. Actually ZSL hadn't a clue
what was valid or not, all the women at the ticket desk knew was that
Oyster Cards and Freedom Passes were not valid. So we both had to pay
the full admission. CJB.

On 30 Jun, 10:00, CJB wrote:
At the weekend we decided to visit London Zoo (branded ZSL) on a First
Great Western 2for1 deal. (South West Trains offer the same). The
leaflets for these deals are available at numerous stations within the
Greater London boundary, and also presumably beyond. They are
extensive and cover 100s of 'attractions' in London. However - as we
found to our cost - the conditions in the small print on the back (so
small that you can hardly read *them) state that the offers are only
available for 'paper' tickets to London (obviously from further
afield), also they are NOT available for Oyster Tickets. And no
mention is made of Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.

So when we got to ZSL our 2for1 coupons was declined and we got
clobbered for the full adult price of £17 each. Actually we elected
not to pay the 'voluntary' donation to help to preserve tigers (or
something like that) so it was slightly less.

But it is now obvious to us that the 2for1 deals - widely advertised
throughout London - actually EXCLUDES most Londoners especially those
who have to use Oyster Cards, Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
Apparently even local London paper tickets are excluded because these
have to be from outside London into London - although the conditions
do not state how far outside London you need to be, nor do they define
what a ticket into London exactly means.

C.J.Brady

I suggest that anyone going to the zoo ( or anywhere else) prints this
out

http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faq.aspx

Summary

Oyster not valid
Any type of London paper Travelcard Valid
Freedom pass Valid

however Oyster is valid for a load of 2 for 1s
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/oys...s/attractions/


HTH Phil

In message
, CJB
writes

ZSL stated that they needed TWO *paper* tickets from 'outside' London
to London - although they couldn't define the term 'outside' nor the
exact destination London station required.

The terms and conditions state that all you need are two paper tickets
with the National Rail symbol printed on them, valid for the date of
admission to the attraction, which it appears you had.

There is no requirement to travel to any particular station in London
or, indeed, for you to travel to London at all. You merely have to have
used National Rail with a paper ticket on that date.

Write to London Zoo and ask for a refund. If they decline, complain to
customer services at FGW.
--
Paul Terry

CJB wrote:
ZSL stated that they needed TWO *paper* tickets from 'outside' London
to London - although they couldn't define the term 'outside' nor the
exact destination London station required. Actually ZSL hadn't a clue
what was valid or not, all the women at the ticket desk knew was that
Oyster Cards and Freedom Passes were not valid. So we both had to pay
the full admission. CJB.

Since they do not define "London" the customer may interpret it to
mean "City of London", so any ticket from outside zone 1 to zone 1 ought to
be sufficient (or a station inside the City of London if they really want
to be pedantic).

In message , at 11:19:04 on Mon,
30 Jun 2008, Paul Terry remarked:
ZSL stated that they needed TWO *paper* tickets from 'outside' London
to London - although they couldn't define the term 'outside' nor the
exact destination London station required.

The terms and conditions state that all you need are two paper tickets
with the National Rail symbol printed on them, valid for the date of
admission to the attraction, which it appears you had.

Two such paper tickets issued to the same traveller seems to me to be
outside the spirit of the rules.

--
Roland Perry

In message
, at
03:17:40 on Mon, 30 Jun 2008, remarked:
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faq.aspx

Summary

Oyster not valid
Any type of London paper Travelcard Valid
Freedom pass Valid

I don't think that website says that Freedom Passes are valid.
--
Roland Perry

In message , Roland Perry

Two such paper tickets issued to the same traveller seems to me to be
outside the spirit of the rules.

Given that we are discussing a "two for the price of one" offer, I
should think that is unlikely to arise. But if it did, how would the
attraction concerned know who each ticket was issued to?

--
Paul Terry

In message of Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:25:16
in uk.transport.london, Roland Perry writes
In message
, at
03:17:40 on Mon, 30 Jun 2008, remarked:
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faq.aspx

Summary

Oyster not valid
Any type of London paper Travelcard Valid
Freedom pass Valid

I don't think that website says that Freedom Passes are valid.

I quote: "However you are able to use Oyster cards that are issued in
conjunction with Freedom passes."
--
Walter Briscoe