Tube fares

[Fraser]

I don't post very often so please excuse the rant.

Thought I'd go out at lunchtime, walk for a bit and then Tube back to work. I don't use the Tube normally unless forced to, so imagine my surprise when pressing the "single - Zone 1" button resulted in a request for £4! I assumed I'd pressed the wrong button and ran through the process again, but no! the charge is indeed now £4 for a single fare.

I'm quite amazed that anyone would want to come and visit London anymore. Aren't we meant to be encouraging people to use public transport?

Transport for London could at least set up some sort of appropriate smilies for their ticket machines whilst they fleece you, perhaps one of Red Ken complete with highwayman mask etc

Apologies if this has been in the news/on the forum previously.

Fraser.

[JasonP]

Originally Posted by Fraser

Thought I'd go out at lunchtime, walk for a bit and then Tube back to work. I don't use the Tube normally unless forced to, so imagine my surprise when pressing the "single - Zone 1" button resulted in a request for £4! I assumed I'd pressed the wrong button and ran through the process again, but no! the charge is indeed now £4 for a single fare.

It's to force you to use Oyster, which is £1.50 IIRC.

Jason

[JAG]

Jump the barrier and risk a bullet in the head!

I can sympathise, I got stung few weeks ago. I use the tube about 4 times a year, but when I pressed for a single ticket and got asked for £4.00 I went mental. I could have sworn it was £2.00 the last time I used it.

[Fraser]

It's to force you to use Oyster, which is £1.50 IIRC

As a (very) occasional Tube traveller I don't think it's worth me getting an Oyster card. I guess when my rail company accept them...

Also you have to be a UK resident to apply for one. Still I suppose tourists are used to being ripped off

Fraser.

[dry suit diver]

Originally Posted by Fraser

As a (very) occasional Tube traveller I don't think it's worth me getting an Oyster card. I guess when my rail company accept them...

Also you have to be a UK resident to apply for one. Still I suppose tourists are used to being ripped off

Fraser.

no you dont have to be a UK resident to apply, Tfl want tourists to use them. An oyster card pay as you go has a £3 refundable deposit if bought at a tube station ( if you lucky the nice people sometimes 'forget' about the deposit bit) you can load it with cash at loads of places, the credit never expires so if you put £20 on it and used it once then didn't use it again for 2 years it would still have the remaining balance on it. Great if you go out for the night and spend the taxi money - jump on the night bus. its also good for the occaisional traveller on the tube as there is no having to remember to have enough loose change for a ticket from the machine.

if you buy a zone ticket on oyster some TOCs are accepting oyster and from later this year all suburban rail in London will be under the Tfl umbrella so oyster will be able to be used.

best bit of PAYG the amount they take from you is capped at 50p less than the cost of a paper off peak travel card.

Oyster is such a good system , no more queues for paper tickets , paper tickets getting coffee soaked at work. cheap fares.

the cost of cashing up is the big factor in why there is a push to oyster.

I have one and think its the best thing for london transport. by time olympics come the technology will be being used for entry to the stadia and to buy goods in the olympic village. read the local papers.

[JasonP]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

if you buy a zone ticket on oyster some TOCs are accepting oyster and from later this year all suburban rail in London will be under the Tfl umbrella so oyster will be able to be used.

TFL are only taking over a few lines, like Silverlink Metro. South West Trains won't be accepting PAYG Oyster until 2009.

It's bizarre really. I use a travelcard on Oyster every morning to work, but I can't actually buy my ticket at the station I get on. They've got no Oyster facilities.

Jason

[dry suit diver]

Originally Posted by JasonP

TFL are only taking over a few lines, like Silverlink Metro. South West Trains won't be accepting PAYG Oyster until 2009.

It's bizarre really. I use a travelcard on Oyster every morning to work, but I can't actually buy my ticket at the station I get on. They've got no Oyster facilities.

Jason

Yet, roll out is not proving as easy as was anticipated. standard project balls ups I am afraid.

[Dave Crampton]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

I have one and think its the best thing for london transport. by time olympics come the technology will be being used for entry to the stadia and to buy goods in the olympic village. read the local papers.

Isn't there a symilar system already in place.... ... its called debit or Credit card or something..??

[sceptical head on]

Just another way for LT get YOU'RE cash in THEIR bank to earn THEM interest for a while, before you pay for their services....

[/sceptical head off]

[JWB]

I thought I heard they had to put up the fares to relieve the congestion on the tubes.

Same as they had to put up the congestion charge because not enough people were paying it????