A slight problem in travelling across London with a through discounted ticket ....

[barmpot]

Sounds a bit like a SW title!!

But I have now discovered that if you have a ticket booked through London stations (as I do to go from Yorkshire to Sussex which is fairly regularly) and it is discounted with the Senior Railcard (or any other railcard) it will NOT operate the barriers at St Pancras or Kings Cross. Actually explained to me by a helpful member of staff at St Pancras the other day. Which explains why I always had to say ticket not working and wait for some one to let me through! Can slow you up.

 

[Big Unc]

Sounds a bit like a SW title!!

But I have now discovered that if you have a ticket booked through London stations (as I do to go from Yorkshire to Sussex which is fairly regularly) and it is discounted with the Senior Railcard (or any other railcard) it will NOT operate the barriers at St Pancras or Kings Cross. Actually explained to me by a helpful member of staff at St Pancras the other day. Which explains why I always had to say ticket not working and wait for some one to let me through! Can slow you up.

Intrigued by reference to St Pancras or Kings Cross. Are you meaning that from where you live you have services to both St Pancras and Kings Cross or are you referring to the joint underground station?

 

[barmpot]

Intrigued by reference to St Pancras or Kings Cross. Are you meaning that from where you live you have services to both St Pancras and Kings Cross or are you referring to the joint underground station?

Actually get off at King's Cross, through that ticket barrier to go next door to continue my trip from St Pancras down to Sussex, which means through another ticket barrier! So that is four times on the return trip that I have to pause and wait for an official to assist!

 

[Big Unc]

Actually get off at King's Cross, through that ticket barrier to go next door to continue my trip from St Pancras down to Sussex, which means through another ticket barrier! So that is four times on the return trip that I have to pause and wait for an official to assist!

How times have changed! I had completely forgotten about Thameslink and that it is no longer essential to use the Tube to cross London north to south.

 

[Marianna]

How times have changed! I had completely forgotten about Thameslink and that it is no longer essential to use the Tube to cross London north to south.

Almost makes me wish I were spending some time in London during my September-October visit. I haven't yet needed to travel across London from north to south, but it might be interesting to take a ride through part of the Oyster card section of Thameslink just to check it out.

For once, my entire itinerary is limited to Cumbria, West Yorkshire, Shropshire and the North York Moors. I'll fly into and out of Manchester (via Detroit and Amsterdam from here in south central upstate New York). Such a relatively efficient itinerary is unusual for me. Usually, it looks as though it had been planned by someone with no knowledge of UK geography. Actually, I'm following up on as many of my interests as can be crammed into the duration of the trip.

Marianna

 

[Norm]

Hmm odd.I also travel frequently to St Pancras from Leicester and have a senior rail card , but I always buy my ticket from Oakham or Melton railway station a few days before and I never have any problems, the machine at the gate always accepts the ticket.

 

[Big Unc]

Hmm odd.I also travel frequently to St Pancras from Leicester and have a senior rail card , but I always buy my ticket from Oakham or Melton railway station a few days before and I never have any problems, the machine at the gate always accepts the ticket.

You do not make clear if St Pancras is your ultimate destination or if, like Barmpot you are making a through London journey. That might explain the difference.

 

[Norm]

You do not make clear if St Pancras is your ultimate destination or if, like Barmpot you are making a through London journey. That might explain the difference.

Sorry yes you are correct, I should have said I then go onto the London underground system using my Oyster card.