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Original poster

Is anyone able to help me see if I can make my commute into London via train any cheaper?

27 replies

anonnamechange4 · 04/09/2022 18:00

I've tried to do some research but find it quite confusing, and wondered whether anyone has more experience or knowledge and is able to help.

I commute to Wood Lane, London via Richmond.

I take a direct train to Richmond on the Reading to Waterloo line, and then go Richmond to Hammersmith to Wood Lane. I go during rush hour (leaving at 7:30am in the morning and arriving by 9am, and leaving to go home at approx 5:30pm.

Last week's commute cost me £36.70 per day (£13.40 on the tubes, £23.30 on the train to Richmond). This seems quite steep but not sure if it's just normal

I pay by contactless on my card on the tube, and buy a ticket from South Western Railway for the train into Richmond. Would getting an Oyster card save me any money?

Thank you in advance

OP posts:
GrandSlamFinalee · 04/09/2022 18:02

Where is ‘home’? I assume outside the TfL zones?

Contactless and oyster pay as you go is the same rate. So you wouldn’t be saving money there unless you’re committing to an annual travelcard…?

popandchoc · 04/09/2022 18:04

Would it be any cheaper to get a train ticket with travel card so it covers the tube too ?

theresaratinthekitchen · 04/09/2022 18:05

What about Reading to Paddington and then Paddington to Wood Lane on the Hammersmith and City line?

monkey42 · 04/09/2022 18:07

Where do you live? Usually if you buy a ticket for the whole journey it’s cheaper…there are quite a few tube options around the Wood Lane area…

Newjobformoremoney · 04/09/2022 18:08

I’m confused, where are you travelling from? Personally I would take the overground from Richmond to wildseden junction and then a bus.

An oyster won’t have you money.

Usernamenotavailabletryanother · 04/09/2022 18:11

Elizabeth line from November (apparently!) will take you straight from Reading to Paddington or Ealing Broadway. Not sure how it will compare with train prices though.

monkey42 · 04/09/2022 18:13

Also depends where near Wood Lane you need to get to. Eg Shepherd’s Bush overground, or Willesden jn overground as above.

Usernamenotavailabletryanother · 04/09/2022 18:14

Or stay on the train until Clapham junction, change for the overground to Shepherd’s Bush which is pretty much next to Wood Lane

Original poster
anonnamechange4 · 04/09/2022 18:42

I'm near Virginia Water, so it's not really worth going towards Reading.

I've done some more research and I think the issue is I've not been tapping in and out when arriving at Richmond from Hammersmith so I've been charged the maximum fare. I definitely did tap the yellow bit at Richmond station before getting the train home so I'm not really sure where I've gone wrong?

OP posts:
Original poster
anonnamechange4 · 04/09/2022 18:43

I'm really near Wood Lane and White City. Shepherd's Bush is a bit further but I think I could walk through Westfield

OP posts:
LizzieMacQueen · 04/09/2022 18:45

I don't think railcards of any type allow discounts at commuter travel time. I could be wrong though

Original poster
anonnamechange4 · 04/09/2022 18:45

Is anyone familiar with Richmond station?

When I get there I tap on the yellow card reader before getting onto the tube to Hammersmith, then at Hammersmith and Wood Lane there are ticket barriers so I have no issues there.

On the way home I arrive at Richmond from Hammersmith, and I tapped out on a yellow card reader before getting the train home. I don't know why it didn't register it, my TFL account says it has no idea what I did from Hammersmith onwards so charged me the maximum fare

OP posts:
GrandSlamFinalee · 04/09/2022 18:49

anonnamechange4 · 04/09/2022 18:45

Is anyone familiar with Richmond station?

When I get there I tap on the yellow card reader before getting onto the tube to Hammersmith, then at Hammersmith and Wood Lane there are ticket barriers so I have no issues there.

On the way home I arrive at Richmond from Hammersmith, and I tapped out on a yellow card reader before getting the train home. I don't know why it didn't register it, my TFL account says it has no idea what I did from Hammersmith onwards so charged me the maximum fare

Are you tapping in / out on the yellow reader in addition to using barriers? For both entry and exit?

VivX · 04/09/2022 19:02

anonnamechange4 · 04/09/2022 18:45

Is anyone familiar with Richmond station?

When I get there I tap on the yellow card reader before getting onto the tube to Hammersmith, then at Hammersmith and Wood Lane there are ticket barriers so I have no issues there.

On the way home I arrive at Richmond from Hammersmith, and I tapped out on a yellow card reader before getting the train home. I don't know why it didn't register it, my TFL account says it has no idea what I did from Hammersmith onwards so charged me the maximum fare

You know you have to "tap out" when you get to Wood Lane?

Or are you saying that because there are ticket barriers at Wood Lane, you're forced to tap out in order to get through the ticket barrier?

But as per pps, have you looked into getting a train ticket that includes the Tube.

Tuio · 04/09/2022 19:04

You need to apply for the refunds in that case and it will ask you where you started your journey and where you ended it and what’s the reason for not touching in and out and you can choose the option which says I thought I did.
It happens to many times at some of the stations I travel and they always refund it

Kfjsjdbd · 04/09/2022 19:05

Would it be do-able at all to buy a folding bike and cycle some of the way? It’s 6 miles between Richmond and Wood Lane…

Tuio · 04/09/2022 19:06

The cheapest will be for you to catch a bus to ealing from Richmond and from ealing another bus to shepherd bush. But that’s gonna add hours to your journey

corlan · 04/09/2022 19:14

I don't know if this will lower the cost, but there's a pink card reader you're supposed to tap your card on if you're changing between the overground and the underground at Richmond (and vice versa.)It's almost underneath the big destinations board by the District Line platforms.

Bramshott · 04/09/2022 19:15

According to Trainline an anytime day travelcard from Virginia Water is £31.30

Original poster
anonnamechange4 · 04/09/2022 19:26

corlan · 04/09/2022 19:14

I don't know if this will lower the cost, but there's a pink card reader you're supposed to tap your card on if you're changing between the overground and the underground at Richmond (and vice versa.)It's almost underneath the big destinations board by the District Line platforms.

Ahh I think this is where I'm going wrong then?

At the moment I arrive at Richmond and tap on the yellow card reader and then get onto the tube to Hammersmith (there are no ticket barriers separating the platforms). This seems to cause no issues and my journey to Wood Lane is recorded properly.

The way home I arrive at Richmond from Hammersmith, tap the yellow card reader and then walk straight onto the platform for my train (again, I don't go through any ticket barriers). Do I need to do the yellow and pink card reader on the journey home?

OP posts:
QuantumWeatherButterfly · 04/09/2022 19:29

I don't think the pink reader at Richmond applies here - that is used when changing trains on the TFL network, but at Richmond the OP changes from TFL (tube) to mainline train (South Western). So, at Richmond, would need to tap on yellow to end the TFL journey.

OP, you have a separate ticket for Richmond to Virginia Water, right?

And at Hammersmith, you change from Circle/Hammersmith & City to District, in the process changing between the two Hammersmith stations? If so, you have to tap in and out at the barriers at both?

PictPost · 04/09/2022 19:40

I'd do one ticket Richmond to Shep Bush overground, it's no more than a ten min walk through Westfield to Wood Lane.

TugboatAnnie · 04/09/2022 19:48

Is there not a season ticket option for the overground if you are commuting 5 days a week? Then a capped spend on the Underground? Excuse my ignorance of your journey but my commute was NE to SW across London and that was my cheapest option.

BrownTableMat · 04/09/2022 20:07

When I lived in London and commuted my employer offered a season ticket loan scheme. They lent me the money to buy an annual travel card and I always did so in December, just before the price increase in January. It worked out very cost effective: as well as the big discount for an annual card (I think it was the equivalent of ten or eleven monthly cards) I also locked in the previous year’s pricing. My employer then took it back from my wages each month. Might yours offer something similar, and even if not, might buying a period travel card (annual, monthly or even weekly) be a good investment?

monkey42 · 04/09/2022 22:03

I do overground train to Richmond then tube to hammersmith, I go from the train to the tube platform tapping the pink reader As I leg it past …
i don’t think you should tap the yellow ones personally…