Zip oyster 16+

[janinlondon]

Is there a zip oyster 16+ expert out there somewhere please? DD takes national rail trains to school each day. She always specified a monthly season ticket from home station to school station, not via London terminals. Since changing her 11-15 zip to the 16+zip this term her monthly bill has doubled in price from £24 to £46.70. TFL say its national rail's fault. National rail say its TFLs fault. Neither can really explain it or help find a cheaper option. I've trawled through all the terms and conditions but I am thick. Why is the bill double?

The zip card allows travel on most rail services at half adult rate - I don't know if this includes season tickets?
How much would an adult season ticket cost?
Does she buy it at a machine or a ticket office?

11-15 card is child rate and 16+ is half adult rate, maybe this is where the price increase has come from?

No - both offer half the adult rate.

I don't suppose there has been a fare increase at the same time?

Has her time of travel changed - my DS rail fare is more if he msses the early train home (off peak). The one 20 mins later is peak time (at 4.15pm )

Although... TFL says 16+ travelcards are child rate even if fares on NR are half adult rate (which on a quick google is pretty much the same thing)

Is the season ticket a rail only one or a travelcard?

I agree with seeline - you need to find out the adult cost, because she should be paying half that if it's just national rail.

Before, your child had a child rate National rail ticket between the two stations which she can't get now as she is over 16. She now appears to have a travelcard - this would have cost the same when she was under 16 but didn't need the extra flexibility. So she probably has a different type of ticket hence the fare increase.

Thanks all. I have finally had an answer from National Rail. Child fares are available to 16+ zip holders on all fares EXCEPT season tickets. These were available to them when they were on 11-15, but not once they are on the 16+. I have been given a refund as the cost was actually no saving on using pay as you go oyster zip. I cant say I see any logic, but there you go!

Glad you got an answer! Does seem a bit weird that you can have a season ticket before 16 but not after.....

Is the problem you're buying a point to point season? I don't know what zone home and school are, but a zone 5-6 (e.g) travelcard would get the discount and might be cheaper. Or can she get a bus instead?

Titchy - she wants a season monthly (the only one that can be sold point to point and on which we can specify not via central London), but they sold her the zone 2-3 travelcard, which even with discount is twice the price. She cannot buy the season monthly with discount any more now that she's on the zip 16+. It is the only type of card that is now excluded from zip16+ options. She could take three buses, but that takes hours...! She will use payg.

Seeline - yes, TFL and national rail have admitted they are in dispute about it but that there is no likely resolution....

It's ridiculous I agree. Your council probably doesn't have a student discount card either as you're in London. We're just outside, but travelling into the zones, and dd has a discount card from our council which gets her a third off the adult price of a point to point season.

(Just posting this for archive for future searches)
If your child has changed to a 16+ zip oyster from an 11-15 zip oyster they are no longer eligible for discounts on season tickets on services by national rail.

Thank you for this JanInLondon: you endured the research on this so we don't have to!

What a dog's dinner!

Sort them out, Sadiq!