Peak or Off-Peak
One of the real complications with the new system concerns the difference between peak and off-peak. The daily price cap operates between 0430 in the morning and 0430 the following morning. Obviously Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays are off-peak all the time. For Monday to Friday the day is split into five periods with four different meanings as follows:
| Time of Day | Actual Rate Charged | Counts towards which price cap |
|---|---|---|
| 04.30-06.30 | Off Peak | Peak |
| 06.30-09.30 | Peak | Peak |
| 09.30-16.00 | Off Peak | Off Peak |
| 16.00-19.00 | Peak | Off Peak |
| 19.00-04.30 | Off Peak | Off Peak |
If you build up travel in the morning peak (before 0930) then the most you will pay will be the peak price cap for the zones that you travel within. This will apply to all travel that day (up to 0430 the next day). If you do not start to travel until after 0930 then the most you will pay will be the off-peak price cap for the zones that you travel within. If you travel in the morning peak but do not reach the value of the peak cap minus the off-peak cap, your peak travel is frozen at 0930 and you start building up to the off-peak cap from zero. This way you will never pay more than the appropriate travelcard for your journeys during the day.
Exceptions
As with all rules there are a number of exceptions.
- If you start a journey outside zone 1 between 1600 and 1900 and finish it inside zone 1 using any of the modes of TfL rail (see definitions page) then the off-peak fare applies.
- All travel between Euston and Watford Junction before 0930 is considered off-peak as is travel the other way between 1600 and 1900.
- There are a number of earlier starts to the off-peak from stations at the extremeties of the Oyster area. Touch in after the times given in the following table will count towards the off-peak price cap, but note that the single fare charged will still be the peak fare until after 0930:
| Station | Time of Touch In |
|---|---|
| Chesham | 09:00 |
| Amersham | 09:10 |
| Chalfont & Latimer | 09:15 |
| Chorleywood | 09:15 |
| Watford High Street | 09:10 |
| Bushey | 09:20 |
| Carpenders Park | 09:20 |
| Rickmansworth | 09:20 |
| Caterham | 09:00 |
| Whyteleafe | 09:10 |
| Whyteleafe South | 09:10 |
| Kenley | 09:10 |
| Purley | 09:15 |
| Purley Oaks | 09:20 |
| South Croydon | 09:20 |
| Tattenham Corner | 09:00 |
| Tadworth | 09:00 |
| Kingswood | 09:10 |
| Coulsdon South | 09:20 |
| Carshalton Beeches | 09:20 |
| Wallington | 09:20 |
This page updated 06 October 2011.
50 Responses
And as of the 2nd of January 2011 a journey from outside zone 1 ending in zone 1 during the evening peak counts as off-peak.
Indeed it will, but only if it is a wholly TfL rail (tube, dlr, overground plus a few NR lines) journey.
It also applies if there are alternative routes on that journey (you can see these by clicking on “alternative routes” on the TfL fare finder.
If a TfL route applies the rule, then all other routes for that journey will as well.
e.g.
Wimbledon Tube via Victoria Tube to Oxford Circus Tube (TfL Fare scale)
or
Wimbledon NR via Waterloo NR – OSI – Waterloo Tube to Oxford Circus Tube (Through Fare scale)
Both of these will be on the Off Peak single price as well.
The new 2011 rule that a journey from outside zone 1 ending in zone 1 during the evening peak counts as off-peak is applied very literally. Whilst a Z5 to Z1 Tube journey at 5pm is off-peak (£2.70) under this new rule, if you alight one stop earlier in Z2, you get charged the PEAK fare of £2.50 (rather than £1.40 off-peak)! Seems crazy and illogical. It’s the same journey at the same time, just slightly shorter. It just adds insult to injury following the withdrawal of the Z2-6 Travelcard and cap, of which I was a regular user.
Yes, I miss the zone 2-6 cap too. And I agree that the end in zone 1 only rule does provide some anolmalies, but it must be worthwhile for some users. At least it doesn’t cost more to alight earlier!
Hi thanks for this info.
Just to clarify, what if you start your journey within zone 1 between 1600 and 1900, and finish it at a zone outside zone 1? Will this still count towards the off-peak price cap? Thanks
Yes it will. All travel after 0930 Monday to Friday counts towards the off-peak price cap unless your travel before 0930 was more than the peak cap minus the off-peak cap, in which case it is the peak cap which applies all day. You only have one cap each day, either the peak cap or the off-peak cap.
Quick question. Am I right in guessing that on a weekday if you make a bus journey before 9.30 and then other travel (be it underground,NR,whatever) AFTER 9.30 the peak cap applies?
Probably not. The bus journey (£1.30) will stay as a separate entry and the rest of your travel will count towards the off-peak cap. You only get the peak cap if your travel before 9.30 accounts for more than the peak cap minus the off-peak cap. Other bus journeys will still count towards the bus daily cap in case your rail travel plus off-peak bus travel doesn’t exceed the off peak cap.
Re Amy’s question above, does this apply to NR journeys, namely London Bridge/Victoria to East Croydon?
Trying to work out if I travel in the other direction after 9.30am by NR, scoot around Central London all day on the tube and then return to East Croydon during evening peak whether my cap will be £8 or £15 (as at June ’11).
As long as you start travel after 0930 then the off-peak cap is the one which applies. This is true for any combination of rail or bus/tram journeys.
Once a month I am on the early shift, so travel from zone 6 on Southwest Trains to Waterloo on the 0618. From there I get the Waterloo and City to Bank usually exiting just after 0700. Then in the afternoons I do the reverse, on the Waterloo and City around 1540 and try get the 1550 out of Waterloo.
How would this journey be classified? Off peak? Or Peak?
Hi Marcel,
The time of touch in at the start of those journeys is the key. The morning one is before 0630 so that will be charged at the off-peak rate. Likewise, the afternoon one is before 1600 so it will also be charged at the off-peak rate. Unfortunately the morning one counts towards the full anytime (peak) cap, so even though the sum of the two journeys is more than the off-peak cap you will get charged for both single journeys in full.
Hope that helps.
Thanks Mike, thought I might save myself a few quid going PAYG for that week, but no such luck.
Hi,
If I start my journey on a weekday after 09.30 from zone 5 , and travel around london all day (between Zone 5 – Zone 1) using a combination of tube, NR and buses, including the peak evening hours, what will my price cap be 15? or 8?
£8.00. It’s only £15 if you start before 9.30.
Hi,
I can’t seem to find this information anywhere online, but maybe I’m being stupid. My basic question is: is a bus journey made as part of one single journey (from a bus stop outside a station) charged as a separate journey (£1.30) or is it included within the appropriate zonal fare for the rest of your journey? Similarly, if making multiple journeys in a day which take you to the tube/NR cap rate, do any bus journeys just count towards that cap rate or are you charged the separate bus fare/cap rate as well?
I live in Erith and work in Dagenham which has multiple variations of journey usually involving at least three of train/DLR/tube/bus. I usually cycle as it is much quicker, but if I do use public transport, start after 09:30 and need to make additional bus journeys within Dagenham on the day (my work takes me to different locations in the town) would I be better getting an Off Peak Z1-6 Travelcard for £8.00 at the station or would the most I was charged be £8 on Oyster anyway? Hope that makes sense!
Thanks
Hi Geoff,
I think I get what you mean. Firstly, a bus journey will never form part of a rail journey. It is always a separate journey. However, bus travel is included within the appropriate daily cap. Therefore if all your travel is after 9.30am and within zones 1-6 then the most you will pay is £8.00. Remember also that the most you will pay on buses in one day is £4.00.
Hope that helps,
Mike.
So a question. If I travel before 9.30am, from say z4-z6 but then during the day, goto z1-z4, will the cap be £7.30 during the day? as long as I stay within z4 or will it be £8 as i’ve started my day in Z6 or will it be £15 as it started before 9.30am in z6?
Thanks
Hi Rob,
That’s an interesting question. If you make one journey from z6-z4 before 9.30am and then keep within zones 1-4 afterwards then I would expect the off-peak cap to apply to your post 9.30am travel and it should be £7.30. You are only capped at the peak rate if your travel before 9.30am exceeds the peak cap minus the off-peak cap (ie £7 for zones 1-6). If you took a bus and a z6-z1 NR+TfL journey before 9.30am you would be charged £7.80. If you then spent the off-peak time only in zones 1-2 and finished up coming home by bus then I would hope you’d only get a £6.60 z1-2 off-peak cap, but I don’t know for sure. I’ll see if I can find out.
Perhaps it’s my sleep-deprived brain, but when I touched in at Amersham today I saw a hand-written TfL notice that said ‘for off-peak price cap, touch in after 0911; for off peak fare touch in after 0930′.
It may have been the other way round – as I said, sleep-deprived – but it was definitely there. What’s going on?
Not sure, but I’ll try and find out.
Hi there,
I’m trying to figure out why a colleague of mine is being charged £2.50 per single fare for her journey every day. West Hampstead to Watford junction for her, both in the morning (arriving 8.45 roughly) and the evening (leaving 5.21) on the overground is never more than £2.50 despite the fact that this should be peak(?). tfl says that this should be £4.00. I live in Shepherd’s bush and pay for the montly 2-9+watford junct ticket. She says that there is an exception in the oyster system that only charges £2.50 to those who get on and off at a rail station. Is this true? This would just save me a lot of money!
Hi Sue,
There is an exception on the line between Euston and Watford Junction, but according to the single fare finder that doesn’t apply to either West Hampstead or Shepherd’s Bush. It might be an error in the system. Can you get a screen print of your colleague’s journey history? It might be worth trying your journey on PAYG next time your season runs out to see what it charges. Another alternative would be to touch out and touch back in again at Willesden Junction. This would charge you £1.40 + £1.40 = £2.80 per journey. Note that you would have to touch on yellow readers at Willesden Junction, possibly going through the gate and back in again. The pink readers won’t help you.
If you get a screenprint I’ll send you an email so you can forward it to me.
Hi Mike,
That info re Willesden is excellent! Although, I have just looked at tfl and it is saying that peak from Willesden to Watford J is 3.50. I’m more than a bit confused!
Thanks, i’ll see if we can investigate it further.
Hi Sue,
Yes, it is £3.50 in the peak, but peak on that line is only one direction at a time. You are going the other way so you benefit from the off-peak fare.
@Jack: The notice is correct. The off-peak cap starts early from Amersham but peak single fares are still charged. I’ve stressed that point in the page above now. Thanks for raising the issue.
Just noticed on the TfL website daily price capping page that three more stations have been added to the early touch in times for the off peak cap.
These are Watford High Street after 0910 with Bushey and Carpenders Park after 0920.
Unsure though when this was first introduced.
Are the before peak (i.e. before 6:30am) touch in times different for the stations north of Moor Park as well?
Hi Mo,
No they are not. Remember that the fare charged remains peak until 9.30am, it’s just the cap which changes early. The peak cap starts at 4.30am even though peak fares don’t get charged until 6.30am.
According to the TfL single fare finder, Wood Street (Z4) to Liverpool St (Z1) is peak rate (£3.30) from 1600 to 1900 (as well as from 0630 to 0930). How does this square with the new rule that travel into Zone 1 during the evening peak counts as off-peak? Walthamstow Central to Liverpool St, on the other hand (same line), is shown as peak rate ONLY from 0630 to 0930, NOT from 1600 to 1900. So does the new rule apply if you start in Z4 but not if you start in Z3?!
Hi Jake,
The difference is that between Walthamstow Central and Liverpool Street the fares charged are TfL rail fares and thus the ending in zone 1 in the afternoon peak rule applies. Further out than Walthamstow Central the fares charged are National Rail fares and there is no relaxation in the afternoon peak. It’s all down to when the stations started accepting Oyster.
Hi Mike. I took a tube from zone 3 to zone 1 at 09:25 one day last week, but the fare charged was off-peak price. Is it the system error or anything else? I do think the time of touch in at the start of journey is the key to sort peak time and off-peak.
Hi Guo,
It certainly should be. Can you expand on exactly what the journey was? And if you can see your journey history, tell me what that says. It’s possible that the system thought you started just after 9.30, or maybe there is a special arrangement for the journey you made, although I can’t think of any at the moment. Also, was it the first journey you made that day?
Hi Mike,
It was the first journey I made that day. I am sure it’s weekday and I touched in before 9:30 am. My journey was from Neasden to Euston squire. Fisrtly took the Jublee line then changed for Metropolitan line at Finchely road station. I touch out at 10:00 am. So I don’t know what happened.
Hi Guo,
It’s close. The journey planner reckons that should take about 22-25 minutes. Obviously it depends on how long it takes to walk between gateline and platforms and how long you have to wait. I’d say it’s possible that the system had you touched in at 09.30.
Made a journey from London Bridge to Raynes Park (Whole journey on direct BR route). Journey was charged off-peak (£2.30 in total)! See extract from “Journey History”. Any idea why this was not charged at peak rate? Many Thanks.
Monday, 21 November 2011
16:21 – 16:47 Waterloo (platforms 1-11) [National Rail] to Raynes Park [National Rail] £0.80 £18.40
16:03 – 16:14 London Bridge [National Rail] to Waterloo East [National Rail] £1.50 £19.20
No idea at all. I’d say that should have been charged as peak. Were there any other journeys that day?
Hi Mike, The only journey made earlier was the reverse on the way up into London. This was commenced at 9:40 and was correctly charged at £2.30 i.e. off-peak.
I recently made a return journey using Oyster on National Rail from Twickenham to Waterloo, plus 4 bus trips – all at peak times. The daily peak price cap is quoted as £15 but I was capped at £12.40 – do you know why this would be?
And if you travel one journey during peak and another journey during off peak, which price cap applies?
Hi Liz,
Bus and tram journeys are capped at £4.00 all day. Generally, one journey in the peak would be set aside for capping and the rest of your journeys would count towards the off-peak cap.
Just need confirmation of this, I am sure I have worked it out correctly.
My intention is to travel from West Drayton (zone 6) to Orpington (zone 6) via zone 1 starting before 0930 Monday to Friday via Paddington and Charing Cross.
The peak fare for this through journey is £6.50, my first OSI would be at Paddington but after 0930.
I am presuming the full peak fare would be charged for that journey (with no element of it counting towards the off peak cap) but if I break the OSI at Paddington by touching in on a bus the most I would be charged would be the £4.50 peak fare to Paddington then counting towards the off peak cap would be the £1.30 bus fare and the £4.40 off peak fare from Paddington LU to Orpington.
I would be making other off peak journies during the day which would more than see me exceed the off peak cap of £8.
Hi Malcolm,
Yes, that looks like a good plan.
Hey, I just wanted to say that this website is great! I have just moved out to zone 5 and was taking the train back from central London one evening and got charged peak fare. I was so confused why that happened until I saw this page. Thank you
Hi
What a useful site this is!
My question is..if i start my journey during off peak but end it during peak time, what fare will be charged?
I am travelling from Watford Junction to Gospel Oak via Willesden Junction. I always thought that i needed to start and end my journey during off peak to ensure i only pay the cheaper fare, but maybe I’m wrong?
Thanks.
Hi Jo,
You are always charged the fare applicable at the time of touch in. Therefore, if you touch in before 0630 (or before 1600) the whole journey will be charged at the off-peak rate.
Hi Mike,
Gunnersbury to Zone 1 in the afternoon peak is charged at the off-peak rate, but getting off in Zone 2 is not. But what about stations that are in both zones, such as Earl’s Court and Notting Hill Gate? The journey planner says the peak fare will apply, but is there not an argument to demand from TfL that we pay a Zone 1 fare for such journeys?
Hi Michael,
Be careful what you wish for! The fare from Gunnersbury to zone 1 is more expensive off-peak than either fare from Gunnersbury to zone 2.
Hi,
quick query: the TfL website only lists peak time as being Monday-Friday 04.30-09.30. Does the afternoon peak time hours mentioned in the article still apply? This is the link to the page http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14837.aspx
Hi George,
It’s the difference between pricing and capping. Although peak prices are charged on many journeys in the afternoon peak, the cap applied is the off-peak one. Conversely before 06.30 off-peak prices are charged but the cap applied is the peak or anytime one.
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