What does a ticket to "London Terminals" actually get you?

[martin2345uk]

If I try to get a season ticket from Chelmsford to Liverpool Street, it comes up with only "London Terminals". If I put my destination as St. Pancras International, it comes up with the same thing, at the same price. Will a London Terminals ticket allow me to get to St. Pancras? Or only to Liverpool Street, and then Oyster to St. Pancras?

 

[miklcct]

The validity is only to Liverpool Street, as the use of HS1 in this scenario is specifically barred by a negative easement 600069 in the Routeing Guide.

Customers travelling from or via Stratford Domestic station to or via London St Pancras may not travel via Stratford International except on tickets routed 00131 Plus High Speed. This easement applies in both directions.

If your intention is to use anything other than HS1 to St Pancras, you may consider if buying a Travelcard from Chelmsford to London Zones 1-6, depending on the amount of travel in London you need. Alternatively you may consider buying the season to Stratford only and use Oyster / contactless onwards.

 

[Watershed]

Unfortunately, whilst a season ticket from Chelmsford to London Terminals should logically be valid into St Pancras, there is a negative easement which prevents this from being the case on Any Permitted tickets.

When HS1 opened, Southeastern quickly had this easement added, as they feel that HS1 justifies a huge premium and aren't happy with "normal" ticket holders using it!

Fortunately, there is at least the option of buying a season ticket specifically issued to St Pancras, routed +Plus High Speed, which would be valid on HS1 into St Pancras.

It's priced at rather a premium compared to the Any Permitted (£142.60 a week vs £112) - whether this (or indeed any season ticket at all) is worthwhile will depend on the travel facilities available to you, how often you'll be travelling to work and whether you'll often be travelling in/out at times when an Off-Peak ticket would be valid.

Good luck in the new job!

The validity is only to Liverpool Street

It's also valid to Fenchurch Street, though only via the rarely-served Stratford-Limehouse link (Gas Factory Jn might ring a bell @martin2345uk )

 

[martin2345uk]

Thanks guys, that is a shame but I guess it makes sense! I will have a 75% discounted Oyster card so I guess it makes the most sense to just get the ticket to Liv Street and tube it round to St. Pancras... I don't think the saving from going only to Stratford and then Oystering it would be worth the additional time/hassle.

Oh and I don't think I have ever seen a train going over that Gas Factory Junction link to Fenchurch! Will have to look out for that haha