Booking through tickets to DLR - how to do it on line?

[c***@isbd.net]

This is actually more of a 'how do I escalate this so I *can* buy
tickets to DLR stations'.

I travel fairly regularly from Ipswich or Manningtree (home) to either
Custom House/Excel or Gallions Reach on the DLR. None of the on-line
ticket selling sites (I've tried Greater Anglia and a couple of others)
recognise the DLR stations as a valid destination. You can *find* the
DLR station using the station search facility but although it is then
entered automatically as the destination the site then still says it's
an invalid destination.

However if you go to the National Rail web site it will look up train
times *and* fares to the DLR destinations, but it won't sell you a
ticket of course. It transfers you to Greater Anglia to buy the ticket
and Greater Anglia says 'invalid destination'.

It's significantly cheaper of course to booke the whole journey at one
go which I why I want to do it.

I have contacted National Rail and they say I should be able to buy the
tickets, I have contacted Greater Anglia and they say they don't sell
tickets to DLR destinations on-line.

So how/where can I escalate this - any ideas anyone?

[Paul Corfield]

Post by c***@isbd.net
This is actually more of a 'how do I escalate this so I *can* buy
tickets to DLR stations'.
I travel fairly regularly from Ipswich or Manningtree (home) to either
Custom House/Excel or Gallions Reach on the DLR. None of the on-line
ticket selling sites (I've tried Greater Anglia and a couple of others)
recognise the DLR stations as a valid destination. You can *find* the
DLR station using the station search facility but although it is then
entered automatically as the destination the site then still says it's
an invalid destination.
However if you go to the National Rail web site it will look up train
times *and* fares to the DLR destinations, but it won't sell you a
ticket of course. It transfers you to Greater Anglia to buy the ticket
and Greater Anglia says 'invalid destination'.
It's significantly cheaper of course to booke the whole journey at one
go which I why I want to do it.
I have contacted National Rail and they say I should be able to buy the
tickets, I have contacted Greater Anglia and they say they don't sell
tickets to DLR destinations on-line.
So how/where can I escalate this - any ideas anyone?

The DLR is on the same fare and zonal system as London Underground.

If you buy a ticket to a LU destination it will be described as a "U"
zonal destination (e.g. Ipswich to U26). This gives you travel to the
London Zonal boundary and into the zonal area to an appropriate
interchange like Stratford. From the interchange you can make a
single journey onwards to any destination in Zones 2-6 (but not via
Zone 1). Given your DLR destinations are all on the east side of
London you do not require Zone 1 (I am assuming you are not travelling
via Liv St). If you were then you'd want a ticket to U16.

The BR Fares website holds fares.

http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=IPS&dest=0829

Try inputting Zone U2356 as the destination. The National Location
code used would appear to be 0829 but I don't know if on line systems
recognise this info.

I would go back to Greater Anglia and ask them why their systems do
not recognise a very long standing through ticketing facility. If they
are not helpful then I'd contact ATOC / Passenger Focus / ORR to raise
the issue. London Travelwatch might also be interested to hear from
you given the issue relates to through ticketing in London.

The concept of issuing through to a zone is not the easiest of
concepts for people and I wonder if TOCs are reluctant to allow it on
line in case people buy to just 1 zone rather than 5 or 6 of them to
reflect the zones travelled through!

I appreciate that you might not like the following comment but I'd
just be tempted to buy a ticket to your regular interchange stop in
London and then have an Oyster card with PAYG on it. You can then
touch in and out using the yellow validators (not the pink ones!) that
are on the national rail platforms at Stratford to allow people to
touch in and out when changing from trains that start outside the
Oyster area. This facility is provided so you don't have to exit via
the gateline and then re-enter. You must also touch in and out at
your DLR destination station.

[c***@isbd.net]

Paul Corfield <***@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:
[snip long and helpful comment, thank you]

Post by Paul Corfield
I appreciate that you might not like the following comment but I'd
just be tempted to buy a ticket to your regular interchange stop in
London and then have an Oyster card with PAYG on it. You can then
touch in and out using the yellow validators (not the pink ones!) that
are on the national rail platforms at Stratford to allow people to
touch in and out when changing from trains that start outside the
Oyster area. This facility is provided so you don't have to exit via
the gateline and then re-enter. You must also touch in and out at
your DLR destination station.

It's what I do at the moment but it costs *way* more than a through
ticket. I have a Senior Railcard and the total price from Manningtree
to a DLR station is often around £7 or £8. A single Oyster journey can
easily be half that.

[Paul Corfield]

Post by c***@isbd.net
[snip long and helpful comment, thank you]

Post by Paul Corfield
I appreciate that you might not like the following comment but I'd
just be tempted to buy a ticket to your regular interchange stop in
London and then have an Oyster card with PAYG on it. You can then
touch in and out using the yellow validators (not the pink ones!) that
are on the national rail platforms at Stratford to allow people to
touch in and out when changing from trains that start outside the
Oyster area. This facility is provided so you don't have to exit via
the gateline and then re-enter. You must also touch in and out at
your DLR destination station.

It's what I do at the moment but it costs *way* more than a through
ticket. I have a Senior Railcard and the total price from Manningtree
to a DLR station is often around £7 or £8. A single Oyster journey can
easily be half that.

Even with the railcard discount set on your Oyster card to give off
peak discounted travel? A DLR fare from Stratford to Galleons Reach
is only £1.50 off peak at full price. It's £1 off peak with the
railcard discount.

[John Levine]

Post by c***@isbd.net
It's what I do at the moment but it costs *way* more than a through
ticket. I have a Senior Railcard and the total price from Manningtree
to a DLR station is often around £7 or £8. A single Oyster journey can
easily be half that.

On the Greater Anglia site I had no trouble asking for tickets from
Manningtree to London Underground Zone 1-3. The advance single price with
senior railcard is £8.70, off peak single £22.

I see for tickets to Stratford it can be as cheap as £5.30 advance, so
maybe it's not such a bargain. Super off-peak to Stratford is £14.35,

[Rob]

Post by c***@isbd.net
It's significantly cheaper of course to booke the whole journey at one
go which I why I want to do it.
I have contacted National Rail and they say I should be able to buy the
tickets, I have contacted Greater Anglia and they say they don't sell
tickets to DLR destinations on-line.

Why not just book it in advance at the station? They can book advance
fares and book you to a zonal destination.

[c***@isbd.net]

Post by Rob

Post by c***@isbd.net
It's significantly cheaper of course to booke the whole journey at one
go which I why I want to do it.
I have contacted National Rail and they say I should be able to buy the
tickets, I have contacted Greater Anglia and they say they don't sell
tickets to DLR destinations on-line.

Why not just book it in advance at the station? They can book advance
fares and book you to a zonal destination.

Because the station is a half-hour drive away from home! :-)

... and I don't know when I make one journey when the next will be.

[Rob]

Post by c***@isbd.net

Post by Rob
Why not just book it in advance at the station? They can book advance
fares and book you to a zonal destination.

Because the station is a half-hour drive away from home! :-)

There is no closer station? Blimey!

Post by c***@isbd.net
... and I don't know when I make one journey when the next will be.

Looks like you can book through if you enter the destination "London
Underground Zone 1-2" (or whichever zonal combination you need).

Certainly works on the SWT website anyway.

Cheers,