Transport for LondonJourney times
- Can we travel outside the specified time limits?
- Why are the times so restrictive?
- Why must the exact time of the service and train company name be provided?
Can we travel outside the specified time limits?
The scope of the scheme specifies that journeys must start no earlier than:
| Buses and Tramlink | 09:30 |
|---|---|
| Tube, National Rail | 09:50 where journey starts in Zone 1 or 2 |
| DLR | 09:30 where journey starts in Zones 3 - 6D |
and that you must have begun the final leg of your journey by 1630.
No exceptions to these time limits can be made.
These time constraints have been imposed to encourage parties to avoid travelling during the morning and evening peaks, when further congestion at stations or on buses or trams could pose a risk to health and safety.
It is therefore not possible for us to issue School party tickets for travel outside these times.
However, if you cannot avoid making either your outward or homeward journey outside these times, you may still request a Single ticket for whichever journey does comply with the time limits. You will need to purchase tickets at the standard rates for any journey made before these times or after 1630.
Why are the times so restrictive?
When developing the scheme, TfL had to carefully consider both the health and safety of the party and the effects these parties would have on customers in general.
During the morning and evening peak periods, many services are already running at full capacity. To allow school parties onto services at these times could result in fare-paying customers being delayed on their way to/from work.
Additionally, after the morning peak, Freedom Passes become valid at 0900 and the Off-Peak Day Travelcard becomes valid at 0930, resulting in 'mini peaks' at these times.
The scope of the scheme specifies that journeys must start no earlier than as follows:
| Buses and Tramlink | - 0930 |
| Tube, National Rail | - 0950 where journey starts in Zone 1 or 2 |
| and DLR | - 0930 where journey starts in Zones 3 - 6D |
and that you must have begun the final leg of your journey by 1630.
Why must the exact time of the National Rail service and Train Operating Company name be provided?
Train operating companies cater for parties under their own group travel arrangements. On some National Rail services there are capacity constraints, e.g. where services may be formed of only two carriages.
Train operating companies must therefore be provided with the time(s) of the trains(s) you wish to travel on so that they can check whether any other group travel parties have booked to use the same service. If there is another party booked on the same train, this could result in congestion at the train station or overcrowding on the train itself and in such cases you may be contacted to discuss the possibility of adjusting your travel times.
By providing the train operating company name we can ensure that your group is allocated to the correct train where they may be more than one service provider between the stations you are using.
